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CV0-004 Practice Question: A cloud administrator receives an alert that a…
A cloud administrator receives an alert that a virtual machine's disk usage is at 95%. The VM hosts a database. Which of the following troubleshooting steps should the administrator take FIRST?
⚠ Common exam trap
Many exam-takers assume high disk usage is always caused by temporary files or transactions, leading them to reboot or query the database first, rather than performing a simple disk space analysis to identify the actual culprit.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Check the disk to identify which files are consuming space
When a VM's disk usage reaches 95%, the first step is to identify what is consuming the space. Checking the disk to identify which files are consuming space (Option D) allows the administrator to determine whether the issue is caused by database logs, temporary files, or other data, and to plan an appropriate remediation without unnecessary risk or downtime.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Expand the virtual disk by resizing the volume in the cloud console
Why it's wrong here
Resizing the volume adds capacity without determining what consumed the existing space, so a runaway log or data file continues growing. It is the right action once analysis confirms genuine sustained growth. The first step is investigating file and directory usage, not provisioning more storage blindly.
- ✗
Reboot the virtual machine to free up temporary files
Why it's wrong here
Rebooting clears temporary files but risks corrupting an active database and does not address the underlying growth, so usage returns. It is tempting as a quick remediation for stale temp data. The correct first step is identifying which files or directories consumed the space before any disruptive action.
- ✗
Query the database for active connections to determine if there are long-running transactions
Why it's wrong here
Long-running transactions consume transaction log or temp space, not the data volume filling to 95%; querying connections does not identify which files or directories consumed the capacity. It is the right step when diagnosing lock contention or blocking, not disk exhaustion, where checking the largest files and growth rate comes first.
- ✓
Check the disk to identify which files are consuming space
Why this is correct
Identifying which files consume the space reveals whether the growth is database data, logs or orphaned files, directing the remedy. This diagnostic step precedes deletion or expansion, satisfying the requirement to act first without risking data loss on a production database.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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