mediumMultiple ChoiceObjective-mapped
XK0-006 A database server is running slow Practice Question
A database server is running slow. The administrator uses iostat and notices high await times on the disk. Which of the following best explains the implication of high await?
⚠ Common exam trap
Test-takers frequently confuse 'await' with CPU wait time (iowait) or assume it directly indicates disk fullness, when in fact await is a pure I/O completion latency metric that can be high due to queueing, slow media, or controller issues.
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
✓
Disk I/O requests are taking a long time to complete.
In iostat, 'await' measures the average time (in milliseconds) for I/O requests to be served by the disk, including time spent in the queue and the actual service time. A high await value indicates that disk I/O requests are taking a long time to complete, which directly explains the database server's slowness due to disk latency.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
The CPU is waiting too long for memory access.
Why it's wrong here
await is a disk metric, not memory. CPU wait (iowait) is related but await is specifically I/O time.
- ✓
Disk I/O requests are taking a long time to complete.
Why this is correct
Await includes queue time and service time; high values mean disk is slow or overloaded.
- ✗
The disk is almost full, causing fragmentation.
Why it's wrong here
High await does not directly relate to disk fullness; it is about response times.
- ✗
The network filesystem is experiencing latency.
Why it's wrong here
iostat measures local disk performance, not network filesystems.
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