XK0-006 System Management Practice Question
A Linux administrator needs to configure a system to automatically mount an NFS share at /mnt/data during boot. The NFS server is 192.168.1.100 exporting /export/data. Which file should the administrator edit to add the appropriate entry?
⚠ Common exam trap
Candidates often confuse client-side mount configuration with server-side export configuration, leading to editing /etc/exports instead of /etc/fstab.
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
✓
/etc/fstab
To ensure an NFS share is mounted automatically at boot, the administrator must add an entry to /etc/fstab. This file contains static filesystem information that systemd uses to generate mount units. The entry includes the server export, local mount point, filesystem type, and options. Other files like /etc/mtab or /etc/nfs.conf serve different purposes and do not control persistent mounts.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
/etc/nfs.conf
Why it's wrong here
/etc/nfs.conf is used to configure NFS client and server daemon parameters, such as protocol versions and port assignments. It does not define which remote exports to mount or where to mount them. Persistent mount points are configured in /etc/fstab, not in the NFS daemon configuration file.
- ✓
/etc/fstab
Why this is correct
The /etc/fstab file is the standard configuration file for static filesystem mounts, including network filesystems like NFS. Adding an entry such as '192.168.1.100:/export/data /mnt/data nfs defaults 0 0' ensures the share is mounted automatically at boot. The systemd mount units generated from fstab handle the actual mounting, making this the correct and persistent method.
- ✗
/etc/mtab
Why it's wrong here
/etc/mtab is a dynamic file that lists currently mounted filesystems. It is maintained by the mount command and should not be manually edited to add persistent mount configurations. Any changes made to it would be overwritten on the next mount or unmount operation, and it does not control boot-time mounting behavior.
- ✗
/etc/exports
Why it's wrong here
/etc/exports is used on an NFS server to specify which directories are shared with which clients and under what conditions. It is not used on the client side to mount remote shares. Editing /etc/exports on the client would have no effect on mounting the remote NFS export.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Navigating the Filesystem
Key term
Mount
Mounting is the process of making a file system or storage device accessible to a computer's operating system by attaching it to a specific directory in the existing directory tree.
Key term
Linux
Linux is an open-source operating system that manages computer hardware and software, widely used in servers, desktops, and embedded systems.
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Written and reviewed by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
Last reviewed September 2026 · checked against the official CompTIA exam blueprint
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