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XK0-006 Practice Question: A Linux administrator notices that the system’s…
A Linux administrator notices that the system’s disk I/O performance has degraded significantly. Running 'iostat -x 1' shows high %util values on /dev/sda, but low await. Which of the following is the most likely issue?
⚠ Common exam trap
CompTIA often tests the misconception that high %util always means slow I/O, but the trap here is that %util measures busy time, not latency; candidates overlook the low await and incorrectly assume hardware failure or cable 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
✓
There are many concurrent I/O requests (high queue depth).
High %util with low await indicates that the device is busy processing many concurrent I/O requests, but each request completes quickly. This is characteristic of a high queue depth where the disk is saturated with parallel requests, not that individual requests are slow. The low await confirms that the disk itself is responding fast, so the bottleneck is the volume of simultaneous I/O, not latency per request.
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 filesystem is nearly full.
Why it's wrong here
Filesystem fullness affects metadata operations but does not directly cause high %util with low await.
- ✗
The disk cable is loose or faulty.
Why it's wrong here
Cable issues cause I/O errors and retries, increasing await, not low await.
- ✓
There are many concurrent I/O requests (high queue depth).
Why this is correct
Parallel I/O keeps the device busy (%util high) but each request is serviced quickly (low await).
- ✗
The disk is failing and needs replacement.
Why it's wrong here
A failing disk typically shows high await and errors, not low await.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This XK0-006 practice question is part of Courseiva's free CompTIA certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the XK0-006 exam.