mediumMultiple SelectObjective-mapped
XK0-006 Practice Question: A Linux administrator suspects a memory leak in a…
A Linux administrator suspects a memory leak in a process. Which TWO commands can be used to monitor memory usage over time for a specific process? (Choose two.)
⚠ Common exam trap
It's easy for candidates to think vmstat or free can monitor per-process memory, but they only show aggregate system memory, while top and ps are the correct tools for per-process memory tracking over time.
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
✓
top
(top) is correct because it provides a real-time, interactive view of system processes, including memory usage (RES, VIRT, %MEM) that updates by default every 3 seconds. You can filter by PID to monitor a specific process over time, making it ideal for detecting memory growth patterns indicative of a leak.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
top
Why this is correct
top shows real-time memory usage per process in the RES and VIRT columns.
- ✗
vmstat
Why it's wrong here
vmstat reports system-wide memory, swap, and CPU statistics.
- ✗
iostat
Why it's wrong here
iostat is for monitoring disk I/O, not memory.
- ✓
ps aux --sort=-%mem
Why this is correct
ps can show memory usage for all processes; used with watch or in a loop it can monitor over time.
- ✗
free
Why it's wrong here
free shows total, used, and free memory system-wide, not per process.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Linux Fundamentals and History
Key term
Process
In IT service management, a process is a structured set of activities designed to accomplish a specific objective, such as managing incidents or changes, by transforming inputs into defined outputs.
Key term
Linux
Linux is an open-source operating system that manages computer hardware and software, widely used in servers, desktops, and embedded systems.
About these practice questions
Courseiva writes every XK0-006 question from scratch — 979 in total, each with an explanation and a wrong-answer breakdown. None are copied from real exams or dumps. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
JA
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.