easyMultiple Select
XK0-006 Practice Question: A system administrator needs to identify which…
A system administrator needs to identify which processes are consuming the most memory on a Linux server. Which two commands can be used? (Select TWO).
⚠ Common exam trap
Test-takers frequently confuse system-wide memory reporting commands (like `free` or `vmstat`) with per-process memory analysis tools, leading them to select options that show total memory usage rather than identifying which specific processes are consuming it.
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
✓
ps -aux
Option B (ps -aux) is correct because it lists all running processes along with their memory usage (RSS/%MEM) and CPU usage, allowing the administrator to sort and identify the top memory consumers. Option D (top) is correct because it provides a real-time, dynamically updating view of processes sorted by resource usage, including memory, making it ideal for spotting the heaviest memory consumers interactively. Option A (vmstat) is not correct because it reports system-wide virtual memory, CPU, and I/O statistics rather than per-process memory usage. Option C (free -m) is not correct because it only shows total, used, and free physical and swap memory in megabytes, not which processes are consuming it. Option E (df -h) is not correct because it reports filesystem disk space usage, which is unrelated to process memory consumption.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
vmstat
Why it's wrong here
vmstat reports system-wide CPU, memory and I/O statistics, not per-process memory consumption, so it cannot identify which processes use the most memory. It is tempting because it does show memory columns, and would be correct for diagnosing overall system memory pressure.
- ✓
ps -aux
Why this is correct
`ps -aux` lists every process with CPU and memory percentages, letting the administrator rank memory consumers directly. It satisfies the stem's need to identify the heaviest memory users without interactive monitoring, unlike `top`, which refreshes continuously. The `-a` and `-x` flags together include processes from all users, not just the current terminal session.
- ✗
free -m
Why it's wrong here
free -m shows total, used and available system memory, but not which processes consume it, so it cannot identify the top memory consumers. It is tempting because it directly reports memory figures, and would be correct for confirming overall memory exhaustion.
- ✓
top
Why this is correct
`top` launches an interactive, real-time process viewer that sorts tasks by resource consumption, with memory usage shown via the %MEM column. Pressing Shift+M reorders processes by memory, directly satisfying the administrator's need to identify the highest memory consumers on the Linux server.
- ✗
df -h
Why it's wrong here
df -h reports filesystem disk space usage, not process memory, so it cannot identify memory-consuming processes. It is tempting because it is a quick resource-usage command, and would be correct for checking whether a volume is running out of free space.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Navigating the Filesystem
Key term
Linux
Linux is an open-source operating system that manages computer hardware and software, widely used in servers, desktops, and embedded systems.
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.
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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.