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XK0-006 Practice Question: A systems administrator wants to monitor system…
A systems administrator wants to monitor system performance in real time. Which TWO commands can be used to display live updating information about processes, CPU, and memory usage? (Select TWO.)
⚠ Common exam trap
Many candidates confuse static commands like `ps aux` with live monitoring tools, or they mistake `vmstat 1` for a process-level viewer when it actually provides aggregate system statistics without per-process details.
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
The `top` command provides a real-time, dynamically updating view of system processes, CPU usage, and memory usage. It refreshes by default every few seconds, making it a standard tool for live performance monitoring. Similarly, `htop` is an enhanced interactive process viewer that offers a more user-friendly interface with color-coded, real-time updates on CPU, memory, and process information.
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
Real-time interactive process viewer.
- ✓
htop
Why this is correct
Enhanced real-time interactive process viewer.
- ✗
ps aux
Why it's wrong here
Static snapshot of processes.
- ✗
sar -u 1 5
Why it's wrong here
Historical data collection, not real-time interactive.
- ✗
vmstat 1
Why it's wrong here
Periodic output but not interactive like top.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
User and Group Administration
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
User
A user is any person, system, or device that interacts with an IT service, resource, or identity system, typically authenticated through credentials and authorized to perform specific actions.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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