easyMultiple SelectObjective-mapped
XK0-006 Practice Question: An administrator is troubleshooting a server that…
An administrator is troubleshooting a server that is experiencing intermittent high load. The administrator wants to identify processes that are using excessive CPU. Which two of the following commands can provide real-time CPU usage per process? (Choose two.)
⚠ Common exam trap
CompTIA often tests the distinction between real-time monitoring commands and static snapshot commands; the trap here is that `ps -aux` shows CPU usage but only at the instant of execution, leading candidates to mistakenly think it provides real-time updates like `top` or `htop`.
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
✓
htop
A is correct because `htop` is an interactive process viewer that displays real-time CPU usage per process, with a color-coded interface and the ability to sort by CPU consumption. B is correct because `top` is the standard real-time system monitor that shows a dynamic list of processes and their current CPU utilization, updating every few seconds by default.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
htop
Why this is correct
htop also provides real-time process monitoring.
- ✓
top
Why this is correct
top shows real-time process CPU usage.
- ✗
iostat
Why it's wrong here
iostat monitors I/O, not CPU per process.
- ✗
ps -aux
Why it's wrong here
ps is a snapshot, not real-time.
- ✗
vmstat
Why it's wrong here
vmstat shows system-wide CPU stats, not per process.
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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.