The answer is to kill the databased process using kill -9. This is correct because the 503 Service Unavailable errors are caused by memory exhaustion: with swap usage at 75% and available RAM critically low, Apache is being starved of memory. The rogue 'databased' process is consuming 40% of RAM, so terminating it with a SIGKILL signal instantly frees that memory, resolving the pressure without a server restart. On the CompTIA Linux+ XK0-005 exam, this scenario tests your ability to identify and kill non-essential processes that hog resources, a common cause of service degradation. A frequent trap is restarting the web server or tweaking Apache configs, but the root cause is the rogue process eating RAM. Remember: when swap spikes and a non-core process is the culprit, kill it first—think "Swap Spike, Kill the Spike."
XK0-005 Troubleshooting Practice Question
This XK0-005 practice question tests your understanding of troubleshooting. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
A Linux system administrator is troubleshooting a server that runs a web application. Users report that the web application occasionally returns 503 Service Unavailable errors. The Apache web server appears to be running (systemctl status httpd shows active). The server has 8GB RAM and runs multiple applications. The administrator runs free -m and sees that swap usage is at 75% while available memory is very low. The top output shows that a process named 'databased' is consuming 40% of memory. The databased process is not a core application and is not needed for the web server. The administrator wants to resolve the issue without restarting the server. What should the administrator do?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Kill the databased process using kill -9
The immediate cause of the 503 errors is memory exhaustion: swap is at 75% and available RAM is critically low. The non-essential 'databased' process is consuming 40% of memory, starving Apache. Killing it with kill -9 frees that memory instantly, resolving the pressure without a restart. This directly addresses the root cause—a rogue process hogging RAM—rather than treating symptoms.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
✗
Enable the OOM killer to handle memory pressure automatically
Why it's wrong here
The OOM killer may not act soon enough or could kill Apache instead.
✗
Increase swap space by adding a swap file
Why it's wrong here
Increases swap capacity but does not reduce memory pressure from the unwanted process.
✓
Kill the databased process using kill -9
Why this is correct
Immediately frees the memory held by the databased process, alleviating memory pressure.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Reduce Apache's MaxClients setting
Why it's wrong here
Reducing Apache connections does not free existing memory consumed by databased.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates may think increasing swap (Option B) or reducing Apache workers (Option D) will fix the 503 errors, but they overlook that the real issue is a specific non-essential process consuming the memory that Apache needs, making direct termination the only efficient fix without restarting.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
The 'databased' process is likely a misnamed or unauthorized database daemon (e.g., a rogue MySQL or PostgreSQL instance) consuming 3.2GB of 8GB RAM. The kill -9 signal (SIGKILL) cannot be caught or ignored by the process, ensuring immediate termination. In real-world scenarios, such processes often spawn from compromised applications or leftover services, and killing them restores memory without requiring a reboot, which would disrupt all running services.
KKey Concepts to Remember
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
TExam Day Tips
→Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
→Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A practitioner preparing for the XK0-005 exam encounters this exact type of scenario on the job. The correct answer here is not the most general option — it is the best answer for the specific constraint described. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Real exam questions reward reading the full scenario before eliminating options, because the constraint defines which answer fits.
Related glossary terms
Concepts from this question explained
These glossary pages explain the core terms tested in this XK0-005 question in full detail.
Troubleshooting — This question tests Troubleshooting — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Kill the databased process using kill -9 — The immediate cause of the 503 errors is memory exhaustion: swap is at 75% and available RAM is critically low. The non-essential 'databased' process is consuming 40% of memory, starving Apache. Killing it with kill -9 frees that memory instantly, resolving the pressure without a restart. This directly addresses the root cause—a rogue process hogging RAM—rather than treating symptoms.
What should I do if I get this XK0-005 question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Question Discussion
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