SK0-005 troubleshooting Practice Question
A database server running on a Linux VM has started experiencing periodic crashes. The VM is hosted on an ESXi hypervisor. The system logs show entries: 'kernel: Out of memory: Kill process 12345 (mysqld) score 700 or sacrifice child'. The VM has 16GB RAM allocated and no memory overcommitment on the host. The DBA reports that the database workload hasn't increased. Which of the following actions should be taken FIRST to diagnose the issue?
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
✓
Check the host's memory utilization for ballooning or swapping.
Option C is correct because the OOM killer being invoked in a VM with stable workload suggests possible host-level memory constraints (e.g., ballooning, swapping) affecting the VM. Checking the host's memory utilization helps confirm whether the hypervisor is under memory pressure and causing the VM to think it's out of memory. Options A and D are configuration changes that might alleviate symptoms but don't diagnose root cause. B addresses database tuning, which is not indicated when the system reports OOM.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Add a memory reservation for the VM in ESXi.
Why it's wrong here
Reservation guarantees memory but doesn't reveal the cause; it's a reactive measure better applied after understanding host memory consumption.
- ✓
Check the host's memory utilization for ballooning or swapping.
Why this is correct
Host memory pressure can force balloon driver activity or swapping, causing the VM to see less available RAM and triggering OOM. This is the correct first diagnostic step.
- ✗
Analyze the database query cache hit ratio and slow query logs.
Why it's wrong here
Query analysis is a database tuning step; the OOM error indicates a memory allocation problem at the OS level, not necessarily a query issue.
- ✗
Increase the VM's RAM allocation to 32GB.
Why it's wrong here
Increasing RAM may temporarily resolve the OOM errors but does not identify why the OOM occurred despite no workload increase; it may mask the underlying issue.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Network Configuration and Connectivity
Key term
Hypervisor
A hypervisor is software that creates and runs virtual machines by allowing multiple operating systems to share a single hardware host.
Key term
Kernel
The kernel is the core program of an operating system that manages hardware resources and provides essential services for all other software to run.
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JA
Written and reviewed by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
Last reviewed July 2026 · checked against the official CompTIA exam blueprint
This SK0-005 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 SK0-005 exam.