SK0-005 server-administration Practice Question
A Linux database server has recently exhibited sluggish response times. An analysis of system performance shows high CPU wait I/O, frequent page swapping, and a low cache hit ratio. The server has 16GB of RAM, and the database itself stores 100GB of active data. Which of the following is the MOST effective long-term solution to improve performance?
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
✓
Increase the physical RAM in the server to at least 64GB.
Option C (Increase physical RAM to 64GB) is correct because the server is experiencing memory pressure leading to excessive swapping and low cache utilization. More RAM allows the database to cache a larger portion of active data in memory, reducing I/O wait and improving response times. Option A (Add faster SSDs) may reduce I/O wait but does not address the root cause—memory starvation. Option B (Tune the database query cache) might provide minor relief but is not a substitute for adequate memory. Option D (Increase swap space) would worsen performance by enabling more swapping.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Increase the physical RAM in the server to at least 64GB.
Why this is correct
More RAM reduces swapping and allows caching of a larger working set, directly addressing the high I/O wait and low cache hit ratio.
- ✗
Tune the database engine's query cache size.
Why it's wrong here
Query cache tuning can help in specific scenarios, but the overwhelming evidence of swapping points to a systemic memory shortage that tuning cannot fully overcome.
- ✗
Configure the server to use a larger swap partition.
Why it's wrong here
Enlarging swap would encourage more swapping, severely degrading performance; it's a stopgap, not a solution.
- ✗
Replace the existing hard drives with faster SSDs.
Why it's wrong here
SSDs would reduce I/O latency, but the high swapping indicates insufficient RAM; SSDs alone won't eliminate frequent disk-based reads due to low memory.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Physical and Logical Security Controls
Key term
Analysis
In incident response, analysis is the process of examining data and events to determine what happened, how it happened, and what actions to take.
Key term
Dual In-line Memory Module
A Dual In-line Memory Module (DIMM) is a small circuit board that holds memory chips and plugs into a computer's motherboard to provide Random Access Memory (RAM).
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Same concept, more angles
1 more way this is tested on SK0-005
These questions test the same concept from different angles. Work through them to make sure you can recognise it however the exam phrases it.
Variation 1. A MySQL database server on Linux is experiencing high CPU utilization during peak business hours. Upon investigation, the administrator finds that the query cache hit ratio is below 20%, and the query_cache_size is set to 0. The server has 64 GB of RAM and the database workload is primarily read-heavy. Which of the following actions should the administrator take FIRST to improve performance?
hard- ✓ A.Set query_cache_size to an appropriate value, such as 256M, and monitor.
- B.Add more RAM to the server.
- C.Rebuild all indexes on the database tables.
- D.Enable the slow query log to identify inefficient queries.
Why A: Option D is correct because the query cache is disabled (size 0). Enabling it and setting an appropriate size will increase cache hits and reduce CPU load. Option A adds RAM but does not address the misconfigured cache. Option B identifies queries but does not directly fix the cache. Option C rebuilds indexes, which may not impact query caching.
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.