Question 121 of 144
SK0-005 server-administration Practice Question
A server administrator notices that a database server is experiencing high CPU usage at specific times of the day. After checking logs, the administrator finds that a report generation task scheduled at those times is causing the issue. The task cannot be rescheduled or optimized further. Which of the following actions should the administrator take to ensure the server remains responsive for other applications during peak usage?
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
✓
Configure the task to run at a lower priority.
Option D is correct because lowering the priority (nice value) of the task allows other processes to utilize the CPU without being blocked. Option A is wrong because adding vCPUs does not guarantee other processes will get CPU time if the task consumes all available cycles. Option B is wrong because processor affinity only pins a process to a specific CPU core but does not change its scheduling priority. Option C is wrong because replacing hardware is not immediate and may not solve scheduling contention.
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 more virtual CPUs to the server's VM.
Why it's wrong here
Adding vCPUs does not address CPU scheduling contention; the intensive task could still starve other processes.
- ✓
Configure the task to run at a lower priority.
Why this is correct
Setting a lower scheduling priority (e.g., increasing nice value) allows other processes to preempt the CPU when needed, improving overall system responsiveness.
- ✗
Move the database to a server with faster CPU cores.
Why it's wrong here
Faster CPUs might improve performance, but if the task is highly demanding, it could still cause contention during peak times; this is not the most direct or efficient solution.
- ✗
Configure processor affinity to dedicate a core to the database process.
Why it's wrong here
Processor affinity limits which CPU cores a process can run on, but it does not lower the process's priority or guarantee responsiveness for other applications.
About these practice questions
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
Last reviewed: Jul 26, 2026
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.
Question Discussion
Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.
Sign in to join the discussion.