JN0-106 Operational Monitoring and Maintenance Practice Question
A technician notices that the /var partition is filling up on a Juniper device. Which action would be most appropriate to free up space while preserving critical logs?
⚠ Common exam trap
Many exam-takers assume manual deletion (Option A) or a reboot (Option C) are quick fixes, but they overlook the Junos-specific safe cleanup command that automates the process while preserving essential data.
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
✓
Run 'request system storage cleanup'
The 'request system storage cleanup' command is the correct action because it safely removes non-essential files such as old log files, core dumps, and temporary files that are no longer needed, while preserving critical logs and configuration files. This command performs a controlled cleanup without risking the deletion of important operational data, making it the most appropriate method for freeing up space on the /var partition.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Delete core files manually
Why it's wrong here
Manually deleting core files from /var/crash or /var/core is risky because you may accidentally delete a core file that is still needed for an active troubleshooting case, and this targeted approach misses other space consumers like old logs or software images. The 'request system storage cleanup' command is the safe alternative because it automatically identifies only expendable files, so manual deletion is both hazardous and incomplete.
- ✓
Run 'request system storage cleanup'
Why this is correct
The 'request system storage cleanup' command is the correct method because it systematically scans well-known system directories and removes only files that are safe to delete, such as stale core files, old log files, and unused software images, while preserving the current system's operational logs and active configuration. It reports how much space was reclaimed and is designed by Juniper to be the standard, nondestructive way to free the /var partition. This avoids the pitfalls of ad-hoc deletion and ensures essential diagnostic data remains intact.
- ✗
Reboot the device
Why it's wrong here
Rebooting the device will not resolve a full /var partition because the /var filesystem is persistent and retains all stored logs, core files, and software images across a reboot. Although some transient runtime files under /tmp may be cleared, the bulk of space usage in /var is unaffected, so the device would likely boot back into the same low-space condition; meanwhile, the reboot introduces unnecessary downtime for no significant cleanup benefit.
- ✗
Delete all files in /var/log
Why it's wrong here
Deleting every file in /var/log removes critical system logs such as messages, authentication logs, and chassis event history that are essential for troubleshooting and auditing security incidents. Worse, if log files are currently open by the system, their space may not actually be freed until the logging process is restarted, and the absence of expected log files can prevent new logging from being written properly. This approach ignores other significant space consumers in /var, such as core files and temporary files, so it is neither safe nor comprehensive.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This JN0-106 practice question is part of Courseiva's free Juniper Networks 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 JN0-106 exam.