How to Check Uncommitted Configuration in Junos
An engineer needs to check the last time the configuration was changed. Which command provides this information?
⚠ Common exam trap
Test-takers frequently confuse 'show configuration' (which shows the current config) with a command that shows when the config was last changed, but only 'show system commit' provides the timestamp of the last commit.
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
✓
show system commit
The 'show system commit' command displays the commit history, including the date, time, and user for each configuration change. This allows the engineer to see exactly when the last configuration was committed, which is the definitive way to determine the last time the configuration was changed.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
show system commit
Why this is correct
show system commit is correct because it directly displays the commit log, which records every configuration commit along with the timestamp, user, and commit comment. By listing each commit event, it provides the exact last time the configuration was changed and saved as an active operational state. This command is the standard way to audit configuration change history on Junos devices.
- ✗
show configuration | display set
Why it's wrong here
show configuration | display set is incorrect because it only renders the current active configuration as a series of set commands, not a historical record. This output has no timestamp or metadata about when each statement was added or modified, so it cannot reveal the last configuration change time. It merely shows the final result of all previous commits, not the commit history itself.
- ✗
show system alarms
Why it's wrong here
show system alarms is incorrect because it displays only active system alarms, such as hardware faults, software failures, or environmental issues. While some alarms may be configuration-related, this command does not provide any commit history or timestamps for configuration changes. Its purpose is to indicate current operational problems, not to audit when the configuration was last modified.
- ✗
show system uptime
Why it's wrong here
show system uptime is incorrect because it reports the time since the last system reboot, the current time, and load averages. The uptime value is entirely unrelated to the last configuration commit; a router can run for months without a config change, or be rebooted shortly after a commit. Therefore, this command cannot be used to determine when the configuration was last changed.
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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.