This JNCIA-JUNOS practice question tests your understanding of user interfaces. Examine the command output carefully: the correct answer depends on what the output actually shows, not on general recall alone. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
A senior network administrator is logged into a Juniper device in operational mode. They need to make a configuration change to the BGP group 'INTERNAL'. They type 'configure terminal' and receive 'unknown command'. They then type 'configure' and enter configuration mode. They make the needed changes and exit configuration mode using 'exit'. They then try to view the active configuration to verify the changes by typing 'show configuration | match INTERNAL'. They see no output. What is the most likely reason?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "most likely"
Why it matters: Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
They should have used 'commit' before exiting configuration mode.
Option C is correct because in Junos, configuration changes made in configuration mode are stored in a candidate configuration until explicitly committed using the 'commit' command. Exiting configuration mode with 'exit' without committing discards all uncommitted changes, so the BGP group 'INTERNAL' modification never became part of the active configuration. The 'show configuration' command displays the active (committed) configuration, which explains why no output matching 'INTERNAL' was seen.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
✗
The command 'show configuration' only shows the candidate configuration, not the active.
Why it's wrong here
In operational mode, 'show configuration' displays the active configuration.
✗
They exited configuration mode without committing, so the changes were lost.
Why it's wrong here
Changes are not lost upon exiting configuration mode; they remain in the candidate configuration.
✓
They should have used 'commit' before exiting configuration mode.
Why this is correct
Commit activates the changes; without commit, the active configuration is unchanged.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "most likely" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
They need to be in configuration mode to run 'show configuration'.
Why it's wrong here
'show configuration' is valid in both operational and configuration modes.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates familiar with Cisco IOS expect 'exit' to save changes or that 'show running-config' shows uncommitted changes, but Junos requires an explicit 'commit' to activate changes, and 'show configuration' only reflects the committed state.
Trap categories for this question
Command / output trap
In operational mode, 'show configuration' displays the active configuration.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Junos uses a two-phase commit model: changes are made to a candidate configuration (stored in /config/juniper.conf.gz+), and only the 'commit' command applies them to the active configuration. The 'show configuration' command without a pipe to '| compare' always displays the active configuration, while 'show configuration | display set' or 'show | compare' from configuration mode shows candidate differences. In real-world scenarios, forgetting to commit is a common cause of configuration loss during maintenance windows, especially when multiple changes are made across sessions.
KKey Concepts to Remember
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
TExam Day Tips
→Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
→Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A practitioner preparing for the JNCIA-JUNOS exam encounters this exact type of scenario on the job. The correct answer here is not the most general option — it is the best answer for the specific constraint described. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Real exam questions reward reading the full scenario before eliminating options, because the constraint defines which answer fits.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
User Interfaces — This question tests User Interfaces — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: They should have used 'commit' before exiting configuration mode. — Option C is correct because in Junos, configuration changes made in configuration mode are stored in a candidate configuration until explicitly committed using the 'commit' command. Exiting configuration mode with 'exit' without committing discards all uncommitted changes, so the BGP group 'INTERNAL' modification never became part of the active configuration. The 'show configuration' command displays the active (committed) configuration, which explains why no output matching 'INTERNAL' was seen.
What should I do if I get this JNCIA-JUNOS question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "most likely". Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Question Discussion
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