The answer is the `show interfaces terse` command, which is the correct choice for checking interface status because it provides a concise, single-line summary of every configured interface on a Junos device, displaying both the administrative status (shown as "up" or "down" in the first column) and the operational status (shown in the second column), along with the protocol states for each logical unit. On the JNCIA-Junos exam, this command tests your ability to quickly verify interface health and configuration without parsing verbose output; a common trap is confusing it with `show interfaces extensive`, which gives far more detail but obscures the quick status overview. To remember it, think of "terse" as "terse and to the point"—it strips away everything except the essential admin and operational flags. A helpful memory tip: the two status columns read left to right as "Admin/Oper," so if you see "up/down," the interface is administratively enabled but not physically connected.
JNCIA-JUNOS Operational Monitoring and Maintenance Practice Question
This JNCIA-JUNOS practice question tests your understanding of operational monitoring and maintenance. 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.
Which command displays the status of all configured interfaces, including administrative and operational status?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "which command"
Why it matters: Tests specific CLI syntax. Recall the exact command and its required context — near-synonyms and partial matches are common distractors.
'show interfaces terse' displays all interfaces with administrative (Admin) and operational (Link) status in a concise format. It clearly shows which interfaces are up or down.
B
show configuration interfaces
Why wrong: 'show configuration interfaces' shows only the configuration stanza, not operational status or link state. It does not show admin or oper status.
C
show chassis hardware
Why wrong: 'show chassis hardware' displays inventory of hardware components, not interface status. It shows modules, serial numbers, etc.
D
show interface statistics
Why wrong: 'show interface statistics' displays packet and byte counts, not administrative or operational status. It is used for traffic monitoring.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
show interfaces terse
The 'show interfaces terse' command displays a concise summary of all interfaces, including their administrative status (up or down) and operational status (up or down), along with protocol states. This makes it the correct choice for quickly viewing the status of all configured interfaces in a single output.
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.
✓
show interfaces terse
Why this is correct
'show interfaces terse' displays all interfaces with administrative (Admin) and operational (Link) status in a concise format. It clearly shows which interfaces are up or down.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "which command" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
show configuration interfaces
Why it's wrong here
'show configuration interfaces' shows only the configuration stanza, not operational status or link state. It does not show admin or oper status.
✗
show chassis hardware
Why it's wrong here
'show chassis hardware' displays inventory of hardware components, not interface status. It shows modules, serial numbers, etc.
✗
show interface statistics
Why it's wrong here
'show interface statistics' displays packet and byte counts, not administrative or operational status. It is used for traffic monitoring.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse 'show interfaces terse' with 'show interface statistics' or 'show configuration interfaces', mistakenly thinking statistics or configuration output will show operational status, but only 'show interfaces terse' provides the concise admin and link status in a single view.
Trap categories for this question
Command / output trap
'show configuration interfaces' shows only the configuration stanza, not operational status or link state. It does not show admin or oper status.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
The 'show interfaces terse' command outputs a line per interface with fields like 'Interface', 'Admin', 'Link', and 'Proto', where 'Admin' indicates administrative status (up/down) and 'Link' indicates operational status (up/down). This command is particularly useful for troubleshooting connectivity issues because it quickly reveals whether an interface is disabled administratively (admin down) or has a physical layer problem (link down), without needing to parse verbose output.
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.
Operational Monitoring and Maintenance — This question tests Operational Monitoring and Maintenance — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: show interfaces terse — The 'show interfaces terse' command displays a concise summary of all interfaces, including their administrative status (up or down) and operational status (up or down), along with protocol states. This makes it the correct choice for quickly viewing the status of all configured interfaces in a single output.
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: "which command". Tests specific CLI syntax. Recall the exact command and its required context — near-synonyms and partial matches are common distractors.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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