LPIC-1 Essential System Services and Networking Practice Question
A junior administrator on a systemd host needs the OpenSSH daemon to start automatically after every reboot and to begin running immediately without rebooting the machine. Which single command accomplishes both requirements?
⚠ Common exam trap
The trap here is treating enable and start as interchangeable, when enable controls boot-time activation and start only affects the current runtime state.
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
✓
systemctl enable --now sshd.service
Persisting a service across boots requires enabling it so systemd creates the appropriate wants symlinks, while running it right away requires an active start. The enable --now combination performs both operations atomically, so the daemon is active and will also be pulled in at every subsequent boot without an intervening reboot or a second command.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
systemctl start sshd.service
Why it's wrong here
Starting the unit launches the daemon only for the current boot; it does not create the symlinks under the target's wants directory that cause it to be pulled in at boot. After a reboot the service would be inactive again. This command satisfies the immediate requirement but leaves the persistence requirement unmet, so it cannot be the complete answer.
- ✗
systemctl enable sshd.service
Why it's wrong here
Enabling creates the boot-time symlinks but deliberately does not start the unit now. The daemon would begin running only at the next boot, failing the requirement that it start immediately. Combining enable with a separate start works, but the single command in the scenario must satisfy both conditions at once.
- ✓
systemctl enable --now sshd.service
Why this is correct
The enable subcommand creates the persistent boot-time symlinks, while the --now flag additionally starts the unit in the running transaction. Both requirements are met in one step: the daemon is active immediately and will be pulled in automatically on subsequent boots. It is the standard idempotent way to activate and persist a service.
- ✗
systemctl daemon-reload
Why it's wrong here
daemon-reload re-reads unit files from disk after they are edited, updating systemd's in-memory configuration. It neither starts a service nor changes its enablement state, so the daemon would remain stopped and would still not start at boot. It is only relevant after modifying a unit file, not for activating an existing one.
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JA
Written and reviewed by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
Last reviewed September 2026 · checked against the official LPI exam blueprint
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