This LPIC-1 practice question tests your understanding of devices, filesystems and fhs. This is a configuration task: choose the command set that satisfies every stated requirement. Small differences — like 'secret' vs 'password' or 'transport input ssh' vs 'all' — change whether the answer is correct. 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.
According to FHS, which directory should NOT be mounted on a networked filesystem (e.g., NFS) because it contains host-specific configuration files?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "NOT"
Why it matters: Negative qualifier — you are looking for the one option that does NOT apply. Most options will be true; only one is false for this scenario.
/home
Why wrong: Incorrect: /home can be shared via NFS for user home directories.
/var
Why wrong: Incorrect: /var can be shared but is often local; sharing is possible but not best practice for logs.
/etc
Correct: /etc must be local to each host due to unique configuration.
/opt
Why wrong: Incorrect: /opt can be shared if software is identical across hosts.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
/etc
The Filesystem Hierarchy Standard (FHS) specifies that /etc contains host-specific configuration files that must be local to each machine. Mounting /etc over a network filesystem like NFS would cause all clients to share the same configuration, breaking system identity, network settings, and security policies. This violates the FHS requirement that /etc be a local filesystem.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
/home
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect: /home can be shared via NFS for user home directories.
/var
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect: /var can be shared but is often local; sharing is possible but not best practice for logs.
/etc
Why this is correct
Correct: /etc must be local to each host due to unique configuration.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "NOT" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
/opt
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect: /opt can be shared if software is identical across hosts.
Common exam traps
The trap here is that candidates may think /var or /home are the correct answers because they contain user data or logs, but the FHS specifically singles out /etc as the directory that must remain local due to its host-specific configuration files.
Detailed technical explanation
The FHS mandates that /etc must be local because it holds critical host-specific files such as /etc/hostname, /etc/fstab, and /etc/shadow. If /etc were NFS-mounted, all clients would share the same hostname and authentication database, causing conflicts and security breaches. In practice, administrators often use configuration management tools (e.g., Ansible, Puppet) to distribute /etc files to each host rather than sharing the directory over NFS.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
A practitioner preparing for the LPIC-1 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
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
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FAQ
Devices, Filesystems and FHS — This question tests Devices, Filesystems and FHS — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: /etc — The Filesystem Hierarchy Standard (FHS) specifies that /etc contains host-specific configuration files that must be local to each machine. Mounting /etc over a network filesystem like NFS would cause all clients to share the same configuration, breaking system identity, network settings, and security policies. This violates the FHS requirement that /etc be a local filesystem.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Yes — watch for: "NOT". Negative qualifier — you are looking for the one option that does NOT apply. Most options will be true; only one is false for this scenario.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 25, 2026
This LPIC-1 practice question is part of Courseiva's free LPI 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 LPIC-1 exam.
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