This LPIC-1 practice question tests your understanding of administrative tasks. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. 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.
Exhibit
● sshd.service - OpenSSH server daemon
Loaded: loaded (/usr/lib/systemd/system/sshd.service; enabled; vendor preset: enabled)
Active: active (running) since Mon 2023-10-02 10:30:00 UTC; 2h 30min ago
Docs: man:sshd(8)
man:sshd_config(5)
Main PID: 1234 (sshd)
Tasks: 1 (limit: 2345)
Memory: 5.6M
CGroup: /system.slice/sshd.service
└─1234 /usr/sbin/sshd -D
Refer to the exhibit. What is the current state of the SSH service?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
It is active and running
The exhibit shows the output of `systemctl status sshd`, which displays the service state as 'active (running)' in the green text. This indicates that the SSH daemon (sshd) is currently loaded and executing, providing secure shell access to the system. The 'active (running)' state is the normal operational state for a service that has been started and is functioning correctly.
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.
✓
It is active and running
Why this is correct
Correct: clearly states 'active (running)'.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
It is inactive
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect: inactive would show 'inactive (dead)'.
✗
It is disabled
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect: 'disabled' would appear as 'disabled' in the Loaded line.
✗
It has failed
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect: failed would show 'failed' status.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
LPI often tests the distinction between a service's current runtime state (active/inactive) and its boot-time enablement (enabled/disabled), causing candidates to confuse 'disabled' with 'inactive' when the question explicitly asks for the current state.
Trap categories for this question
Command / output trap
Incorrect: inactive would show 'inactive (dead)'.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
The `systemctl status` command reads the service unit state from systemd's internal state machine, which tracks transitions like 'activating', 'active', 'deactivating', and 'inactive'. The 'running' substate specifically means the main process (sshd) is still alive and has not exited; systemd monitors this via PID tracking and cgroups. In real-world scenarios, a service might show 'active (exited)' for oneshot services that complete quickly, but for long-running daemons like sshd, 'active (running)' is the expected healthy state.
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 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
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.
Administrative Tasks — This question tests Administrative Tasks — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: It is active and running — The exhibit shows the output of `systemctl status sshd`, which displays the service state as 'active (running)' in the green text. This indicates that the SSH daemon (sshd) is currently loaded and executing, providing secure shell access to the system. The 'active (running)' state is the normal operational state for a service that has been started and is functioning correctly.
What should I do if I get this LPIC-1 question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
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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