This LPIC-2 practice question tests your understanding of network client management. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. 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 Linux server exports a directory /data via NFS to a client. The client mounts it with 'mount -t nfs server:/data /mnt/data'. Write operations from the client fail with 'Permission denied' on some files. The server's /etc/exports contains: /data 192.168.1.0/24(rw,root_squash). What is the most likely issue?
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.
NFS version mismatch
Why wrong: Write failures on specific files suggest permission issue.
root_squash maps root to nobody
Root on client is mapped to nobody, lacking ownership permissions.
Client mount option 'noexec'
Why wrong: Noexec affects execution, not writes.
Missing 'rw' option in /etc/exports
Why wrong: Exports includes rw.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
root_squash maps root to nobody
The 'root_squash' option in /etc/exports maps the UID 0 (root) on the client to the 'nobody' user (typically UID 65534) on the server. When a client user with UID 0 attempts to write to files owned by other users or with restrictive permissions, the server sees the request as coming from 'nobody', which lacks write access, resulting in 'Permission denied'. This is the most likely cause because the client mount command does not specify 'no_root_squash', and the server's export explicitly enables root squashing.
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.
NFS version mismatch
Why it's wrong here
Write failures on specific files suggest permission issue.
root_squash maps root to nobody
Why this is correct
Root on client is mapped to nobody, lacking ownership permissions.
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.
Client mount option 'noexec'
Why it's wrong here
Noexec affects execution, not writes.
Missing 'rw' option in /etc/exports
Why it's wrong here
Exports includes rw.
Common exam traps
The trap here is that candidates often confuse 'root_squash' with a missing 'rw' option or assume a version mismatch, when in fact the permission error on writes by root is the classic symptom of root squashing being active.
Detailed technical explanation
Under the hood, NFSv3 and NFSv4 use the server's UID/GID mapping for access control; 'root_squash' is implemented by the NFS server (rpc.mountd or nfsd) rewriting the credential of any request with UID 0 to the anonymous UID (typically 65534). A real-world scenario is when an administrator mounts an NFS export as root but forgets that 'root_squash' is enabled, causing all root-owned file operations to fail silently unless the export includes 'no_root_squash' or the client uses a non-root user with appropriate permissions.
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-2 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
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FAQ
Network Client Management — This question tests Network Client Management — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: root_squash maps root to nobody — The 'root_squash' option in /etc/exports maps the UID 0 (root) on the client to the 'nobody' user (typically UID 65534) on the server. When a client user with UID 0 attempts to write to files owned by other users or with restrictive permissions, the server sees the request as coming from 'nobody', which lacks write access, resulting in 'Permission denied'. This is the most likely cause because the client mount command does not specify 'no_root_squash', and the server's export explicitly enables root squashing.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Yes — watch for: "most likely". Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 25, 2026
This LPIC-2 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-2 exam.
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