This LPIC-2 practice question tests your understanding of file sharing and samba. 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.
A small office uses a Linux server running Samba to share documents. The share is accessible but very slow, especially when writing large files. The network is 1 Gbps, and disk performance is fine. The smb.conf has default settings. Which change is most likely to improve write performance?
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.
Set 'write cache size = 262144'.
This enables write caching, improving write throughput.
Set 'strict sync = yes'.
Why wrong: This forces synchronous writes, slowing performance.
Set 'use sendfile = yes'.
Why wrong: This improves read performance, not write.
Set 'socket options = TCP_NODELAY IPTOS_LOWDELAY'.
Why wrong: This improves network latency but not write performance for large files.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Set 'write cache size = 262144'.
The 'write cache size' option enables a per-file write cache in Samba that buffers write operations before committing them to disk. With default settings, Samba may perform synchronous writes for each chunk, causing severe slowdowns on large file transfers. Setting a write cache size (e.g., 262144 bytes) allows Samba to aggregate writes, dramatically improving throughput on a fast network with adequate disk performance.
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.
Set 'write cache size = 262144'.
Why this is correct
This enables write caching, improving write throughput.
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.
Set 'strict sync = yes'.
Why it's wrong here
This forces synchronous writes, slowing performance.
Set 'use sendfile = yes'.
Why it's wrong here
This improves read performance, not write.
Set 'socket options = TCP_NODELAY IPTOS_LOWDELAY'.
Why it's wrong here
This improves network latency but not write performance for large files.
Common exam traps
The trap here is that candidates often confuse 'write cache size' with client-side caching or misattribute performance issues to network tuning, overlooking that Samba's default write behavior is synchronous and unbuffered.
Detailed technical explanation
Under the hood, Samba's default behavior for writes relies on the client's write-and-X or SMB2 write requests, which may be sent with the 'write-through' flag. The 'write cache size' parameter creates a per-file buffer that defers the actual write() system call until the buffer is full or the file is closed, reducing the number of disk I/O operations. In real-world scenarios, this is critical for large file transfers over high-bandwidth links where disk latency becomes the bottleneck, even if raw disk performance is fine.
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
File Sharing and Samba — This question tests File Sharing and Samba — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: Set 'write cache size = 262144'. — The 'write cache size' option enables a per-file write cache in Samba that buffers write operations before committing them to disk. With default settings, Samba may perform synchronous writes for each chunk, causing severe slowdowns on large file transfers. Setting a write cache size (e.g., 262144 bytes) allows Samba to aggregate writes, dramatically improving throughput on a fast network with adequate disk performance.
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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