LPIC-2 Network Client Management Practice Question
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.
Exhibit
Refer to the exhibit.
# /etc/nsswitch.conf
passwd: files ldap
shadow: files ldap
group: files ldap
hosts: files dns
A user authenticates via LDAP successfully, but 'getent passwd' only shows local users. What is the problem?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
The LDAP server is not responding for passwd queries.
Option B is correct because the user can authenticate via LDAP (which typically uses the 'auth' or 'account' NSS modules) but 'getent passwd' only shows local users, indicating that the NSS 'passwd' map is not querying the LDAP server. This means the LDAP server is either unreachable for passwd queries or the NSS configuration for the 'passwd' database is misconfigured (e.g., missing 'ldap' in /etc/nsswitch.conf for passwd). The successful authentication suggests the LDAP server is reachable for authentication purposes, but the passwd map query fails, often due to a separate LDAP server or service issue specific to user/group lookups.
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.
✗
The ldap entry should be before files.
Why it's wrong here
Order does not prevent showing LDAP users if server works.
✓
The LDAP server is not responding for passwd queries.
Why this is correct
If the server doesn't respond, getent falls back to files after files.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
The shadow map is missing LDAP.
Why it's wrong here
Shadow is separate and not used by getent passwd.
✗
The nscd cache needs to be cleared.
Why it's wrong here
nscd is not mentioned; but the issue is likely server unreachable.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates assume successful authentication implies all LDAP services are working, but LPIC-2 tests the distinction between NSS maps (passwd, group) and PAM modules (auth, account), where a failure in the passwd map query does not prevent authentication if the LDAP server responds to bind requests.
Trap categories for this question
Command / output trap
Order does not prevent showing LDAP users if server works.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, NSS (Name Service Switch) uses the /etc/nsswitch.conf file to determine the order and sources for databases like passwd, group, and shadow. The 'getent passwd' command queries the passwd database via NSS; if the 'ldap' source is listed but the LDAP server is unreachable or returns no results for the passwd map (e.g., due to a firewall blocking port 389/636 for search operations, or a misconfigured LDAP base DN), NSS falls back to the next source (typically 'files'), showing only local users. A real-world scenario is when LDAP authentication works (using a separate bind DN or SASL mechanism) but the anonymous or search bind for passwd lookups fails due to ACLs on the LDAP directory.
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-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
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.
Network Client Management — This question tests Network Client Management — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: The LDAP server is not responding for passwd queries. — Option B is correct because the user can authenticate via LDAP (which typically uses the 'auth' or 'account' NSS modules) but 'getent passwd' only shows local users, indicating that the NSS 'passwd' map is not querying the LDAP server. This means the LDAP server is either unreachable for passwd queries or the NSS configuration for the 'passwd' database is misconfigured (e.g., missing 'ldap' in /etc/nsswitch.conf for passwd). The successful authentication suggests the LDAP server is reachable for authentication purposes, but the passwd map query fails, often due to a separate LDAP server or service issue specific to user/group lookups.
What should I do if I get this LPIC-2 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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