This LPIC-2 practice question tests your understanding of block devices, filesystems and advanced storage. 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.
An administrator needs to configure iSCSI multipathing. After setting up two paths, which command should be used to verify the multipath topology?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "which command"
Why it matters: Tests specific CLI syntax. Recall the exact command and its required context — near-synonyms and partial matches are common distractors.
multipath -l
This shows multipath topology.
lsscsi
Why wrong: Lists SCSI devices but not multipath topology.
dmsetup ls
Why wrong: Lists device mapper devices but not multipath details.
iscsiadm -m session -P 3
Why wrong: Shows iSCSI sessions but not multipath mapping.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
multipath -l
The `multipath -l` command displays the current multipath topology, showing the aggregated device mapper (dm) devices, their underlying paths, and their status (active/passive or active/active). This is the standard tool for verifying multipath configuration after setting up iSCSI paths, as it reads the multipathd state and presents a human-readable map of the multipath devices.
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.
multipath -l
Why this is correct
This shows multipath topology.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "which command" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
lsscsi
Why it's wrong here
Lists SCSI devices but not multipath topology.
dmsetup ls
Why it's wrong here
Lists device mapper devices but not multipath details.
iscsiadm -m session -P 3
Why it's wrong here
Shows iSCSI sessions but not multipath mapping.
Common exam traps
The trap here is that candidates often confuse `iscsiadm -m session -P 3` (which shows iSCSI session details) with a multipath verification command, but it only shows individual iSCSI connections, not the aggregated multipath topology.
Trap categories for this question
Command / output trap
Shows iSCSI sessions but not multipath mapping.
Detailed technical explanation
Under the hood, `multipath -l` queries the device mapper multipath (DM-MP) kernel subsystem via the `multipathd` daemon, which uses the `dm-multipath` kernel module to combine multiple paths to the same LUN into a single logical device. The output includes the WWID (World Wide Identifier) of the storage array, the dm device name, and each path's status (active, enabled, failed, or ghost) based on path checkers like `tur` (Test Unit Ready) or `rdac`. In real-world scenarios, verifying multipath topology is critical after adding or removing paths to ensure failover works correctly and no paths are in a 'faulty' state.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
A small business has 20 workstations on the 192.168.1.0/24 network and one public IP from its ISP. The router uses PAT (NAT overload) so all 20 devices share one public address using different source ports. NAT questions test whether you understand the four address terms and which direction each translation applies.
What to study next
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FAQ
Block Devices, Filesystems and Advanced Storage — This question tests Block Devices, Filesystems and Advanced Storage — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: multipath -l — The `multipath -l` command displays the current multipath topology, showing the aggregated device mapper (dm) devices, their underlying paths, and their status (active/passive or active/active). This is the standard tool for verifying multipath configuration after setting up iSCSI paths, as it reads the multipathd state and presents a human-readable map of the multipath devices.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Yes — watch for: "which command". Tests specific CLI syntax. Recall the exact command and its required context — near-synonyms and partial matches are common distractors.
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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