This LPIC-2 practice question tests your understanding of advanced networking configuration. 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 wants to implement network bonding for redundancy on a Linux server running RHEL 8. The server has two physical interfaces em1 and em2. The administrator creates a bond interface bond0 with mode active-backup (mode 1) and adds the slaves em1 and em2. They assign IP address 192.168.50.10/24 to bond0 and bring up the bond. The bond appears to work initially, with one slave active. However, when they disconnect the cable from the active slave, the bond does not fail over to the other slave. The administrator checks /proc/net/bonding/bond0 and sees that the link status for both slaves shows 'up' even after the disconnection. They confirm the bonding module is loaded and the mode is correct. Which of the following is the most likely missing configuration?
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.
The MII monitoring interval (miimon) is not configured.
miimon is required for link monitoring.
The bond interface requires a specific kernel module that is missing.
Why wrong: The bond0 interface exists, so module is loaded.
The slave interfaces were not set to 'down' before enslaving.
Why wrong: Slaves can be enslaved while up if already configured.
The bond mode is set to mode 0 instead of mode 1.
Why wrong: Mode is confirmed as mode 1.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
The MII monitoring interval (miimon) is not configured.
The correct answer is A because in active-backup bonding mode (mode 1), the kernel bonding driver requires the MII (Media Independent Interface) monitoring interval (miimon) to be configured in order to detect link failures. Without miimon, the driver never polls the slave interfaces for link state changes, so even when a cable is disconnected, the driver continues to see the link as 'up' and does not trigger a failover. The administrator must set miimon=100 (or another value in milliseconds) in the bond configuration to enable periodic link monitoring.
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.
The MII monitoring interval (miimon) is not configured.
Why this is correct
miimon is required for link monitoring.
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.
The bond interface requires a specific kernel module that is missing.
Why it's wrong here
The bond0 interface exists, so module is loaded.
The slave interfaces were not set to 'down' before enslaving.
Why it's wrong here
Slaves can be enslaved while up if already configured.
The bond mode is set to mode 0 instead of mode 1.
Why it's wrong here
Mode is confirmed as mode 1.
Common exam traps
The trap here is that candidates often assume active-backup mode automatically handles failover without additional configuration, but the LPIC-2 exam tests the understanding that link monitoring (miimon) must be explicitly configured for the bonding driver to detect physical link loss.
Detailed technical explanation
The MII monitoring interval (miimon) works by having the bonding driver periodically read the MII status of each slave interface via ethtool or similar ioctl calls; if the link is down for a specified number of intervals (the 'updelay' and 'downdelay' parameters), the driver marks the slave as failed and initiates failover. In a real-world scenario, if miimon is omitted, even a physically disconnected cable will not be detected because the driver relies solely on carrier state changes reported by the network card, which may not always trigger an interrupt or be polled without miimon. The default miimon value is 0, meaning no monitoring, which is why the bond appears to work but fails to fail over.
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
Advanced Networking Configuration — This question tests Advanced Networking Configuration — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: The MII monitoring interval (miimon) is not configured. — The correct answer is A because in active-backup bonding mode (mode 1), the kernel bonding driver requires the MII (Media Independent Interface) monitoring interval (miimon) to be configured in order to detect link failures. Without miimon, the driver never polls the slave interfaces for link state changes, so even when a cable is disconnected, the driver continues to see the link as 'up' and does not trigger a failover. The administrator must set miimon=100 (or another value in milliseconds) in the bond configuration to enable periodic link monitoring.
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
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