LPIC-2 Network Client Management Practice Question
This LPIC-2 practice question tests your understanding of network client management. 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.
Exhibit
Refer to the exhibit.
server:/export/data on /mnt/data type nfs4 (rw,noatime,vers=4.2,rsize=1048576,wsize=1048576,hard,sec=sys)
Given the mount options shown, which of the following events will cause the NFS mount to become unresponsive (hang)?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
The NFS server reboots.
When the NFS server reboots, the client's TCP connection to the server is broken. With the `hard` mount option (default), the client will retry indefinitely until the server comes back online, causing all processes accessing the mount to hang (become unresponsive). The `intr` option (if not set) prevents interruption by signals, making the hang persistent until the server responds.
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 NFS server reboots.
Why this is correct
With 'hard' mount, the client will continuously retry, causing a hang until the server responds.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
The network becomes saturated.
Why it's wrong here
Saturation may slow performance but does not cause a complete hang.
✗
The client runs out of disk space on /mnt/data.
Why it's wrong here
This affects write operations but does not cause the mount to hang.
✗
The /mnt/data directory is deleted locally.
Why it's wrong here
The mount point exists; the directory deletion would only affect access to files.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
LPI often tests the misconception that network saturation or local disk issues cause NFS hangs, but the key is that only a hard mount with a server reboot (or network partition that breaks the connection) leads to an indefinite hang, while other issues result in errors or retries without freezing the client.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, NFS uses a stateless protocol (NFSv3) or stateful (NFSv4), but the client-side mount daemon (rpc.statd or rpc.idmapd) and kernel NFS client maintain a TCP connection. When the server reboots, the client receives a TCP RST or connection timeout; with `hard` mount, the NFS client retries RPC calls indefinitely, and the process enters an uninterruptible sleep (D state) if `intr` is not set. A real-world scenario is a production NFS server reboot causing all client applications to freeze until the server is back, which is why `soft` or `intr` options are often used for non-critical mounts.
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 NFS server reboots. — When the NFS server reboots, the client's TCP connection to the server is broken. With the `hard` mount option (default), the client will retry indefinitely until the server comes back online, causing all processes accessing the mount to hang (become unresponsive). The `intr` option (if not set) prevents interruption by signals, making the hang persistent until the server responds.
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.
About these practice questions
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.
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.
Question Discussion
Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.
Sign in to join the discussion.