LPIC-2 DNS, Web and Mail Services Practice Question
This LPIC-2 practice question tests your understanding of dns, web and mail services. 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
; <<>> DiG 9.16.1 <<>> -x 192.0.2.1
;; QUESTION SECTION:
;1.2.0.192.in-addr.arpa. IN PTR
;; AUTHORITY SECTION:
2.0.192.in-addr.arpa. 3600 IN SOA ns1.example.com. admin.example.com. 2023100101 3600 900 604800 86400
;; Query time: 1 msec
;; SERVER: 192.0.2.1#53(192.0.2.1)
;; WHEN: Sat Oct 01 12:00:00 2023
;; MSG SIZE rcvd: 80
Refer to the exhibit. What is wrong with the reverse DNS resolution for 192.0.2.1?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
The PTR record for 192.0.2.1 is missing.
Option D is correct because the reverse DNS resolution for 192.0.2.1 requires a PTR record in the reverse zone file. The query returns NXDOMAIN, which indicates that the PTR record for 1.2.0.192.in-addr.arpa does not exist, meaning the record is missing. Without this PTR record, the reverse lookup fails.
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 reverse zone is not delegated.
Why it's wrong here
Delegation is not indicated; the server is authoritative.
✗
The query should be for 1.2.0.192.in-addr.arpa.
Why it's wrong here
The query syntax is correct; -x automatically constructs the correct format.
✗
The server is not authoritative for the reverse zone.
Why it's wrong here
The authority section shows SOA for 2.0.192.in-addr.arpa, indicating it is authoritative.
✓
The PTR record for 192.0.2.1 is missing.
Why this is correct
No answer section means no PTR record exists for that IP.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates may confuse NXDOMAIN (missing record) with SERVFAIL (server error) or assume delegation issues, but the authoritative flag confirms the server is responsible, so the only logical cause is a missing PTR record.
Trap categories for this question
Command / output trap
The authority section shows SOA for 2.0.192.in-addr.arpa, indicating it is authoritative.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Reverse DNS resolution uses the in-addr.arpa domain, where IP addresses are reversed and appended. For 192.0.2.1, the PTR record is stored under 1.2.0.192.in-addr.arpa. The dig output shows an NXDOMAIN response with the authoritative flag set, meaning the server is responsible for the zone but the specific PTR record is absent. This is a common misconfiguration where forward records exist but reverse records are omitted, breaking services like SMTP (RFC 5321) that require matching PTR records for anti-spam validation.
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.
DNS, Web and Mail Services — This question tests DNS, Web and Mail Services — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: The PTR record for 192.0.2.1 is missing. — Option D is correct because the reverse DNS resolution for 192.0.2.1 requires a PTR record in the reverse zone file. The query returns NXDOMAIN, which indicates that the PTR record for 1.2.0.192.in-addr.arpa does not exist, meaning the record is missing. Without this PTR record, the reverse lookup fails.
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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