PCNSE Manage, Monitor and Operate Practice Question
Exhibit
Refer to the exhibit. admin@PA-5000> show system resources CPU: 15% used Memory: 45% used Disk: /dev/sda1 85% used admin@PA-5000> show logging-status Disk space usage: /opt/pancfg: 70% used /opt/panlogs: 92% used
Refer to the exhibit. The firewall's disk usage is at 85% overall, and the /opt/panlogs partition is at 92%. The administrator wants to free up space without losing important log data. Which action should be taken first?
⚠ Common exam trap
Palo Alto Networks often tests the misconception that deleting configuration files or directories is a valid troubleshooting step, when in fact the correct approach is to use built-in log management features like auto-deletion to safely reclaim space without data loss.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Configure log auto-deletion in the Log Settings to purge logs older than a specified period
Configuring log auto-deletion in the Log Settings allows the administrator to automatically purge older logs based on a specified retention period, freeing up disk space on the /opt/panlogs partition without manually deleting important log data. This is the safest and most controlled method, as it respects the firewall's log management policies and ensures compliance with data retention requirements.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Configure log auto-deletion in the Log Settings to purge logs older than a specified period
Why this is correct
Auto-deletion targets the /opt/panlogs partition directly, purging the oldest logs first to reclaim space while retaining recent entries. It satisfies the constraint of freeing space without losing important log data, and is non-destructive compared with manual deletion or reformatting.
- ✗
Add an external storage device to the firewall
Why it's wrong here
Adding external storage does not immediately free up space on the *already full* `/opt/panlogs` partition. The firewall's logging mechanism needs to be configured to utilise new storage, and existing logs are not automatically migrated. This option is tempting because external storage is crucial for long-term log retention and expanding overall log capacity. It would be the correct choice if the goal was to prevent future disk full issues by offloading *new* logs or for archiving, rather than addressing an immediate space shortage on an internal partition.
- ✗
Delete configuration files from /opt/pancfg
Why it's wrong here
Configuration files in /opt/pancfg are tiny relative to logs and deleting them risks losing committed configuration, while the 92% pressure sits on /opt/panlogs. Clearing /opt/pancfg is the right move only when that partition itself is full and logs are already offloaded.
- ✗
Delete the /opt/panlogs directory and recreate it
Why it's wrong here
Removing /opt/panlogs destroys the log data the administrator must preserve and can break the logging daemon, so it cannot free space safely. Recreating the directory is only valid after logs are exported and the partition is genuinely corrupt, not merely full.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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