EX200 Deploy, configure, and maintain systems Practice Question
An administrator needs to configure a service to start automatically at boot and also start it immediately without rebooting. Which single command accomplishes both tasks?
⚠ Common exam trap
It's easy for candidates to confuse `enable` with `start`, thinking `enable` alone also starts the service, or they choose `start` alone, forgetting that boot persistence requires a separate `enable` step.
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
✓
systemctl enable --now httpd.service
`systemctl enable --now httpd.service` combines the `enable` action (creating symlinks for automatic start at boot) with the `start` action (immediately launching the service) in a single command. This is the precise method in systemd to achieve both goals without rebooting.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
systemctl start httpd.service
Why it's wrong here
systemctl start httpd.service activates the httpd unit in the current runtime environment but creates no persistent symlink in any systemd target's .wants directory. Therefore, while Apache is immediately accessible, it will not be pulled into boot dependency resolution and will not survive a reboot. This command is appropriate only for a one-time manual start when no automatic startup behavior is desired.
- ✗
systemctl enable httpd.service
Why it's wrong here
systemctl enable httpd.service writes the necessary symlinks from the unit into the appropriate target's wants directory (e.g., multi-user.target.wants), configuring systemd to start httpd automatically at boot. However, it does not trigger the service in the current session, so the process remains stopped until the next reboot or an explicit start is issued. Administrators often pair this with a separate start command when immediate and persistent operation are both needed.
- ✓
systemctl enable --now httpd.service
Why this is correct
systemctl enable --now httpd.service combines boot-persistent enablement with immediate activation in a single atomic operation. The --now flag instructs systemd to both create the boot-enabling symlinks and start the unit right away, eliminating the risk of forgetting either step. This is the correct choice when the requirement explicitly states that the service must start automatically after reboot; it satisfies both the immediate runtime need and the persistent boot-time need simultaneously.
- ✗
systemctl reenable httpd.service
Why it's wrong here
systemctl reenable httpd.service is invalid because systemd's systemctl utility has no reenable subcommand; the closest valid operations are enable, disable, and daemon-reload. The intended action of 'reapplying' enablement is already covered by simply running systemctl enable again, which is idempotent and recreates missing or invalid symlinks without error. Attempting to use reenable would cause systemctl to print an error about unknown command and exit non-zero, so it cannot be used for configuration.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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