This EX200 practice question tests your understanding of essential tools. 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.
A Red Hat Enterprise Linux server has multiple network interfaces, and the administrator needs to ensure that the service 'httpd' starts automatically after a reboot. The administrator has already enabled the service using 'systemctl enable httpd', but after a reboot, the service is not running. The administrator checks the status and finds that the service is enabled but not started. The system uses systemd. Which additional step is required to ensure the service starts automatically at boot?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Check that the service's unit file has an [Install] section and is properly configured.
Option C is correct because for a service to start automatically at boot, its unit file must contain a properly configured [Install] section that defines the target (e.g., WantedBy=multi-user.target). Running 'systemctl enable httpd' creates the necessary symlinks only if the [Install] section is present. Without it, 'systemctl enable' may succeed silently but no symlinks are created, so the service is marked as enabled but never started by systemd at boot.
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.
✗
Set the service to be started by the network target using systemctl add-wants.
Why it's wrong here
systemctl add-wants is not a standard command; modifying the [Install] section is the correct approach.
✗
Run systemctl start httpd after enabling it.
Why it's wrong here
Starting the service manually does not ensure it starts at boot; it only starts it immediately.
✓
Check that the service's unit file has an [Install] section and is properly configured.
Why this is correct
Without an [Install] section, systemctl enable may not create the required symlinks in the .wants directory.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Create a symlink in /etc/rc.d/rc3.d/ for the service.
Why it's wrong here
This is the old SysV method; systemd does not use rc.d directories for boot-time service management.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates assume 'systemctl enable' always guarantees automatic startup at boot, but they overlook the critical requirement of a properly configured [Install] section in the unit file, which is essential for systemd to create the necessary boot-time symlinks.
Trap categories for this question
Command / output trap
systemctl add-wants is not a standard command; modifying the [Install] section is the correct approach.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, 'systemctl enable' reads the [Install] section of the unit file (e.g., /usr/lib/systemd/system/httpd.service) and creates symlinks in /etc/systemd/system/<target>.wants/ (e.g., /etc/systemd/system/multi-user.target.wants/httpd.service). If the [Install] section is missing or malformed, no symlinks are created, and the service remains enabled but not started at boot. A real-world scenario is when a custom unit file is created without an [Install] section, leading to confusion when 'systemctl enable' reports success but the service fails to start after reboot.
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 EX200 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.
Essential Tools — This question tests Essential Tools — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Check that the service's unit file has an [Install] section and is properly configured. — Option C is correct because for a service to start automatically at boot, its unit file must contain a properly configured [Install] section that defines the target (e.g., WantedBy=multi-user.target). Running 'systemctl enable httpd' creates the necessary symlinks only if the [Install] section is present. Without it, 'systemctl enable' may succeed silently but no symlinks are created, so the service is marked as enabled but never started by systemd at boot.
What should I do if I get this EX200 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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