This EX200 practice question tests your understanding of essential tools. 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.
A system administrator wants to monitor all files in /var/log that are currently being written to by processes. Which command shows file descriptors that are open for writing by any process?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "which command"
Why it matters: Tests specific CLI syntax. Recall the exact command and its required context — near-synonyms and partial matches are common distractors.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
lsof +D /var/log | grep -E '(REG|DIR).*[0-9]+[w]'
Option B is correct because `lsof +D /var/log` lists all open file descriptors under the /var/log directory recursively, and the `grep` pattern `(REG|DIR).*[0-9]+[w]` filters for regular files or directories with a write file descriptor (the 'w' in the file descriptor mode column). This directly shows which files are currently being written to by any process.
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.
✗
inotifywait -m /var/log
Why it's wrong here
inotifywait monitors for changes, not current open files.
✓
lsof +D /var/log | grep -E '(REG|DIR).*[0-9]+[w]'
Why this is correct
lsof +D recursively lists open files in directory, and the grep filters for regular files with write access.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "which command" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
fuser -v /var/log
Why it's wrong here
fuser shows processes accessing files, but does not show file descriptors type.
✗
lsof /var/log
Why it's wrong here
lsof without +D only shows open files in the directory if they are passed individually, but shows all descriptors.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often pick `inotifywait` (option A) because it monitors writes in real-time, but the question asks for files *currently being written to* (current state), not future events, and `lsof` is the correct tool for listing open descriptors.
Trap categories for this question
Command / output trap
fuser shows processes accessing files, but does not show file descriptors type.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
The `lsof +D` option performs a recursive directory search, listing all open file descriptors under the specified path. The file descriptor mode column in `lsof` output shows 'w' for write access, 'r' for read, and 'u' for read-write; the grep pattern `[0-9]+[w]` ensures we match a file descriptor number followed by 'w', which indicates a write-capable descriptor. In real-world scenarios, this is useful for identifying which log files are actively being written by daemons like rsyslog or httpd, helping with log rotation or troubleshooting disk I/O.
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 small business has 20 workstations on the 192.168.1.0/24 network and one public IP from its ISP. The router uses PAT (NAT overload) so all 20 devices share one public address using different source ports. NAT questions test whether you understand the four address terms and which direction each translation applies.
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: lsof +D /var/log | grep -E '(REG|DIR).*[0-9]+[w]' — Option B is correct because `lsof +D /var/log` lists all open file descriptors under the /var/log directory recursively, and the `grep` pattern `(REG|DIR).*[0-9]+[w]` filters for regular files or directories with a write file descriptor (the 'w' in the file descriptor mode column). This directly shows which files are currently being written to by any process.
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.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "which command". Tests specific CLI syntax. Recall the exact command and its required context — near-synonyms and partial matches are common distractors.
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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