This EX200 practice question tests your understanding of deploy, configure, and maintain systems. 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 technician needs to configure a network interface to use a static IP address permanently. Which command should be used in RHEL 9?
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.
ip
Why wrong: The ip command sets temporary IP addresses that do not persist across reboots.
vi /etc/sysconfig/network-scripts/ifcfg-eth0
Why wrong: While editing ifcfg files works, nmcli is the standard tool in RHEL 9.
nmcli
nmcli is the correct tool for permanent network configuration via NetworkManager.
ifconfig
Why wrong: ifconfig is deprecated and does not provide permanent configuration on RHEL 9.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
nmcli
Option C is correct because `nmcli` is the primary command-line tool for managing NetworkManager in RHEL 9, and it allows you to configure a static IP address persistently. Using `nmcli con mod` followed by the connection name and IP settings ensures the configuration survives reboots, as NetworkManager stores the settings in its own configuration files.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
ip
Why it's wrong here
The ip command sets temporary IP addresses that do not persist across reboots.
vi /etc/sysconfig/network-scripts/ifcfg-eth0
Why it's wrong here
While editing ifcfg files works, nmcli is the standard tool in RHEL 9.
nmcli
Why this is correct
nmcli is the correct tool for permanent network configuration via NetworkManager.
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.
ifconfig
Why it's wrong here
ifconfig is deprecated and does not provide permanent configuration on RHEL 9.
Common exam traps
The trap here is that candidates familiar with older RHEL versions (e.g., RHEL 7 or 8) may still expect the legacy `ifcfg-*` files to work, but RHEL 9 has fully transitioned to NetworkManager keyfiles, making `nmcli` the correct persistent tool.
Trap categories for this question
Command / output trap
The ip command sets temporary IP addresses that do not persist across reboots.
Detailed technical explanation
NetworkManager in RHEL 9 uses keyfiles stored in `/etc/NetworkManager/system-connections/` for persistent connection profiles. The `nmcli` command interacts with NetworkManager via D-Bus, allowing atomic modifications to these profiles; for example, `nmcli con mod eth0 ipv4.addresses 192.168.1.10/24 ipv4.method manual` sets a static IP and writes the change to the keyfile immediately. A subtle behavior is that `nmcli` requires the connection to be reactivated (`nmcli con up eth0`) for changes to take effect, which is a common oversight.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
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
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
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FAQ
Deploy, configure, and maintain systems — This question tests Deploy, configure, and maintain systems — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: nmcli — Option C is correct because `nmcli` is the primary command-line tool for managing NetworkManager in RHEL 9, and it allows you to configure a static IP address persistently. Using `nmcli con mod` followed by the connection name and IP settings ensures the configuration survives reboots, as NetworkManager stores the settings in its own configuration files.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
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.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 24, 2026
This EX200 practice question is part of Courseiva's free Red Hat certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the EX200 exam.
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