This EX200 practice question tests your understanding of essential tools. Compare every option against the stated constraints before choosing — the best answer satisfies all requirements, not just the most obvious one. 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.
An administrator needs to monitor network traffic on a specific interface in real time. Which tool is most appropriate for this task?
tcpdump -i eth0
Captures and displays packets on eth0 in real time.
ip -s link
Why wrong: Shows interface statistics, not packet capture.
ss -tulpn
Why wrong: Shows socket statistics, not all traffic.
nload eth0
Why wrong: Shows incoming/outgoing traffic rates, not packet contents.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
tcpdump -i eth0
tcpdump -i eth0 captures and displays packet headers in real time on the specified interface (eth0). It uses libpcap to intercept raw network frames at the data link layer, making it the standard tool for live traffic monitoring and analysis.
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.
tcpdump -i eth0
Why this is correct
Captures and displays packets on eth0 in real time.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
ip -s link
Why it's wrong here
Shows interface statistics, not packet capture.
ss -tulpn
Why it's wrong here
Shows socket statistics, not all traffic.
nload eth0
Why it's wrong here
Shows incoming/outgoing traffic rates, not packet contents.
Common exam traps
Red Hat often tests the distinction between tools that show aggregate statistics (ip -s link, nload) versus tools that capture individual packets (tcpdump), leading candidates to choose nload because it shows real-time data, but it does not show packet contents.
Trap categories for this question
Command / output trap
Shows interface statistics, not packet capture.
Detailed technical explanation
tcpdump places the interface into promiscuous mode by default (unless -p is specified), allowing it to capture all packets on the network segment, not just those addressed to the host. It can filter traffic using BPF (Berkeley Packet Filter) syntax, such as 'tcp port 80', to isolate specific protocols or hosts. In real-world scenarios, administrators often combine tcpdump with -w to write a pcap file for later analysis with Wireshark.
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.
Essential Tools — study guide chapter
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FAQ
Essential Tools — This question tests Essential Tools — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: tcpdump -i eth0 — tcpdump -i eth0 captures and displays packet headers in real time on the specified interface (eth0). It uses libpcap to intercept raw network frames at the data link layer, making it the standard tool for live traffic monitoring and analysis.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 30, 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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