This EX200 practice question tests your understanding of configure local storage. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. 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.
During a system audit, an administrator finds that a filesystem mounted at /srv/data with ext4 is not showing in /etc/fstab. Further investigation reveals that the underlying device is an LVM logical volume lv_data in vg_data. The administrator wants to ensure the filesystem is mounted at boot. He adds an entry to /etc/fstab using the device path /dev/vg_data/lv_data. On reboot, the system fails to mount the filesystem and enters emergency mode. The logical volume and filesystem are intact. What is the most likely reason for the failure?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "most likely"
Why it matters: Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
The device path /dev/vg_data/lv_data is a symlink that may not be available; use /dev/mapper/vg_data-lv_data or UUID.
The device path /dev/vg_data/lv_data is a symbolic link created by LVM that may not be available early in the boot process because the device mapper nodes are not yet created. The correct approach is to use the stable /dev/mapper/vg_data-lv_data path or the filesystem UUID in /etc/fstab to ensure reliable mounting 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.
✓
The device path /dev/vg_data/lv_data is a symlink that may not be available; use /dev/mapper/vg_data-lv_data or UUID.
Why this is correct
LVM symlinks under /dev/volume_group/ may not be ready at early boot; /dev/mapper/ is more reliable.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "most likely" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
The mount point /srv/data does not exist.
Why it's wrong here
The mount point existed before; it should still exist.
✗
The filesystem type specified in fstab is incorrect.
Why it's wrong here
It is ext4, which matches.
✗
The logical volume is not activated at boot because lvm2-lvmetad is not running.
Why it's wrong here
LVM activation is handled by systemd; it is usually active.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates assume /dev/vg_data/lv_data is a stable device path, but it is actually a symlink that may not be available at boot time, leading them to overlook the correct /dev/mapper/ path or UUID.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, /dev/vg_data/lv_data is a symlink to /dev/dm-X, where X is a dynamic minor number assigned by the device mapper. During early boot, the device mapper nodes are created by udev, but the symlinks in /dev/<vg>/<lv> may not be ready when the initramfs tries to mount filesystems from /etc/fstab. Using /dev/mapper/vg_data-lv_data (which is a device mapper node, not a symlink) or the filesystem UUID avoids this race condition. In Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8+, the lvm2-lvmetad service has been deprecated and is not used for activation.
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.
Configure local storage — This question tests Configure local storage — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: The device path /dev/vg_data/lv_data is a symlink that may not be available; use /dev/mapper/vg_data-lv_data or UUID. — The device path /dev/vg_data/lv_data is a symbolic link created by LVM that may not be available early in the boot process because the device mapper nodes are not yet created. The correct approach is to use the stable /dev/mapper/vg_data-lv_data path or the filesystem UUID in /etc/fstab to ensure reliable mounting 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.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "most likely". Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
About these practice questions
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.
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.
Question Discussion
Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.
Sign in to join the discussion.