EX200 Deploy, configure, and maintain systems Practice Question
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.
Exhibit
# systemctl status sshd
● sshd.service - OpenSSH server daemon
Loaded: loaded (/usr/lib/systemd/system/sshd.service; enabled; vendor preset: enabled)
Active: active (running) since Mon 2023-03-20 10:15:00 EDT; 2 weeks 3 days ago
Docs: man:sshd(8)
man:sshd_config(5)
Main PID: 1234 (sshd)
Tasks: 1 (limit: 23456)
Memory: 4.2M
CGroup: /system.slice/sshd.service
└─1234 /usr/sbin/sshd -D
Refer to the exhibit. The SSH service has been running for 2 weeks. An administrator wants to restart the service without interrupting existing SSH connections. Which command should they use?
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
✓
systemctl reload sshd
Option A is correct because `systemctl reload sshd` sends a SIGHUP signal to the SSH daemon, instructing it to reload its configuration file without terminating existing connections. This is the standard method for applying configuration changes to services that support graceful reloads, such as sshd, which maintains persistent sessions by only re-reading its configuration and not restarting the 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.
✓
systemctl reload sshd
Why this is correct
Reload sends SIGHUP, causing sshd to reload configuration without interrupting existing connections.
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.
✗
systemctl stop sshd; systemctl start sshd
Why it's wrong here
Stopping the service terminates all active SSH sessions.
✗
kill -HUP 1234
Why it's wrong here
While this works, using systemctl is the preferred method in RHEL.
✗
systemctl restart sshd
Why it's wrong here
Restarting stops all sshd processes, disconnecting active sessions.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates confuse `reload` with `restart`, assuming both achieve the same result, but `restart` terminates all active connections while `reload` preserves them, and Red Hat often tests this distinction to catch those who overlook the 'without interrupting' requirement.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
The `systemctl reload` command triggers the ExecReload directive defined in the service unit file (e.g., `/usr/lib/systemd/system/sshd.service`), which for sshd typically executes `/bin/kill -HUP $MAINPID`. The SIGHUP signal causes sshd to re-read its configuration file (`/etc/ssh/sshd_config`) and apply changes to new connections while leaving existing sessions untouched. In real-world scenarios, this is critical for applying security updates like changing `PermitRootLogin` or `MaxAuthTries` without dropping active administrative sessions.
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.
Deploy, configure, and maintain systems — This question tests Deploy, configure, and maintain systems — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: systemctl reload sshd — Option A is correct because `systemctl reload sshd` sends a SIGHUP signal to the SSH daemon, instructing it to reload its configuration file without terminating existing connections. This is the standard method for applying configuration changes to services that support graceful reloads, such as sshd, which maintains persistent sessions by only re-reading its configuration and not restarting the 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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