This EX200 practice question tests your understanding of configure local storage. 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.
Which THREE of the following are valid methods to identify a block device in /etc/fstab?
by-path
Why wrong: by-path is a udev rule, not an fstab identifier.
LABEL
Filesystem label is also commonly used.
PARTUUID
Why wrong: PARTUUID refers to partition table UUID, not typically used in fstab.
UUID
Filesystem UUID is commonly used.
/dev/sda1
Device paths are valid in fstab.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
LABEL
LABEL is a valid method to identify a block device in /etc/fstab because the kernel can resolve filesystem labels (set with e2label or tune2fs) to the corresponding block device at mount time. This allows administrators to refer to a filesystem by its human-readable label, which remains stable even if the device name changes (e.g., from /dev/sda1 to /dev/sdb1).
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.
by-path
Why it's wrong here
by-path is a udev rule, not an fstab identifier.
LABEL
Why this is correct
Filesystem label is also commonly used.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
PARTUUID
Why it's wrong here
PARTUUID refers to partition table UUID, not typically used in fstab.
UUID
Why this is correct
Filesystem UUID is commonly used.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
/dev/sda1
Why this is correct
Device paths are valid in fstab.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Red Hat often tests the misconception that all udev by-* symlinks (like by-path or by-id) are valid fstab identifiers, but only UUID, LABEL, PARTUUID, and PARTLABEL are supported in the fstab format, while by-path is a udev symlink not parsed by mount.
Detailed technical explanation
Under the hood, /etc/fstab entries are parsed by mount(8) which uses blkid(8) to resolve LABEL= and UUID= to actual device nodes. The kernel itself does not understand labels; instead, the mount command queries the udev database or reads the filesystem superblock directly. A real-world scenario: when using LVM or software RAID, device names like /dev/sda1 can change after a reboot, so using LABEL or UUID ensures the correct filesystem is mounted regardless of device ordering.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
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
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FAQ
Configure local storage — This question tests Configure local storage — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: LABEL — LABEL is a valid method to identify a block device in /etc/fstab because the kernel can resolve filesystem labels (set with e2label or tune2fs) to the corresponding block device at mount time. This allows administrators to refer to a filesystem by its human-readable label, which remains stable even if the device name changes (e.g., from /dev/sda1 to /dev/sdb1).
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
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