Linux Perf Quiz: Can You Master top, vmstat & iostat?

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| By Thames
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Quizzes Created: 7097 | Total Attempts: 80,150
| Questions: 19 | Updated: Jul 2, 2026
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1. Which top command refreshes the display every 2 seconds?

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About This Quiz
Linux Perf Quiz: Can You Master Top, Vmstat & Iostat? - Quiz

This quiz evaluates your ability to diagnose and resolve system bottlenecks using Linux performance monitoring tools. Master Troubleshooting Performance (Linux+) by learning to interpret output from top, vmstat, and iostat\u2014essential skills for identifying CPU, memory, and I\/O issues. Ideal for college-level students and professionals preparing for Linux+ certification.

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2. When troubleshooting a slow system, which tool best identifies if the bottleneck is CPU or I/O?

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3. True or False: iostat can monitor performance of individual partitions.

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4. What does the 'bi' field in vmstat represent?

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5. A process showing 'D' state in top is____.

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6. In iostat, which option displays extended statistics including await times?

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7. True or False: vmstat's 'id' field represents the number of idle processes.

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8. Which top field shows the total virtual memory allocated to a process?

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9. Iostat's 'svctm' represents the average service time in____.

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10. In vmstat output, what does a growing 'so' (swap out) column suggest?

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11. In the top utility, which column indicates the percentage of CPU time spent in user mode?

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12. A high %util value in iostat output indicates the disk is____.

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13. In vmstat, which field tracks the number of context switches per second?

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14. When top shows VIRT memory much larger than RES, it suggests____.

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15. What is the primary purpose of iostat's 'rkB/s' column?

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16. Vmstat displays memory usage in which two main categories?

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17. In top, a high %SY value typically indicates____.

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18. Which iostat metric shows the average time (in ms) for I/O requests to complete?

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19. What does the 'wa' field in vmstat output represent?

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Which top command refreshes the display every 2 seconds?
When troubleshooting a slow system, which tool best identifies if the...
True or False: iostat can monitor performance of individual...
What does the 'bi' field in vmstat represent?
A process showing 'D' state in top is____.
In iostat, which option displays extended statistics including await...
True or False: vmstat's 'id' field represents the number of idle...
Which top field shows the total virtual memory allocated to a process?
Iostat's 'svctm' represents the average service time in____.
In vmstat output, what does a growing 'so' (swap out) column suggest?
In the top utility, which column indicates the percentage of CPU time...
A high %util value in iostat output indicates the disk is____.
In vmstat, which field tracks the number of context switches per...
When top shows VIRT memory much larger than RES, it suggests____.
What is the primary purpose of iostat's 'rkB/s' column?
Vmstat displays memory usage in which two main categories?
In top, a high %SY value typically indicates____.
Which iostat metric shows the average time (in ms) for I/O requests to...
What does the 'wa' field in vmstat output represent?
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