Which file is used to specify information about the desired network configuration on a server?

The file that specifies information about the desired network configuration on a server is typically located in the /etc/sysconfig directory. Specifically, the /etc/sysconfig/network file is used in many Linux distributions, particularly those based on Red Hat, to set up network parameters such as the network interface to be used, the hostname, and other options related to the network configuration.

This file generally contains settings that allow you to define the networking behavior of the system at boot time and can also include configurations like whether to start a network service or specify the gateway. The information in this file is important for ensuring that the server can communicate effectively on the network upon startup.

While the /etc/hosts file is crucial for hostname resolution, it does not configure network settings but rather maps hostnames to IP addresses. The /proc directory is a virtual filesystem containing runtime system information and does not contain configuration files. The /etc/sysctl file is used for kernel parameter configuration, which is not specific to networking setups like the /etc/sysconfig/network file. Thus, the selection of /etc/sysconfig/network is appropriate for indicating the configuration for network settings on a server.