Nutanix NCA Exam Dumps & Practice Test Questions

Question No 1:

Which of the following NIC-teaming configurations allows network traffic to be distributed evenly across multiple network interfaces by considering the source and destination IP addresses, as well as the TCP/UDP port numbers?

A. Active-Active with MAC Pinning
B. Active-Active with LACP
C. Active-Backup
D. Active-Passive

Answer: B. Active-Active with LACP

Explanation:

The Active-Active with LACP (Link Aggregation Control Protocol) configuration is a highly effective method for distributing network traffic evenly across multiple network interfaces. LACP allows multiple physical network connections to be combined into a single logical link, facilitating improved network throughput and redundancy. This configuration ensures that the network traffic is intelligently distributed by considering key factors such as the source and destination IP addresses and the TCP/UDP port numbers. This approach helps to achieve efficient load balancing across the network interfaces, preventing any single interface from becoming a bottleneck. As a result, it significantly enhances network performance and provides redundancy in case of a failure.

In comparison, Active-Active with MAC Pinning distributes traffic based on MAC addresses rather than IP or port information. While this method works for certain applications, it’s less dynamic and flexible than using source and destination IP addresses and port numbers. It can result in suboptimal load balancing, especially in environments with a large amount of varied traffic.

The Active-Backup and Active-Passive configurations, on the other hand, do not distribute traffic across multiple interfaces. They use only one active network interface at a time, falling back on the secondary interface if the primary one fails. This does not allow for load balancing or even distribution of traffic, making them less suitable for scenarios that require high throughput and redundancy.

To summarize, Active-Active with LACP is the best choice for environments where efficient traffic distribution and load balancing across multiple network interfaces are required, utilizing IP address and port information for optimal traffic management.

Question No 2:

Which feature within Nutanix AHV (Acropolis Hypervisor) is designed to actively track and assess compute and storage I/O contention or hotspots across a Nutanix cluster over a sustained period of time, providing insights into potential performance bottlenecks?

A. Genesis
B. ADS
C. Prism
D. Cluster Maintenance Utility

Answer: B. ADS (Autonomous Data Services)

Explanation:

In Nutanix AHV, ADS (Autonomous Data Services) is the feature specifically designed to monitor, assess, and track compute and storage I/O contention over time. This feature plays a crucial role in identifying potential performance bottlenecks by actively analyzing metrics related to CPU, memory, disk, and network I/O. ADS provides real-time insights into areas where contention or hotspots are occurring, which could negatively affect performance. By continuously tracking and assessing these metrics, ADS enables administrators to take timely and informed actions to optimize the overall performance of the Nutanix cluster. This proactive monitoring helps in detecting issues before they escalate, allowing for corrective measures to be implemented quickly.

On the other hand, Genesis focuses more on the management and orchestration of the underlying infrastructure, ensuring the stability of the environment. While it plays a role in maintaining the system, it does not specifically track I/O performance or identify bottlenecks.

Prism, a management tool for Nutanix clusters, offers comprehensive monitoring capabilities, but its primary focus is on managing and visualizing the entire cluster's health and performance, not specifically on tracking I/O contention over time.

The Cluster Maintenance Utility is designed to assist with tasks related to cluster maintenance, such as software upgrades and node maintenance, but it is not tailored for continuous performance monitoring or tracking potential bottlenecks in real time.

To conclude, ADS is the optimal feature for identifying I/O contention and performance bottlenecks in Nutanix AHV, ensuring proactive management and efficient cluster operation over time.

Question No 3:

An administrator is in the process of deploying a virtual firewall on every node within an AHV (Acropolis Hypervisor) cluster. The goal is for each virtual machine (VM) to maintain its affinity to the host, ensuring that the firewall VM always resides on the same physical host as its associated node. 

What is the most efficient way for the administrator to achieve this objective?

A. Create VM Protection Policies
B. Set the VM labels as firewalls
C. Create VM Annotations
D. Set the VMs as Agent VMs

Answer: A. Create VM Protection Policies

Explanation:

In Nutanix AHV (Acropolis Hypervisor), ensuring that a VM, such as a firewall VM, maintains its placement on a specific host is crucial for both security and network performance. The most efficient and effective way to achieve this is through the use of VM Protection Policies.

VM Protection Policies are designed to safeguard the placement of virtual machines, preventing them from being migrated to different physical hosts during maintenance activities, node failures, or other operational events. By setting a VM Protection Policy for the firewall VM, the administrator ensures that the firewall will always reside on the same physical node as its associated virtual machine, maintaining proper network traffic flow and preventing potential disruptions caused by VM migrations. This configuration guarantees that the firewall is always positioned correctly for optimal security and performance.

While VM Labels can be used to organize and identify VMs, they don’t provide functionality to enforce VM placement or affinity rules. Similarly, VM Annotations are primarily for documentation and metadata purposes, having no effect on VM placement or affinity in the cluster. Agent VMs are a separate class of VMs used for management and monitoring purposes, and setting a VM as an agent does not affect its host affinity.

In conclusion, VM Protection Policies offer the most direct and efficient solution to enforce VM affinity, ensuring that the firewall VM stays on the same host as its associated node. This strategy guarantees stability and security for the entire environment.

Question No 4:

What type of data is stored as a file on the storage devices managed by a Controller Virtual Machine (CVM) in a hyper-converged infrastructure setup?

A. Storage Pool
B. vDisk
C. Extent Group
D. Container

Answer: B. vDisk

Explanation:

In a hyper-converged infrastructure (HCI) setup, the Controller Virtual Machine (CVM) is responsible for managing both storage and computing resources. It transforms physical storage devices into virtualized resources that can be easily managed and accessed by the system. Among the various data management elements within this environment, vDisk (Virtual Disk) plays a critical role as the key unit of storage.

A vDisk represents a virtualized version of a physical disk and is stored as a file on the underlying storage devices managed by the CVM. These virtual disks are containers for data and allow data to be accessed in a virtualized format, providing flexibility and efficiency in managing storage within the system. The vDisk encapsulates various data types, including application data, system files, and databases, which are typically accessed through virtual machines (VMs) or other services within the HCI environment.

Now, let’s explore why the other options are not correct:

A. Storage Pool:
A storage pool is a logical grouping of physical storage resources, designed to manage multiple storage devices collectively. It abstracts the physical hardware but is not stored as a file. Instead, it serves as a resource container for efficient management of storage across the infrastructure.

C. Extent Group:
An extent group is a collection of extents, which are smaller blocks of storage that are grouped together for more efficient use of the physical storage resources. These are part of the lower-level storage management framework and are not stored as individual files. They help in the physical management of data but do not directly represent a file format used to store data.

D. Container:
A container, in the context of HCI storage, refers to a higher-level organizational structure used to group multiple storage objects, such as virtual disks. While containers help in organizing and managing storage resources, they are not used to store data themselves. Instead, they serve as logical groupings within the storage environment.

In conclusion, the vDisk is the correct answer as it directly represents the file format that stores data on the storage devices managed by the CVM in a hyper-converged infrastructure setup. It plays a pivotal role in abstracting and virtualizing storage for use by virtual machines and other services.

Question No 5:

An administrator is tasked with deploying a two-node cluster in a new ROBO (Remote Office/Branch Office) site. What is necessary to ensure High Availability (HA) in the event of a node failure?

A. Witness VM
B. Metro-Availability
C. Windows Failover Clustering
D. Async Replication

Answer: A. Witness VM

Explanation:

When deploying a two-node cluster, especially in a Remote Office/Branch Office (ROBO) setup, ensuring High Availability (HA) is critical, as a single point of failure could cause a significant disruption. In a two-node cluster configuration, if one node fails, the remaining node must be able to continue operations without interruptions. The Witness VM serves as the solution to maintain HA by preventing a scenario where both nodes are unable to reach a consensus on which node should remain active.

The Witness VM acts as a tiebreaker in the event of a node failure. If a failure occurs and the two nodes are in a “split-brain” situation—where both nodes are unable to determine which should remain active—the Witness VM casts the deciding vote, allowing the surviving node to continue operating and preventing downtime. Without this mechanism, the cluster could potentially experience data corruption, inconsistency, or a complete service failure.

Let’s explore why the other options are not appropriate in this scenario:

B. Metro-Availability:
Metro-Availability is designed for large-scale, stretched clusters across multiple geographical locations, ensuring high availability in enterprise environments. While it’s suitable for larger organizations, it is overkill for a small ROBO setup with only two nodes, making it unnecessary in this case.

C. Windows Failover Clustering:
Windows Failover Clustering is a technology used primarily in Windows Server environments to create highly available clusters. However, it does not specifically address the challenges in a two-node setup within a ROBO environment. It doesn’t provide the mechanism of a Witness VM for resolving node disagreements in a small, isolated cluster.

D. Async Replication:
Asynchronous replication is a form of data replication used for disaster recovery or backup purposes, but it doesn't directly contribute to high availability in real-time. If a node fails, asynchronous replication won't immediately resolve the issue of maintaining cluster availability, as it typically introduces delays and ensures data consistency across systems rather than guaranteeing continuous operation.

For a two-node cluster in a ROBO environment, a Witness VM is the ideal solution to ensure High Availability (HA). It effectively prevents a “split-brain” scenario, where both nodes could become active simultaneously, and ensures that the surviving node can continue operations without disruption. By utilizing the Witness VM, administrators can ensure a reliable and resilient system, even in the event of a node failure.

Question No 6:

What resource is essential for ensuring a successful upgrade of both the hypervisors and the AOS (Acropolis Operating System) within a vSphere-based Nutanix cluster?

A. Upgrade Paths
B. Field Advisories
C. Compatibility and Interoperability Matrix
D. Hardware Replacement Documentation

Answer: C

Explanation:

Upgrading both the hypervisors and the Acropolis Operating System (AOS) within a Nutanix cluster is a critical process, and ensuring compatibility across all components is crucial for a successful upgrade. The Compatibility and Interoperability Matrix provides essential guidance to ensure that the versions of the hypervisor (such as VMware vSphere) and AOS are compatible with each other, as well as with the hardware and other software components in the Nutanix cluster.

The Compatibility and Interoperability Matrix is a comprehensive tool used to check that all software and hardware elements involved in the upgrade process are compatible. This ensures that the upgrade will proceed smoothly and that no issues arise due to incompatibilities. Specifically, it helps ensure the following:

Hypervisor Compatibility:
The matrix checks that the version of the hypervisor being used (e.g., VMware vSphere) is compatible with the new version of AOS being deployed. Without this verification, upgrading could lead to performance degradation or system failures.

Software Compatibility:
The matrix also ensures that Nutanix software versions (such as AOS, Prism, and other related tools) are compatible with the hypervisor version being used, ensuring a seamless integration during the upgrade process.

Hardware Compatibility:
Finally, the matrix verifies that the hardware components (such as servers and storage controllers) are compatible with both the hypervisor and the new version of AOS. This helps avoid hardware-related issues during the upgrade.

Now, let's explore why the other options are less suitable:

A. Upgrade Paths:
Upgrade paths help identify the versions of AOS or hypervisors that can be upgraded to specific versions, but they do not verify overall system compatibility.

B. Field Advisories:
Field advisories offer solutions to known issues or best practices but do not provide a comprehensive compatibility check for upgrades.

D. Hardware Replacement Documentation:
This documentation is useful for replacing faulty hardware but is not directly related to the upgrade of hypervisors or AOS.

Thus, the Compatibility and Interoperability Matrix is the essential resource for ensuring a successful upgrade in a vSphere-based Nutanix cluster.

Question No 7:

In Kubernetes or similar container orchestration systems, when configuring image placement policies to ensure that container images are deployed in a specific manner across multiple clusters, 

What feature allows these policies to be mapped to the target clusters?

A. YAML
B. Labels
C. JSON
D. Categories

Answer: B. Labels

Explanation:

In Kubernetes and similar container orchestration systems, managing the deployment of container images involves assigning certain policies to specific clusters or nodes. Labels are the feature that enables this functionality. Labels are key-value pairs attached to objects such as Pods, Nodes, or Deployments in Kubernetes. These labels can categorize objects by characteristics such as location, function, or hardware resources, allowing administrators to efficiently map image placement policies to target clusters based on those characteristics.

For example, an image placement policy might be defined to deploy a certain container image only to clusters with the label region=us-west. This ensures that the image is only deployed in the desired geographic region.

Other options, like YAML and JSON, are primarily used for configuration but don't directly control where policies are mapped. Categories are not commonly used in Kubernetes for this purpose.

Question No 8:

What method can an administrator use to upload a remote disk file to Image Configuration?

A. HTTP
B. FTP
C. SCP
D. SFTP

Answer: D. SFTP

Explanation:

When transferring files securely between systems, especially when dealing with sensitive configurations like disk files, SFTP (Secure File Transfer Protocol) is the most suitable method. SFTP operates over the SSH (Secure Shell) protocol, ensuring that data is encrypted during transfer, providing both data security and authentication.

Why SFTP is the correct choice:

• Security: SFTP encrypts both the data and authentication process, making it secure against eavesdropping and unauthorized access.

• File Integrity: SFTP ensures reliable transfers, checking file integrity, which is crucial for large files like disk images.

• Access Control: SFTP provides strong access control through SSH, allowing for public key authentication, ensuring that only authorized users can upload files.

Why other options are less ideal:

• HTTP lacks encryption by default and doesn't provide secure file transfer unless HTTPS is used.

• FTP is an old protocol that sends data in plaintext, which can expose sensitive information to attackers.

• SCP provides secure file transfer but lacks some of the advanced features of SFTP, such as file management capabilities like resuming interrupted transfers.

In conclusion, SFTP is the best choice for securely uploading remote disk files due to its encryption, reliability, and access control features.

Question No 9:

What is the purpose of Nutanix's Distributed Storage Fabric (DSF)?

A. To provide a centralized management layer for the Nutanix cluster.
B. To distribute storage data across all nodes in the Nutanix cluster for high availability and performance.
C. To encrypt data at rest for enhanced security.
D. To provide a connection between Nutanix clusters and external storage arrays.

Correct Answer:
B. To distribute storage data across all nodes in the Nutanix cluster for high availability and performance.

Explanation:

The Distributed Storage Fabric (DSF) is a core component of Nutanix's hyper-converged infrastructure (HCI) that enables the distribution of storage data across all nodes within a Nutanix cluster. This distributed architecture enhances data availability, resilience, and performance by replicating and distributing data across multiple nodes, ensuring that the failure of a single node or disk does not result in data loss.

• High Availability: DSF provides automatic failover by replicating data across multiple nodes, ensuring continuous access to data even in the event of hardware failure.

• Performance: The distributed nature of DSF enables load balancing and efficient use of resources, improving storage I/O performance.

• Scalability: As additional nodes are added to the cluster, DSF automatically redistributes storage data to utilize the increased capacity, making it easy to scale the infrastructure.

By leveraging the DSF, Nutanix eliminates the need for traditional storage arrays and provides a more flexible and resilient storage solution that is tightly integrated with compute resources in a hyper-converged setup.

Question No 10:

Which of the following is the primary function of Nutanix Prism?

A. To provide backup and recovery solutions for Nutanix environments.
B. To act as the management interface for Nutanix clusters, allowing monitoring and configuration.
C. To configure networking settings for Nutanix environments.
D. To manage virtual machines and applications within a Nutanix cluster.

Correct Answer:
B. To act as the management interface for Nutanix clusters, allowing monitoring and configuration.

Explanation:

Nutanix Prism is the primary management interface for Nutanix clusters, providing administrators with a unified view of the entire infrastructure. Prism simplifies the tasks of monitoring, managing, and configuring Nutanix environments through a web-based interface. The main functionalities of Prism include:

• Cluster Monitoring: Prism provides real-time monitoring of Nutanix clusters, displaying the health, performance, and resource utilization of both virtual machines (VMs) and underlying hardware (compute, storage, and networking).

• Configuration Management: Through Prism, administrators can configure storage, compute, and network settings across the Nutanix environment, ensuring that the infrastructure is optimized for performance and availability.

• Alerts and Notifications: Prism provides alerts for any issues related to hardware, software, or resource utilization, enabling quick identification and resolution of problems.

• Automation Features: Prism also includes automation capabilities, such as one-click software upgrades, making it easier to maintain and update the Nutanix environment.

Prism’s user-friendly interface and comprehensive toolset make it an essential part of Nutanix's offering, allowing administrators to efficiently manage their HCI environments.