VMware 2V0-21.23 vSphere 8.x Professional Exam Dumps and Practice Test Questions Set 1 Q1-20

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Question 1: 

Which vSphere feature allows virtual machines to maintain a network identity and stay reachable when they are migrated between hosts with different IP subnets?

A) vSphere vMotion
B) vSphere Distributed Switch
C) Long Distance vMotion (Cross-Subnet vMotion with vMotion Network)
D) vSphere HA

Answer: C) Long Distance vMotion (Cross-Subnet vMotion with vMotion Network)

Explanation: 

vSphere vMotion enables live migration of a running virtual machine from one host to another with no downtime. It moves CPU and memory state but, in its standard form, does not change the VM’s IP subnet handling; when migrations happen between different subnets without additional network layer support, connectivity may be interrupted unless network mobility is provided. 

vSphere Distributed Switch provides centralized network configuration and consistent port groups across hosts in a cluster and simplifies network management, but by itself it does not ensure IP mobility across disparate Layer 3 networks. It’s principally a management and data plane construct for switching across an ESXi cluster. 

Long Distance vMotion, often called cross-subnet vMotion or vMotion with network replacement techniques, is the capability that, when combined with features like NSX, EVPN, or proxy ARP/EVPN overlays, lets a VM maintain reachability when moved across different IP subnets—this is the correct mechanism for preserving network identity across subnets during migration. 

vSphere High Availability (HA) focuses on restarting VMs automatically on other hosts in case of host failure and does not provide live migration or maintain network identity during host-initiated restarts or migrations. 

The question asks specifically about maintaining a VM’s network identity and reachability when migrated between hosts on different IP subnets — that requires the cross-subnet mobility capability (Long Distance or Cross-Subnet vMotion) or overlay networking that preserves the VM’s IP and MAC visibility to its clients. While vMotion is the underlying technology moving VM state and the Distributed Switch standardizes switch config, only the cross-subnet/long-distance approach combined with suitable network overlays or routing support fully addresses the IP/subnet continuity requirement. HA addresses availability after failure rather than seamless IP mobility during live migration. Therefore, the long-distance/cross-subnet vMotion capability is the correct answer.

Question 2: 

What vSphere capability provides per-VM hot-add of CPU and memory without requiring a virtual machine reboot, assuming guest OS support and proper configuration?

A) vSphere Fault Tolerance
B) vSphere DRS
C) Hot-Add CPU and Memory
D) vSphere Update Manager

Answer: C) Hot-Add CPU and Memory

Explanation: 

Fault Tolerance creates a live shadow instance of a VM on a secondary host to provide zero downtime and zero data loss protection for a VM, but it does not provide the ability to hot-add CPU or memory to the primary VM; its focus is availability and redundancy. 

DRS (Distributed Resource Scheduler) manages resource distribution across hosts by balancing VMs, performing migrations, and applying affinity/anti-affinity rules, but it doesn’t change VM hardware configuration like CPU/memory hot-add. 

Hot-add CPU and memory is a vSphere feature that — when enabled on the VM and supported by the guest OS — allows administrators to increase vCPU count and RAM while the VM continues to run, avoiding downtime; proper firmware/virtual hardware version and guest OS drivers are necessary. 

vSphere Update Manager (now part of Lifecycle Manager) handles patching and upgrades of ESXi hosts and lifecycle tasks for clusters, not runtime hardware modifications for individual VMs. Reasoning: the question specifically asks about adding CPU and memory to a running VM without rebooting; this is precisely the hot-add capability available at VM hardware configuration level (provided virtual hardware version and guest OS support). Other features listed have different purposes—availability, resource scheduling, and patching—so they aren’t the mechanism enabling live CPU/memory additions.

Question 3: 

Which storage protocol is supported by vSphere for direct block storage connectivity and commonly used for SAN environments?

A) NFSv4.1
B) iSCSI
C) vSAN File Services
D) SMB

Answer: B) iSCSI

Explanation: 

NFSv4.1 is a network file system protocol supported by vSphere for NAS-style datastores; it’s file-level storage and commonly used for shared datastores, but it’s not a block protocol. 

iSCSI is an IP-based block storage protocol that provides SCSI commands over TCP/IP and is widely supported by ESXi for connectivity to SAN targets; it exposes LUNs as block devices suitable for VMFS datastores or RDMs and is a common SAN choice. 

vSAN File Services provides file services on top of vSAN as an integrated capability to offer NFS shares from the cluster; it is not the low-level block protocol used by external SAN arrays. 

SMB is a Windows native file-sharing protocol (CIFS/SMB) and is not a primary datastore protocol in vSphere for VMFS datastores; ESXi does not support SMB as a datastore protocol. 

The question asks specifically about direct block storage connectivity in SAN environments; iSCSI is a block-level protocol commonly used for that scenario. NFS and SMB are file-level protocols, and vSAN File Services is a cluster-provided file service layer rather than a block SAN protocol.

Question 4: 

Which component is responsible for mapping virtual disks to physical storage devices when using RDM (Raw Device Mapping)?

A) VMkernel SCSI layer
B) ESXi Management Agent (hostd)
C) vCenter Server Database
D) vSphere Client

Answer: A) VMkernel SCSI layer

Explanation:

The VMkernel SCSI layer is the ESXi kernel component that handles SCSI command processing and mapping for storage. In Raw Device Mapping, the VMkernel presents the underlying physical LUN to the guest by mapping it through the VMkernel SCSI stack so the VM sees the raw device; thus this layer is the critical path that translates guest SCSI I/O to physical device I/O. 

The ESXi management agent (hostd) manages host-level services and communicates with vCenter, but it does not perform the low-level pathing and SCSI command translation required for RDM I/O. 

The vCenter Server database stores inventory and configuration metadata for vSphere but does not perform I/O or direct mapping of virtual disks to physical storage devices; it stores RDM configuration references but not the runtime mapping. 

The vSphere Client provides the UI for administrators to configure RDMs and view mappings but is not involved in the kernel-level mapping or I/O processing. 

Mapping virtual disks to physical devices with RDM is a low-level function handled by the ESXi kernel’s VMkernel SCSI stack; management components and client tools only configure and record the mapping but are not in the data path.

Question 5: 

When enabling vSAN, which requirement must be met for a disk group on an ESXi host?

A) At least one cache-tier SSD and one or more capacity-tier devices per disk group
B) All devices in the disk group must be NVMe only
C) Disk groups can contain only HDDs with no cache tier
D) A disk group may span multiple hosts

Answer: A) At least one cache-tier SSD and one or more capacity-tier devices per disk group

Explanation: 

vSAN requires each disk group to contain at least one flash-based device that serves as the cache tier and one or more capacity devices for capacity tier—this is the standard disk group architecture for hybrid and all-flash vSAN configurations. 

It is not required that all devices be NVMe only; vSAN supports various device types including SATA SSDs, SAS SSDs, and NVMe; NVMe is supported but not mandatory. 

Disk groups cannot be made solely of HDDs without a cache tier; a cache device is required to maintain write-buffering and read caching behavior even in hybrid configurations. 

A disk group is constructed per host and therefore cannot span multiple hosts; disk groups are local to an ESXi host and combined across hosts to form the vSAN datastore. 

vSAN’s architecture depends on per-host disk groups containing a flash cache device and at least one capacity device. This arrangement enables caching and capacity separation and ensures predictable performance and resiliency. While NVMe is supported, it’s not a prerequisite; and disk groups are local to individual hosts by design.

Question 6: 

Which vSphere feature enforces connection and setup policies—such as multipathing policies—when presenting storage to ESXi hosts?

A) Storage I/O Control (SIOC)
B) SPBM (Storage Policy-Based Management)
C) Multipathing Plugin (MPP)
D) vSphere Replication

Answer: B) SPBM (Storage Policy-Based Management)

Explanation: 

Storage I/O Control is focused on prioritizing and controlling I/O distribution to prevent noisy-neighbor impacts by setting shares and limits at the datastore level; it does not apply or enforce multipathing or provisioning policies based on VM requirements. 

Storage Policy-Based Management (SPBM) enables administrators to define storage service-level requirements like availability, performance (IOPS), caching, replication, and more, and to apply those policies to VMs and disks; when integrated with arrays and vSphere features, SPBM can ensure that storage presented meets the declared rules and can influence host behavior to honor those policies. 

Multipathing Plugin terminology is not a user-facing vSphere feature; ESXi uses native multipathing plugins (NMP) and path selection policies (PSP) and can utilize array-specific plugins (AAP) for advanced pathing, but that is not the central policy enforcement framework referenced here. 

vSphere Replication handles asynchronous replication of VM data for recovery, but it does not enforce multipathing or general storage provisioning policies. 

The question asks about a feature that enforces connection and setup policies such as multipathing policies when presenting storage—SPBM is the policy engine in vSphere that enables mapping of service-level capabilities to storage resources and integrating with underlying arrays and management constructs to ensure compliance. While multipathing is handled technically by NMP and array plugins, SPBM is the policy-level control mechanism to ensure storage offerings meet requirements.

Question 7: 

Which esxtop metric shows actual consumed CPU cycles by a VM as scheduled on the physical CPU, accounting for co-stop and wait times?

A) %USED
B) %RDY
C) %CSTP
D) %CPU

Answer: A) %USED

Explanation:

%USED in esxtop indicates the percentage of a physical CPU’s time allocated to the virtual CPU(s) of the VM — it measures the CPU cycles actually consumed by the VM on the host over the sampling interval, representing real execution on the physical processor. Second, %RDY reflects the percentage of time a virtual CPU was ready to run but could not be scheduled on a physical CPU (i.e., waiting in the ready queue), which is a scheduling contention metric rather than actual consumed cycles. 

%CSTP indicates co-stop time for a VM with multiple vCPUs and measures time where vCPUs were involuntarily stopped because the VM could not co-schedule all vCPUs; it’s a synchronization/scheduling metric for SMP VMs, not direct consumption. Fourth, %CPU in some esxtop views is a normalized metric showing CPU utilization compared to the VM’s configured vCPUs; however, for granular actual consumed cycles %USED is the clearer indicator of real CPU time consumed. Reasoning: the question asks for the metric that represents actual physical CPU cycles consumed by a VM as scheduled; %USED is the esxtop field designed to show actual CPU usage on the physical host, while %RDY and %CSTP indicate scheduling delays and synchronization delays, and %CPU provides an aggregate normalized view.

Question 8: 

Which mechanism allows vCenter Server to centrally manage ESXi host certificates lifecycle?

A) VMware Certificate Authority (VMCA)
B) vSphere Update Manager
C) Host Profiles
D) vSphere HA Agent

Answer: A) VMware Certificate Authority (VMCA)

Explanation:

The VMware Certificate Authority is the built-in PKI service that issues and manages certificates for vCenter Server and ESXi hosts; it can act as a CA to generate and rotate certificates centrally and can also provision machine and solution user certificates for components in the vSphere environment. 

vSphere Update Manager (Lifecycle Manager) manages patching and upgrades and can handle some lifecycle aspects for images but is not a certificate authority and does not centrally manage certificate issuance and rotation. 

Host Profiles capture configuration settings and can be used to enforce host-level configuration compliance, but they do not serve as a PKI or certificate lifecycle manager. 

The vSphere HA agent is part of the availability feature that monitors host and VM availability and handles restart orchestration, not certificate management. 

Centralized certificate issuance and rotation require a PKI solution; VMCA is VMware’s integrated CA that performs that role for vSphere components, while the other listed items perform different management responsibilities.

Question 9: 

Which vSphere feature provides encrypted vMotion traffic to protect memory contents during migration?

A) vSphere Encryption for VM File Contents
B) Encrypted vMotion (vMotion with Encryption)
C) vSphere Trust Authority
D) VM-Encryption (vSphere VM Encryption)

Answer: B) Encrypted vMotion (vMotion with Encryption)

Explanation: 

vSphere Encryption for VM File Contents generally refers to VM encryption which encrypts VM disk files at rest, protecting data on datastore; it does not specifically encrypt the vMotion memory transfer during live migration. 

Encrypted vMotion is the specific capability that encrypts the vMotion data path — including memory pages and state transferred during live migration — ensuring confidentiality during migration across networks; it’s the direct answer. 

vSphere Trust Authority provides an additional control plane for key trust and attestation in highly secure environments and complements encryption but is not the mechanism that encrypts vMotion traffic by itself. 

VM-Encryption (vSphere VM Encryption) protects disk files and snapshots at rest and leverages KMS for keys, but the specific feature to protect data in transit during migration is Encrypted vMotion. 

When the requirement is protecting memory contents as they traverse the network during migration, the vMotion encryption capability is designed for that purpose, while VM encryption and Trust Authority handle rest-of-data and trust/key concerns.

Question 10: 

Which command-line tool is native on ESXi for configuring networking and involves editing NIC and VMkernel settings?

A) esxcli network vswitch standard add
B) vim-cmd vmsvc/getallvms
C) tcpdump-uw
D) vmkfstools

Answer: A) esxcli network vswitch standard add

Explanation:

The esxcli network namespace is the correct tool because it provides a comprehensive, native command-line interface for configuring and managing networking on ESXi hosts. It allows administrators to create and modify standard vSwitches, add or remove uplink NICs, configure port groups, adjust security or traffic-shaping policies, and create or update VMkernel adapters used for vMotion, storage, management, and other services. The sample command illustrating the creation of a standard vSwitch reflects typical usage of esxcli network commands and shows why it is the appropriate interface for NIC configuration, VMkernel setup, and general host-level network administration. It is designed specifically for low-level networking operations that require direct host interaction.

By contrast, vim-cmd vmsvc/getallvms interacts with the ESXi host’s management API and is used primarily for querying virtual machine inventory, retrieving VM IDs, and performing basic lifecycle operations such as powering VMs on or off. It has no functions for configuring physical network adapters, vSwitches, port groups, or VMkernel interfaces. Therefore, it is not suited for network administration.

The utility tcpdump-uw is invaluable for packet capture and deep network troubleshooting. It enables administrators to inspect live traffic on various vmkernel interfaces. However, its functionality is strictly diagnostic; it does not create or configure network components and cannot modify host network topology or settings.

Finally, vmkfstools is a storage-focused command used for interacting with VMFS datastores and virtual disk files—creating VMDKs, cloning disks, and performing operations related to datastore objects. It has no networking configuration capabilities.

Because the question specifically targets a native ESXi CLI tool used to configure networking, esxcli network is the correct and fully feature-appropriate choice.

Question 11: 

Which vSphere capability allows creating policies that specify how distributed resources are consumed and respected across clusters?

A) Resource Pools
B) vSphere DRS Rules
C) vSphere Cluster Services (vCLS)
D) Storage DRS

Answer: A) Resource Pools

Explanation: 

Resource Pools are the correct answer because they provide a structured, hierarchical way to define how distributed compute resources—specifically CPU and memory—are allocated, reserved, limited, and shared across virtual machines and groups within a vSphere cluster. They allow administrators to create a tree-like policy model that can prioritize workloads, enforce consumption boundaries, and guarantee minimum resources to specific groups. Resource Pools work across clusters when using DRS-enabled environments, because DRS ensures that VMs inside a pool receive the resources defined by that pool’s settings. This makes resource pools the vSphere feature specifically designed to create cluster-level consumption policies that reflect business priorities or multi-tenant isolation requirements.

Option vSphere DRS Rules is incorrect because DRS rules govern VM placement and workload balancing decisions, not resource consumption. Affinity and anti-affinity rules determine whether particular VMs should run together or separately. VM-Host rules influence DRS placement behavior relative to specific hosts. However, these rules do not define how CPU or memory resources are consumed, nor do they create hierarchical resource governance structures. They address placement logic rather than resource policy definition.

Option vSphere Cluster Services (vCLS) is unrelated to resource consumption policy creation. vCLS deploys lightweight agent VMs to maintain cluster services such as DRS availability even when no user workload VMs are running. It is a supporting infrastructure mechanism ensuring DRS continuity, not a tool for allocating resources or defining consumption rules. vCLS operates in the background without implementing any policy-driven resource consumption model.

Option Storage DRS is focused solely on storage placement, datastore space balancing, and I/O latency management. While it uses a distributed decision engine similar to DRS, it deals with datastore clusters rather than compute clusters. Storage DRS does not manage CPU or memory policies and cannot enforce hierarchical consumption rules across clusters.

Since the question asks specifically for a capability that allows defining policies describing how distributed compute resources are consumed across clusters, only Resource Pools fulfill that role. They uniquely provide hierarchical resource organization, control, and policy enforcement for CPU and memory consumption.

Question 12: 

Which vSphere tool or feature is used to patch ESXi hosts and perform image-based lifecycle management?

A) vSphere Lifecycle Manager (vLCM)
B) vSphere Update Manager (VUM) only in older releases
C) vCenter Server Appliance Management Interface (VAMI)
D) ESXCLI software vib update

Answer: A) vSphere Lifecycle Manager (vLCM)

Explanation:

The correct answer is vSphere Lifecycle Manager (vLCM) because it is VMware’s modern, image-based lifecycle management framework that manages ESXi host patching, updates, firmware baselines, and desired-state images across entire clusters. vLCM introduces a declarative model where administrators define the exact software and firmware composition they want all hosts to match. Lifecycle Manager then remediates hosts so that every ESXi node conforms to that image, providing consistent, predictable cluster-wide lifecycle operations. This model reduces configuration drift and integrates hardware firmware updates when supported by vendor hardware managers.

Option vSphere Update Manager (VUM) was VMware’s previous patch management tool prior to vSphere 7. While VUM still exists for certain upgrade paths, it represents the legacy approach. VUM relies on baselines and baseline groups rather than a fully declarative image-based model. Although historically accurate, it is not the primary tool for lifecycle operations in modern vSphere deployments. The question focuses on patching and image-based lifecycle management, which directly points to vLCM, not VUM.

Option vCenter Server Appliance Management Interface (VAMI) is entirely unrelated to cluster or ESXi host lifecycle operations. VAMI handles management of the vCenter Server Appliance itself, including vCenter updates, networking settings, monitoring, and backup configuration. It does not manage ESXi host patches or images, nor does it provide cluster-scoped lifecycle operations. It manages only the vCenter appliance, not hosts.

Option ESXCLI software vib update is a manual, host-local command used for applying patches or installing VIB packages directly on a single ESXi host. While useful for isolated cases, troubleshooting, or environments without vCenter, it is not suited for cluster-level lifecycle management. It lacks automation, consistency enforcement, remediation coordination, and the declarative image model provided by vLCM.

Since the question specifically asks for the vSphere tool used for ESXi patching and image-based lifecycle management at scale, only vSphere Lifecycle Manager (vLCM) meets all requirements and aligns with VMware’s modern lifecycle architecture.

Question 13: 

For successful vCenter Server backup and restore, which component must be quiesced or accounted for to ensure consistent state?

A) Platform Services Controller (PSC) — when external
B) ESXi host management agents
C) VMkernel swap files
D) NSX Manager appliance

Answer: A) Platform Services Controller (PSC) — when external

Explanation:

The correct answer is Platform Services Controller (PSC) — when external, because the PSC contains essential vSphere services such as the Single Sign-On (SSO) domain, identity sources, certificate authority functions, and licensing. In environments where the PSC is deployed externally (as was possible before vSphere 7), vCenter Server depends on it for authentication, certificate issuance, and secure communication. Therefore, for a backup and restore operation to be consistent, the PSC must be backed up and restored in a coordinated way with vCenter Server. Failure to do so can lead to mismatched SSO states, authentication issues, certificate mismatches, and an inability for vCenter to communicate with its PSC.

Option ESXi host management agents are unrelated to vCenter backups. Hostd, vpxa, and similar management components operate directly on the ESXi host. They neither need quiescing during vCenter backup nor are they included in vCenter’s appliance backup workflow. These agents continue to function regardless of vCenter backup or restore processes.

Option VMkernel swap files pertains to ESXi host memory operations, not vCenter Server consistency. Swap files are transient, host-specific memory management components and are irrelevant to vCenter’s configuration or data integrity during backup. They have no impact on recovery of the vCenter Server platform.

Option NSX Manager appliance is a separate infrastructure component and has its own backup and restore workflows. Although NSX integrates with vCenter, its lifecycle is independent. NSX state is not included in a vCenter appliance backup, and NSX does not need to be quiesced as part of ensuring vCenter consistency. NSX should be backed up separately for full recoverability in environments using NSX.

Only the external PSC constitutes a critical dependency for vCenter’s identity, certificate, and authentication services in legacy deployments. Ensuring consistent PSC state is essential for successful vCenter restoration. Although modern vSphere versions integrate PSC services directly into vCenter, external PSC scenarios still require coordinated backup, making it the correct choice.

Question 14: 

Which feature allows vSphere VMs to be protected by continuous replication with minimal RPO and supports Recovery Point objectives measured in seconds?

A) vSphere Replication
B) Site Recovery Manager with array-based replication or SRM + vSphere Replication
C) Storage snapshots only
D) vSphere Data Protection (deprecated)

Answer: B) Site Recovery Manager with array-based replication or SRM + vSphere Replication

Explanation:

The correct answer is Site Recovery Manager with array-based replication or SRM + vSphere Replication, because SRM provides the orchestration, automation, and policy controls needed to achieve minimal Recovery Point Objectives, particularly when combined with synchronous array-based replication. Synchronous replication ensures that writes are committed at both sites before completion, which naturally enables RPO values measured in seconds—or effectively zero—depending on infrastructure and distance. SRM adds automated failover, planned migration workflows, runbooks, network mappings, inventory mappings, and recovery automation that make continuous protection operationally feasible.

Option vSphere Replication alone is insufficient for achieving RPOs measured in seconds. vSphere Replication is asynchronous and typically supports RPOs as low as 5 minutes. While it provides VM-level protection and integrates with SRM, it cannot natively match the near-continuous replication that synchronous array-based solutions provide. Therefore, although useful, it cannot meet the requirement for minimal RPO measured in seconds without SRM orchestrating synchronous replication.

Option Storage snapshots only are incorrect because snapshots are not a form of replication. Snapshots provide local point-in-time copies within the same storage system. They are not intended for cross-site disaster recovery and do not inherently move data to a secondary site. Snapshots also cannot ensure continuous data protection or orchestrated failover.

Option vSphere Data Protection (VDP) is deprecated and was a backup product, not a replication or real-time protection mechanism. Backups serve a fundamentally different purpose from replication and cannot provide continuous protection or second-level RPOs.

Because the question demands a feature providing continuous replication with extremely low RPO—approaching seconds—the only solution that matches these requirements is SRM combined with synchronous array-based replication, or SRM orchestrating vSphere Replication when synchronous replication is present. Therefore, option B is correct.

Question 15: 

Which file system does vSphere use to store VM files on block storage datastores?

A) VMFS (Virtual Machine File System)
B) NFSv3
C) vSAN File System (VSANFS)
D) ext4

Answer: A) VMFS (Virtual Machine File System)

Explanation:

The correct answer is VMFS (Virtual Machine File System) because VMFS is VMware’s clustered, high-performance file system designed specifically for storing virtual machine files—such as VMDKs, VMX files, snapshots, and swap files—on block-based storage devices. When ESXi hosts access SAN LUNs or other block storage volumes, VMFS allows multiple hosts to read and write concurrently while maintaining distributed locking and metadata consistency. VMFS supports thin provisioning, multi-host access, efficient locking mechanisms, and the ability to host many VMs simultaneously. It is the default and native filesystem used when administrators create block-based datastores in vSphere.

Option NFSv3 is incorrect because NFS is a file-based protocol, not a block filesystem. While ESXi can mount NFS datastores, these are presented from NAS devices and do not use VMFS. NFSv3 and NFSv4.1 datastores are fully supported alternatives but operate differently because the NAS device manages the underlying filesystem.

Option vSAN File System (VSANFS) is also incorrect because vSAN does not expose a traditional filesystem like VMFS or NFS to administrators. Internally, vSAN uses an object-based storage architecture that distributes data across hosts in the cluster according to storage policies. Although sometimes informally labeled, “VSANFS” is not an actual filesystem administrators interact with. The vSAN datastore is not VMFS and does not use a block filesystem structure.

Option ext4 is incorrect because ext4 is a Linux filesystem and is not used by ESXi for VM datastores. ESXi uses VMFS for block storage and supports NFS for file-based storage but does not rely on ext4 for storing VM files.

Since the question specifically asks which filesystem vSphere uses on block storage datastores, the correct and only valid answer is VMFS, designed to support concurrent host access and advanced VM placement capabilities.

Question 16: 

Which log bundle command on an ESXi host collects diagnostic logs for troubleshooting and support?

A) vm-support
B) esxcli system syslog mark
C) tail -f /var/log/hostd.log
D) vmdumper

Answer: A) vm-support

Explanation: 

The vm-support command is the correct answer because it is the primary and comprehensive tool used on ESXi hosts to collect diagnostic information, log files, performance snapshots, and configuration details required for troubleshooting. When administrators need to engage VMware Support, they typically generate a support bundle with vm-support or through the vSphere Client, and this bundle aggregates hostd logs, vpxa logs, kernel logs, vmkernel warnings, storage logs, network logs, and detailed system metadata. It can even compress the results into a ready-to-download package, making it extremely useful for resolving complex host-level issues.

The option esxcli system syslog mark does not perform any form of log collection. Instead, it simply inserts a timestamped marker line into the system’s logging output. This marker can help correlate administrator actions with log activity when reviewing log files later, but it does not gather or compress logs and therefore cannot serve as a support bundle mechanism.

The command tail -f /var/log/hostd.log is helpful for real-time troubleshooting because it streams the hostd log continuously to the console. Hostd is a critical management service on ESXi, responsible for handling commands issued by vCenter and the ESXi Shell. While tailing the log can help diagnose issues interactively, it is completely insufficient for collecting a broad set of logs, nor can it capture other system components required for full diagnostic review.

The final option, vmdumper, relates to creating VM core dumps when VMs crash, hang, or experience serious internal faults. Although vmdumper is used by VMware internally for debugging and can create snapshots of virtual machine memory states, it is not designed to capture host-wide logs. It is neither comprehensive nor intended as an administrator-facing support bundle tool.

Only vm-support captures full ESXi host diagnostics, making it the correct and expected option for troubleshooting and support engagement.

Question 17: 

Which vSphere setting controls the maximum CPU resources a VM can consume regardless of available host capacity?

A) Reservation
B) Limit
C) Shares
D) Affinity rule

Answer: B) Limit

Explanation: 

The correct answer is Limit, because in vSphere resource management, a limit defines the absolute maximum amount of a physical resource—CPU or memory—that a virtual machine is allowed to consume, regardless of the host’s available capacity. Even if the ESXi host has substantial unused CPU cycles, a VM with a configured limit cannot exceed the ceiling enforced by that limit. This makes limits a powerful but potentially hazardous setting, because administrators may accidentally throttle a VM’s performance by setting limits too low or forgetting that they were previously configured.

The first option, Reservation, does not restrict maximum usage. Instead, it guarantees that a VM always has access to a minimum quantity of resources. Reservations ensure that essential workloads receive the resources they need to run properly, even during times of contention, but they do not impose any upper bound. A VM with a reservation can consume additional CPU or memory beyond the reservation as long as capacity is available and no limits were applied.

The option Shares defines priority, not absolute usage. Shares determine how resources are divided among VMs when resource contention occurs. A VM with more shares relative to another will receive a greater proportion of available CPU or memory during contention periods. However, when resources are plentiful, shares do not prevent a VM from consuming as much as it needs. Therefore, shares cannot cap maximum consumption.

The final option, Affinity rule, is a placement directive. Affinity and anti-affinity rules control whether VMs stay together on the same host or remain separated across hosts within a cluster. These rules influence DRS decisions but do not regulate resource consumption.

Because the question specifically asks about restricting the maximum amount of CPU a VM can use, only Limit fulfills that requirement by imposing a hard ceiling independent of host capacity.

Question 18: 

Which protocol does the vSphere vMotion network typically use to transfer memory and device state?

A) TCP-based over TCP/IP
B) UDP-based multicast only
C) iSCSI protocol tunnels
D) ICMP

Answer: A) TCP-based over TCP/IP

Explanation: 

The correct answer is TCP-based over TCP/IP, because vMotion relies on reliable, ordered data transmission to transfer a running virtual machine’s memory, execution state, device context, and CPU registers between hosts. TCP provides retransmission, sequencing, and guaranteed delivery, ensuring the VM state arrives accurately and consistently. This reliability is essential because vMotion must migrate memory contents exactly, including dirty pages, without loss or corruption. Furthermore, the vMotion network typically uses dedicated vmkernel interfaces configured for high bandwidth and low latency, which enhances performance while maintaining the reliability provided by TCP.

Option UDP-based multicast only is incorrect because vMotion does not use multicast communication. UDP does not guarantee packet delivery, ordering, or reliability, which are mandatory for transporting VM memory state. Multicast is generally used for distributing identical packets to many recipients, but vMotion is strictly a point-to-point operation between source and destination hosts. Legacy VMware features such as early vSphere HA heartbeat or older vCenter mechanisms sometimes used multicast, but vMotion never depended on it.

Option iSCSI protocol tunnels is incorrect because iSCSI is a storage transport that carries SCSI commands over TCP. It is used for block storage access, not for migration of VM execution state. While both can operate on the same network infrastructure, they serve distinct roles: vMotion moves VM state, whereas iSCSI provides storage communication.

Option ICMP is a utility protocol for diagnostics, such as ping and traceroute. It has no mechanism for transporting structured data or guaranteeing delivery. ICMP lacks the reliability, ordering, and data integrity mechanisms required by vMotion.

vMotion specifically relies on TCP connections between source and destination hosts to move memory efficiently, and additional optimizations such as page compression, bitmap tracking, and iterative pre-copying work on top of this reliable transport. Therefore, the only correct answer is TCP-based over TCP/IP.

Question 19: 

Which vSphere upgrade path provides the least disruption by allowing in-place upgrades of ESXi hosts when using vendor image baselines and Cluster Image management?

A) vSphere Lifecycle Manager cluster image update (image-based)
B) Manual ESXi ISO reinstallation per host
C) vCenter Server reinstall and re-register hosts
D) Cold migration of VMs and rebuild hosts from scratch

Answer: A) vSphere Lifecycle Manager cluster image update (image-based)

Explanation:

The correct answer is vSphere Lifecycle Manager cluster image update (image-based) because this method provides a standardized, automated, and minimally disruptive approach to upgrading ESXi hosts. vLCM’s desired-state model allows administrators to define a single image containing the ESXi version, vendor add-ons, firmware, and drivers. The cluster is then remediated so that all hosts match this defined image. Maintenance mode is automatically orchestrated, ensuring minimal disruption to workloads through rolling upgrades—each host is upgraded one at a time while the others continue running VMs. This preserves availability and reduces human error.

Option Manual ESXi ISO reinstallation per host is significantly more disruptive because it requires booting each host from installation media, reinstalling the hypervisor, and reapplying configurations. Even when scripted, these steps are more manual, risky, and time-consuming than image-based remediation. Host reinstallation also requires reconfiguring networking, storage, and security settings unless backup/restore methods are used.

Option vCenter Server reinstall and re-register hosts is unnecessary for host upgrades and is far more disruptive than needed. Reinstalling vCenter affects the entire management environment, interrupts administrative workflows, and requires reconnection or reconfiguration of every host. It provides no advantage for ESXi upgrades and introduces significant downtime for management operations.

Option Cold migration of VMs and rebuild hosts from scratch is the most disruptive choice. Cold migration requires powering off VMs, which directly impacts availability. Rebuilding hosts from scratch exacerbates downtime and increases operational overhead. This method is typically reserved for rare cases such as host repurposing or architectural redesigns.

vLCM’s image-based approach is designed specifically to reduce disruption and maintain consistent host configuration across a cluster. It automates the entire upgrade workflow, integrates firmware management, ensures compliance with the desired image, and minimizes human error. Thus, it is the least disruptive and most efficient upgrade method.

Question 20: 

Which security feature enforces least-privilege for administrative access by allowing role-based access controls and granular privileges in vCenter?

A) vSphere RBAC (Roles and Permissions)
B) SSH root access enabled globally
C) ESXi DCUI unrestricted access
D) Shared administrative account across hosts

Answer: A) vSphere RBAC (Roles and Permissions)

Explanation: 

The correct answer is vSphere RBAC (Roles and Permissions) because it is the mechanism that enables administrators to implement least-privilege access controls. RBAC allows privileges to be assigned granularly at the object level—such as datacenters, clusters, VMs, networks, or storage objects—ensuring users receive only the permissions necessary for their tasks. Administrators can create custom roles with carefully selected privileges and then assign them to individual users or groups through inheritance-aware permission assignments. This structure provides strong auditing, reduces accidental misuse, and helps prevent unauthorized operations.

Option SSH root access enabled globally contradicts least-privilege principles. Allowing direct root access bypasses role-based controls entirely and grants full administrative privileges to anyone with the root password. This creates accountability problems because actions performed under shared root access cannot be linked to specific individuals. It also broadens the attack surface, because root-level access allows full control of ESXi, including host configuration, datastore access, and VM management.

Option ESXi DCUI unrestricted access similarly conflicts with least-privilege practices. The Direct Console User Interface on an ESXi host provides full administrative capability for local configuration and troubleshooting. If access is left unrestricted, anyone with console access—physical or remote—can modify system settings or disrupt operations. Strong lockdown modes, password protection, and strict access controls should govern DCUI usage.

Option Shared administrative account across hosts is also a violation of least-privilege and security best practices. Shared accounts eliminate the possibility of meaningful audit trails and make it impossible to attribute changes or actions to specific individuals. Compromise of shared credentials instantly compromises all hosts where the account exists.

vSphere RBAC prevents these issues by defining clear boundaries, enabling detailed action tracking, and limiting privileges to only what is necessary. Through roles, privileges, and object-level permission scopes, RBAC provides structured, secure, and auditable administration aligned with least-privilege principles.