VMware 2V0-13.24 Practice Test - Questions Answers, Page 5
List of questions
Question 41

An architect is designing a VMware Cloud Foundation (VCF)-based private cloud solution for a customer that will include two physical locations. The customer has stated the following requirement:
All management tooling must be resilient at the component level within a single site.
When considering the design decisions for VMware Aria Suite components, what should the Architect document to meet the stated requirement?
The solution will implement an external load balancer for Aria Operations Cloud Proxies.
The solution will configure the VCF Workload domain in a stretched topology across two locations.
The solution will deploy three Aria Automation appliances in a clustered configuration.
The solution will deploy Aria Suite Lifecycle Manager in a high availability configuration.
The requirement specifies that management tooling must be resilient at the component level within a single site, meaning each site's management components (e.g., VMware Aria Suite) must withstand individual failures without relying on the other site. Let's evaluate each option in the context of VCF 5.2 and Aria Suite:
Option A: The solution will implement an external load balancer for Aria Operations Cloud Proxies
Aria Operations Cloud Proxies collect data for monitoring and don't inherently require an external load balancer for resiliency within a site. The VMware Aria Operations Administration Guide indicates that proxies are lightweight and typically deployed per cluster, with resiliency achieved via multiple proxies, not load balancing. This doesn't directly address component-level resiliency for the broader Aria Suite management tools.
Option B: The solution will configure the VCF Workload domain in a stretched topology across two locations
A stretched topology extends a workload domain across two sites for site-level resiliency (e.g., disaster recovery), not component-level resiliency within a single site. The VCF 5.2 Architectural Guide notes that stretched clusters rely on cross-site failover, which contradicts the requirement for single-site resilience, making this irrelevant to management tooling within one site.
Option C: The solution will deploy three Aria Automation appliances in a clustered configuration
VMware Aria Automation (formerly vRealize Automation) supports a clustered deployment with three appliances (primary, replica, and failover) to ensure high availability within a site. The VMware Aria Automation Installation Guide confirms that this configuration provides component-level resiliency by allowing the cluster to tolerate individual appliance failures without service disruption. In VCF, Aria Automation is a key management tool, and this design meets the requirement for single-site resilience.
Option D: The solution will deploy Aria Suite Lifecycle Manager in a high availability configuration
Aria Suite Lifecycle Manager (LCM) manages the lifecycle of Aria components but isn't deployed in a clustered HA configuration itself in VCF 5.2---it's a single appliance with backup/restore options. The VCF 5.2 Administration Guide notes that LCM resiliency is typically achieved via infrastructure HA (e.g., vSphere HA), not native clustering, making this less directly aligned with component-level resiliency compared to Aria Automation clustering.
Conclusion:
Option C best meets the requirement by ensuring Aria Automation, a critical management tool, is resilient at the component level within a single site through clustering, aligning with VCF and Aria Suite best practices.
VMware Cloud Foundation 5.2 Architectural Guide (docs.vmware.com): Management Component Design.
VMware Aria Automation Installation Guide (docs.vmware.com): Clustered Configuration for HA.
VMware Aria Suite Lifecycle Administration Guide (docs.vmware.com): LCM Deployment Options.
Question 42

An architect is designing a VMware Cloud Foundation (VCF)-based Private Cloud solution. During the requirements gathering workshop with the customer stakeholders, the following information was noted:
In the event of a site-level disaster, the solution must enable all production workloads to be restarted in the secondary site.
In the event of a host failure, workloads must be restarted in priority order.
When creating the design documentation, which design quality should be used to classify the stated requirements?
Availability
Manageability
Performance
Recoverability
VMware's design methodology (per VCF 5.2) uses design qualities to categorize requirements based on their focus. The qualities include Availability, Manageability, Performance, Recoverability, and Security. Let's classify the two requirements:
Requirement 1: In the event of a site-level disaster, the solution must enable all production workloads to be restarted in the secondary site
This describes the ability to recover workloads after a site failure, focusing on restoring operations in a secondary location. The VCF 5.2 Architectural Guide aligns this with Recoverability, which covers disaster recovery (DR) and the restoration of services post-failure.
Requirement 2: In the event of a host failure, workloads must be restarted in priority order
This involves restarting workloads after a host failure (e.g., via vSphere HA) with prioritization, emphasizing recovery processes. While HA is often linked to Availability, the focus here on ''restarting in priority order'' shifts it to Recoverability, as it addresses how the system recovers from a failure, per VMware's design quality definitions.
Option A: Availability
Availability ensures system uptime and fault tolerance (e.g., HA preventing downtime). While host failure recovery involves HA, the emphasis on ''restarting'' and site-level DR points more to Recoverability than ongoing availability.
Option B: Manageability
Manageability focuses on ease of administration (e.g., monitoring, automation). Neither requirement relates to operational management but rather to failure recovery processes.
Option C: Performance
Performance addresses speed and efficiency (e.g., latency, throughput). These requirements don't specify performance metrics, focusing instead on recovery capabilities.
Option D: Recoverability
Recoverability ensures the system can restore services after failures, encompassing both site-level DR (secondary site restart) and host-level recovery (prioritized restarts). The VCF 5.2 Design Guide classifies DR and failover recovery under Recoverability, making it the best fit.
Conclusion:
Both requirements align with Recoverability, as they focus on restoring workloads after failures (site-level and host-level), per VMware's design quality framework.
VMware Cloud Foundation 5.2 Architectural Guide (docs.vmware.com): Design Qualities and Recoverability Section.
VMware Cloud Foundation 5.2 Design Guide (docs.vmware.com): Classifying Requirements by Design Quality.
Question 43

An Architect is responsible for designing a VMware Cloud Foundation (VCF)-based solution for a customer. During the discovery workshop, the following requirements were stated by the customer:
All applications/workloads designated as business critical have a Recovery Point Objective (RPO) of 1 business hour.
The infrastructure components of the VCF solution must have a Recovery Time Objective (RTO) of 4 business hours.
In the context provided, what does the RTO measure?
It determines the minimum amount of data loss that can be tolerated.
It determines the maximum tolerable amount of time allowed before an application/service should be recovered to a usable state.
It determines the minimum tolerable amount of time allowed before an application/service should be recovered to a usable state.
It determines the maximum amount of data loss that can be tolerated.
In the context of VMware Cloud Foundation (VCF) and disaster recovery planning, two key metrics are defined: Recovery Point Objective (RPO) and Recovery Time Objective (RTO). These terms are standardized in VMware documentation and IT disaster recovery frameworks. Let's clarify their meanings and evaluate the options:
RPO (Recovery Point Objective):
RPO measures the maximum amount of data loss that can be tolerated, expressed as the time window between the last backup and the point of failure. In this case, an RPO of 1 business hour means the customer can lose up to 1 hour of data for business-critical workloads.
RTO (Recovery Time Objective):
RTO measures the maximum tolerable downtime---or the time allowed---between a failure and the restoration of an application or service to a usable state. Here, an RTO of 4 business hours means the infrastructure components must be recovered within 4 hours after a failure.
Option A: It determines the minimum amount of data loss that can be tolerated
This is incorrect. Data loss is tied to RPO, not RTO. Additionally, ''minimum'' data loss doesn't align with the concept of a maximum tolerance threshold defined by RPO.
Option B: It determines the maximum tolerable amount of time allowed before an application/service should be recovered to a usable state
This is correct. The VMware Cloud Foundation 5.2 Architectural Guide defines RTO as the maximum time a system, application, or process can be down before causing significant harm, matching the scenario's 4-hour RTO for infrastructure recovery. This is the standard definition in VMware's disaster recovery context.
Option C: It determines the minimum tolerable amount of time allowed before an application/service should be recovered to a usable state
This is incorrect. RTO is about the maximum acceptable downtime, not a minimum. A ''minimum tolerable time'' would imply a floor, not a ceiling, which contradicts RTO's purpose.
Option D: It determines the maximum amount of data loss that can be tolerated
This is incorrect. Maximum data loss is defined by RPO (1 hour in this case), not RTO. RTO focuses on time to recovery, not data loss.
Conclusion:
RTO measures the maximum tolerable downtime, making B the correct answer. This aligns with VMware's recovery planning definitions.
VMware Cloud Foundation 5.2 Architectural Guide (docs.vmware.com): Section on Disaster Recovery Planning (RPO and RTO Definitions).
VMware vSphere Availability Guide (docs.vmware.com): RTO and RPO in HA and DR Contexts.
Question 44

The following requirements were identified in an architecture workshop for a VMware Cloud Foundation (VCF) design project utilizing vSAN for its primary storage solution:
REQ001: Application must maintain a minimum of 1,000 transactions per second (TPS) during business hours excluding disaster recovery (DR) scenarios.
REQ002: Automatic DRS and HA must be utilized.
REQ003: Planned maintenance must be executed outside of business hours.
Which of the following test scenarios should be added and performed to validate these requirements?
Trigger a Virtual Machine vMotion operation.
Trigger a vCenter Server update.
Trigger a vSAN disk group evacuation.
Trigger a failure of an ESXi host.
To validate the stated requirements, the test scenario must address all three: application performance (1,000 TPS), automatic DRS and HA functionality, and maintenance timing (implying minimal disruption during business hours). In a VCF environment with vSAN, test scenarios should simulate real-world conditions that challenge these requirements. Let's evaluate each option:
Option A: Trigger a Virtual Machine vMotion operation vMotion tests DRS's ability to migrate VMs for load balancing, which aligns with REQ002's ''automatic DRS'' mandate. It can be scheduled outside business hours (REQ003) to minimize impact. However, it doesn't fully test HA (automatic failover) or ensure 1,000 TPS (REQ001) under failure conditions, as vMotion is a planned operation, not a failure scenario. This is a partial match but not comprehensive.
Option B: Trigger a vCenter Server update
Updating vCenter tests management plane resilience but doesn't directly validate application performance (REQ001), DRS/HA automation (REQ002), or vSAN-specific behavior. While it could relate to maintenance (REQ003), it's unrelated to workload or storage functionality in the VCF design, making it irrelevant here.
Option C: Trigger a vSAN disk group evacuation
Evacuating a vSAN disk group simulates maintenance (REQ003) by moving data to other nodes, testing vSAN's resilience. It may involve DRS for VM migration (REQ002), but it doesn't trigger HA failover. While it could indirectly affect TPS (REQ001), the requirement excludes DR scenarios, and this test doesn't guarantee performance validation during business hours under normal operations or host failure.
Option D: Trigger a failure of an ESXi host
Simulating an ESXi host failure directly tests REQ002: HA automatically restarts VMs on other hosts, and DRS balances the load post-failure. In a vSAN environment, it also validates data availability (vSAN rebuilds objects), ensuring 1,000 TPS (REQ001) is maintained during business hours under failure conditions (excluding DR, as this is a single-host failure within a site). While not a maintenance task (REQ003), it implicitly ensures maintenance-like disruptions (e.g., host failure) don't violate performance, aligning with VCF's HA/DRS automation goals. The VCF 5.2 Administration Guide recommends host failure testing to validate HA and vSAN resilience.
Conclusion:
Option D comprehensively validates REQ001 (TPS under failure), REQ002 (automatic DRS and HA), and indirectly supports REQ003 by ensuring business-hour performance during unplanned events, making it the best test scenario.
VMware Cloud Foundation 5.2 Administration Guide (docs.vmware.com): vSAN and HA/DRS Testing Scenarios.
vSphere Availability Guide (docs.vmware.com): HA Failover Testing.
vSAN Administration Guide (docs.vmware.com): Disk Group Evacuation and Failure Scenarios.
Question 45

An Architect has been tasked with reviewing a VMware Cloud Foundation design document. Observe the following requirements:
REQ01: The solution must support the private cloud cybersecurity industry and local standards and controls.
REQ02: The solution must ensure that the cloud services are transitioned to operation teams.
REQ03: The solution must provide a self-service portal.
REQ04: The solution must provide the ability to consume storage based on policies.
REQ05: The solution should provide the ability to extend networks between different availability zones.
REQ06: The solution should allow only supported versions of management solutions to be deployed.
Observe the following design decisions:
DD01: There will be a clustered deployment of Aria Automation.
DD02: There will be an integration between Aria Automation and multiple geo-located vCenter Servers.
DD03: Aria Suite Lifecycle will be deployed to provide lifecycle management of Aria Suite components.
Based on the stated requirements, what are the three implications for taking the stated design decisions? (Choose three.)
Aria Automation must have network access to all vCenter Servers.
Aria Suite Lifecycle should be deployed through the SDDC Manager.
An external database is required for Aria Automation clustering.
A load balancer is required for Aria Automation high availability.
The latency between the Aria Automation Appliances must be less than 2ms.
The vCenter Servers must have network access to each other.
The design decisions (DD01, DD02, DD03) must align with the requirements (REQ01-REQ06) in a VMware Cloud Foundation (VCF) 5.2 context, and the implications must reflect architectural necessities or dependencies introduced by these decisions. Let's evaluate each option based on the requirements and decisions:
Option A: Aria Automation must have network access to all vCenter Servers
Relevance: DD02 states integration between Aria Automation and multiple geo-located vCenter Servers, supporting REQ03 (self-service portal), REQ04 (policy-based storage), and REQ05 (network extension across availability zones).
Implication: Aria Automation (formerly vRealize Automation) requires network connectivity to manage vCenter Servers for workload provisioning, policy enforcement (e.g., vSphere Storage Profiles), and network extension (e.g., via NSX). The VMware Aria Automation Installation Guide mandates that Aria Automation appliances have TCP/IP access to vCenter instances over specific ports (e.g., 443). This is a direct implication of DD02 and is critical for multi-site integration.
Conclusion: This is a necessary implication.
Option B: Aria Suite Lifecycle should be deployed through the SDDC Manager
Relevance: DD03 involves deploying Aria Suite Lifecycle for lifecycle management, aligning with REQ06 (supported versions of management solutions).
Implication: While SDDC Manager in VCF can deploy and manage Aria Suite components, the VMware Cloud Foundation 5.2 Administration Guide indicates that Aria Suite Lifecycle can be deployed standalone or via SDDC Manager, depending on the design. It's not a strict requirement (implication) of DD03---rather, it's a deployment choice. REQ06 is satisfied by Aria Suite Lifecycle's version control, regardless of deployment method.
Conclusion: This is not a mandatory implication, as it's not enforced by the design decisions.
Option C: An external database is required for Aria Automation clustering
Relevance: DD01 specifies a clustered deployment of Aria Automation, supporting REQ03 (self-service portal) and REQ02 (transition to operations via a robust platform).
Implication: For high availability (HA) clustering, Aria Automation requires an external PostgreSQL database to synchronize state across appliances. The VMware Aria Automation Installation Guide explicitly states that clustering (three-node HA) mandates an external database (e.g., PostgreSQL 13) rather than the embedded one used in single-node setups. This ensures data consistency and failover, making it a direct implication of DD01.
Conclusion: This is a necessary implication.
Option D: A load balancer is required for Aria Automation high availability
Relevance: DD01 involves a clustered deployment, supporting REQ03 and REQ02.
Implication: Aria Automation clustering for HA requires a load balancer (e.g., VMware NSX Advanced Load Balancer or third-party) to distribute traffic across the three appliances and provide a single access point. The VMware Aria Automation Installation Guide mandates a load balancer for HA configurations to ensure availability and seamless failover, directly tied to DD01. This also supports operational transition (REQ02) by ensuring a reliable self-service portal (REQ03).
Conclusion: This is a necessary implication.
Option E: The latency between the Aria Automation Appliances must be less than 2ms
Relevance: DD01 (clustered deployment).
Implication: Aria Automation clustering requires low latency between appliances for database replication and cluster health. However, the VMware Aria Automation Installation Guide specifies a maximum latency of 10ms between nodes (not 2ms), with 2ms being a recommendation for optimal performance, not a strict requirement. In a VCF context, this isn't a mandated implication unless specified by additional constraints not present here.
Conclusion: This is not a precise implication based on standard requirements.
Option F: The vCenter Servers must have network access to each other
Relevance: DD02 (integration with multiple geo-located vCenter Servers).
Implication: While Aria Automation integrates with vCenter Servers, there's no requirement in VCF or Aria Automation for vCenter Servers to communicate directly with each other across sites unless Enhanced Linked Mode or a specific multi-site feature (e.g., stretched clusters) is in use, which isn't indicated by the requirements or decisions. REQ05 (network extension) is managed by NSX, not vCenter-to-vCenter connectivity. The VCF 5.2 Architectural Guide confirms vCenter Servers can operate independently under Aria Automation.
Conclusion: This is not an implication of the stated decisions.
Conclusion:
The three implications are:
A: Network access from Aria Automation to vCenter Servers is required for DD02.
C: An external database is mandatory for Aria Automation clustering per DD01.
D: A load balancer is essential for HA in Aria Automation clustering per DD01.
These align with the requirements and design decisions in a VCF 5.2 context.
VMware Cloud Foundation 5.2 Architectural Guide (docs.vmware.com): Aria Suite Integration and Multi-Site Design.
VMware Aria Automation Installation Guide (docs.vmware.com): Clustering Prerequisites (Database, Load Balancer, Latency).
VMware Cloud Foundation 5.2 Administration Guide (docs.vmware.com): Aria Suite Lifecycle Deployment Options.
Question 46

An architect is evaluating a requirement for a Cloud Management self-service solution to offer its users the ability to migrate their own workloads using VMware vMotion. Which component could the architect include in the solution design that will help satisfy the requirement?
Aria Suite Lifecycle Manager
Aria Automation Orchestrator
Aria Operations
Aria Automation Config
The requirement is for a self-service solution allowing users to migrate their own workloads using VMware vMotion within a VMware Cloud Foundation (VCF) 5.2 environment. vMotion is a vSphere feature that enables live migration of virtual machines (VMs) between ESXi hosts with no downtime, typically managed by administrators via vCenter. A self-service solution implies empowering end users (e.g., application owners) to initiate this process through a user-friendly interface or automation tool. Let's evaluate each component:
Option A: Aria Suite Lifecycle Manager
Aria Suite Lifecycle Manager (LCM) is responsible for deploying, upgrading, and managing the lifecycle of VMware Aria Suite components (e.g., Aria Automation, Aria Operations). It does not provide self-service capabilities or direct interaction with vMotion. The VMware Aria Suite Lifecycle Administration Guide confirms its role is administrative, not end-user-facing, making it unsuitable for this requirement.
Option B: Aria Automation Orchestrator
Aria Automation Orchestrator (formerly vRealize Orchestrator) is a workflow automation engine integrated with Aria Automation in VCF 5.2. It allows the creation of custom workflows, including vMotion operations, which can be exposed to users via the Aria Automation self-service portal. The VMware Aria Automation Orchestrator Administration Guide details how workflows can call vSphere APIs (e.g., RelocateVM_Task) to initiate vMotion, enabling users to trigger migrations without direct vCenter access. In VCF, this integrates with SDDC Manager and vCenter, satisfying the self-service requirement by providing a customizable, user-accessible automation layer.
Option C: Aria Operations
Aria Operations (formerly vRealize Operations) is a monitoring and analytics tool for performance, capacity, and health of VCF components. It provides dashboards and insights but has no capability to execute vMotion or offer self-service workload management. The VMware Aria Operations Administration Guide confirms its focus is observability, not automation or user interaction, ruling it out.
Option D: Aria Automation Config
Aria Automation Config (formerly SaltStack Config) is a configuration management tool for automating infrastructure and application states (e.g., patching, compliance). It lacks native vMotion integration or a self-service portal for workload migration. The VMware Aria Automation Config User Guide focuses on configuration tasks, not VM migration, making it irrelevant here.
Conclusion:
Aria Automation Orchestrator (B) is the best fit. It enables the architect to design workflows for vMotion, integrated with Aria Automation's self-service portal, meeting the requirement for user-driven workload migration in VCF 5.2.
VMware Cloud Foundation 5.2 Architectural Guide (docs.vmware.com): Section on Aria Suite Integration and Automation.
VMware Aria Automation Orchestrator Administration Guide (docs.vmware.com): Workflow Creation for vSphere Actions (vMotion).
VMware Aria Suite Lifecycle Administration Guide (docs.vmware.com): LCM Capabilities.
VMware Aria Operations Administration Guide (docs.vmware.com): Monitoring Scope.
Question 47

An architect is designing a VMware Cloud Foundation (VCF)-based private cloud solution for a customer. During the requirements gathering workshop, the customer provided the following requirement:
All SSL certificates should be provided by the company's certificate authority.
When creating the design, how should the architect classify this stated requirement?
Recoverability
Security
Availability
Manageability
In VMware Cloud Foundation (VCF) 5.2, requirements are classified using design qualities as defined in VMware's architectural methodology: Availability, Manageability, Performance, Recoverability, and Security. These qualities help architects align customer needs with technical solutions. The requirement specifies that ''all SSL certificates should be provided by the company's certificate authority,'' which involves encryption, identity verification, and trust management. Let's classify it:
Option A: Recoverability
Recoverability focuses on restoring services after failures, such as disaster recovery (DR) or failover (e.g., RTO, RPO). SSL certificates relate to securing communication, not recovery processes. The VMware Cloud Foundation 5.2 Architectural Guide defines Recoverability as pertaining to system restoration, not certificate management, making this incorrect.
Option B: Security
Security encompasses protecting the system from threats, ensuring data confidentiality, integrity, and authenticity. Requiring SSL certificates from the company's certificate authority (CA) directly relates to securing VCF components (e.g., vCenter, NSX, SDDC Manager) by enforcing trusted, organization-specific encryption and authentication. The VMware Cloud Foundation 5.2 Design Guide classifies certificate usage under Security, as it mitigates risks like man-in-the-middle attacks and aligns with compliance standards (e.g., PCI-DSS, if applicable). This is the correct classification.
Option C: Availability
Availability ensures system uptime and fault tolerance (e.g., HA, redundancy). While SSL certificates enable secure access, they don't directly influence uptime or failover. The VCF 5.2 Architectural Guide ties Availability to resilience mechanisms (e.g., clustered deployments), not security controls like certificates.
Option D: Manageability
Manageability focuses on operational ease (e.g., monitoring, automation). Using a company CA involves certificate deployment and renewal, which could relate to management processes. However, the primary intent is securing communication, not simplifying administration. VMware documentation distinguishes certificate-related requirements as Security, not Manageability, unless explicitly about operational workflows.
Conclusion:
The requirement is best classified as Security (B), as it addresses the secure configuration of SSL certificates, a core security concern in VCF 5.2.
VMware Cloud Foundation 5.2 Architectural Guide (docs.vmware.com): Section on Design Qualities (Security, Recoverability, etc.).
VMware Cloud Foundation 5.2 Design Guide (docs.vmware.com): Certificate Management and Security Classification.
VMware Cloud Foundation 5.2 Administration Guide (docs.vmware.com): SSL Certificate Configuration.
Question 48

Which statement defines the purpose of Technical Requirements?
Technical requirements define which goals and objectives can be achieved.
Technical requirements define what goals and objectives need to be achieved.
Technical requirements define which audience needs to be involved.
Technical requirements define how the goals and objectives can be achieved.
In VMware's design methodology, as outlined in the VMware Cloud Foundation 5.2 Architectural Guide, requirements are categorized into Business Requirements (high-level organizational goals) and Technical Requirements (specific system capabilities or constraints to achieve those goals). Technical Requirements bridge the gap between what the business wants and how the solution delivers it. Let's evaluate each option:
Option A: Technical requirements define which goals and objectives can be achieved
This suggests Technical Requirements determine feasibility, which aligns more with a scoping or assessment phase, not their purpose. VMware documentation positions Technical Requirements as implementation-focused, not evaluative.
Option B: Technical requirements define what goals and objectives need to be achieved
This describes Business Requirements, which outline ''what'' the organization aims to accomplish (e.g., reduce costs, improve uptime). Technical Requirements specify ''how'' these are realized, making this incorrect.
Option C: Technical requirements define which audience needs to be involved
Audience involvement relates to stakeholder identification, not Technical Requirements. The VCF 5.2 Design Guide ties Technical Requirements to system functionality, not personnel.
Option D: Technical requirements define how the goals and objectives can be achieved
This is correct. Technical Requirements detail the system's capabilities, constraints, and configurations (e.g., ''support 10,000 users,'' ''use AES-256 encryption'') to meet business goals. The VCF 5.2 Architectural Guide defines them as the ''how''---specific, measurable criteria enabling the solution's implementation.
Conclusion:
Option D accurately reflects the purpose of Technical Requirements in VCF 5.2, focusing on the means to achieve business objectives.
VMware Cloud Foundation 5.2 Architectural Guide (docs.vmware.com): Section on Requirements Classification.
VMware Cloud Foundation 5.2 Design Guide (docs.vmware.com): Business vs. Technical Requirements.
Question 49

An architect is tasked with updating the design for an existing VMware Cloud Foundation (VCF) deployment to include four vSAN ESA ready nodes. The existing deployment comprises the following:
Four homogenous vSAN ESXi ready nodes in the management domain.
Four homogenous ESXi nodes with iSCSI principal storage in workload domain A.
What should the architect recommend when including this additional capacity for application workloads?
Commission the four new nodes into the existing workload domain A cluster.
Create a new vLCM image workload domain with the four new nodes.
Create a new vLCM baseline cluster in the existing workload domain with the four new nodes.
Create a new vLCM baseline workload domain with the four new nodes.
The task involves adding four vSAN ESA (Express Storage Architecture) ready nodes to an existing VCF 5.2 deployment for application workloads. The current setup includes a vSAN-based Management Domain and a workload domain (A) using iSCSI storage. In VCF, workload domains are logical units with consistent storage and lifecycle management via vSphere Lifecycle Manager (vLCM). Let's analyze each option:
Option A: Commission the four new nodes into the existing workload domain A cluster
Workload domain A uses iSCSI storage, while the new nodes are vSAN ESA ready. VCF 5.2 doesn't support mixing principal storage types (e.g., iSCSI and vSAN) within a single cluster, as per the VCF 5.2 Architectural Guide. Commissioning vSAN nodes into an iSCSI cluster would require converting the entire cluster to vSAN, which isn't feasible with existing workloads and violates storage consistency, making this impractical.
Option B: Create a new vLCM image workload domain with the four new nodes
This phrasing is ambiguous. vLCM manages ESXi images and baselines, but ''vLCM image workload domain'' isn't a standard VCF term. It might imply a new workload domain with a custom vLCM image, but lacks clarity compared to standard options (C, D). The VCF 5.2 Administration Guide uses ''baseline'' or ''image-based'' distinctly, so this is less precise.
Option C: Create a new vLCM baseline cluster in the existing workload domain with the four new nodes
Adding a new cluster to an existing workload domain is possible in VCF, but clusters within a domain must share the same principal storage (iSCSI in workload domain A). The VCF 5.2 Administration Guide states that vSAN ESA requires a dedicated cluster and can't coexist with iSCSI in the same domain configuration, rendering this option invalid.
Option D: Create a new vLCM baseline workload domain with the four new nodes
A new workload domain with vSAN ESA as the principal storage aligns with VCF 5.2 design principles. vLCM baselines ensure consistent ESXi versioning and firmware for the new nodes. The VCF 5.2 Architectural Guide recommends separate workload domains for different storage types or workload purposes (e.g., application capacity). This leverages the vSAN ESA nodes effectively, isolates them from the iSCSI-based domain A, and supports application workloads seamlessly.
Conclusion:
Option D is the best recommendation, creating a new vSAN ESA-based workload domain managed by vLCM, meeting capacity needs while adhering to VCF 5.2 storage and domain consistency rules.
VMware Cloud Foundation 5.2 Architectural Guide (docs.vmware.com): Workload Domain Design and vSAN ESA.
VMware Cloud Foundation 5.2 Administration Guide (docs.vmware.com): vLCM and Cluster Expansion.
vSAN ESA Planning and Deployment Guide (docs.vmware.com): Storage Requirements.
Question 50

The following are a list of design decisions made relating to networking:
NSX Distributed Firewall (DFW) rule to block all traffic by default.
Implement overlay network technology to scale across data centers.
Configure Cisco Discovery Protocol (CDP) - Listen mode on all Distributed Virtual Switches (DVS).
Use of 2x 64-port Cisco Nexus 9300 for top-of-rack ESXi host switches.
Which design decision would an architect document within the logical design?
Use of 2x 64-port Cisco Nexus 9300 for top-of-rack ESXi host switches.
NSX Distributed Firewall (DFW) rule to block all traffic by default.
Implement overlay network technology to scale across data centers.
Configure Cisco Discovery Protocol (CDP) - Listen mode on all Distributed Virtual Switches (DVS).
In VCF 5.2, the logical design focuses on high-level architectural decisions that define the system's structure and behavior, as opposed to physical or operational details. Networking decisions in the logical design emphasize scalability, security policies, and connectivity frameworks, per the VCF 5.2 Architectural Guide. Let's evaluate each:
Option A: Use of 2x 64-port Cisco Nexus 9300 for top-of-rack ESXi host switches
This specifies physical hardware, a detail typically documented in the physical design (e.g., BOM, rack layout). The VCF 5.2 Design Guide distinguishes hardware choices as physical, not logical, unless they dictate architecture (e.g., spine-leaf), which isn't implied here.
Option B: NSX Distributed Firewall (DFW) rule to block all traffic by default
This is a security policy configuration within NSX, defining how traffic is controlled. While critical, it's an operational or detailed design decision (e.g., rule set), not a high-level logical design element. The VCF 5.2 Networking Guide places DFW rules in implementation details, not the logical overview.
Option C: Implement overlay network technology to scale across data centers
Overlay networking (e.g., NSX VXLAN or Geneve) is a foundational architectural decision in VCF, enabling scalability, multi-site connectivity, and logical separation of networks. The VCF 5.2 Architectural Guide highlights overlays as a core logical design component, directly impacting how the solution scales across data centers, making it a prime candidate for the logical design.
Option D: Configure Cisco Discovery Protocol (CDP) - Listen mode on all Distributed Virtual Switches (DVS)
CDP in Listen mode aids network discovery and troubleshooting on DVS. This is a configuration setting, not a logical design decision. The VCF 5.2 Networking Guide treats such protocol settings as operational details, not architectural choices.
Conclusion:
Option C belongs in the logical design, as it defines a scalable networking architecture critical to VCF 5.2's multi-data center capabilities.
VMware Cloud Foundation 5.2 Architectural Guide (docs.vmware.com): Logical Design and Overlay Networking.
VMware Cloud Foundation 5.2 Networking Guide (docs.vmware.com): NSX and DVS Configuration.
VMware Cloud Foundation 5.2 Design Guide (docs.vmware.com): Logical vs. Physical Design.
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