Nutanix NCP-US-6.5 Nutanix Certified Professional - Unified Storage (NCP-US) v6.5 Exam Practice Test

Data Lens is a feature that provides insights into the data stored in Files, such as file types, sizes, owners, permissions, and access patterns. Data Lens allows administrators to create reports on various aspects of their data and schedule them to run automatically on a weekly basis. References: Nutanix Data Lens Administration Guide

Nutanix Volumes is a feature that allows users to create and manage block storage devices (volume groups) on a Nutanix cluster. Volume groups can be accessed by external hosts using the iSCSI protocol. To secure volume groups from unauthorized access, Nutanix recommends configuring CHAP (Challenge-Handshake Authentication Protocol) for each volume group in Prism Element. CHAP is a security feature that authenticates iSCSI initiators and targets before allowing access to a volume group. CHAP requires both the initiator and the target to have a shared secret (a password) that is used to generate a challenge and a response during the authentication process. CHAP can prevent unauthorized access to volume groups and protect data from malicious attacks. References: Nutanix Volumes Administration Guide, page 25; Nutanix Volumes Security Guide

Nutanix’s best practices for Volumes security emphasize securing iSCSI connections through authentication. Configuring Volume Groups to use CHAP ensures that only authorized initiators can access the storage, preventing unauthorized access and aligning with security compliance requirements. This is a direct and mandatory step for securing Volumes, making it the best choice among the options.

Exact Extract from Nutanix Documentation:

From the Nutanix Volumes Administration Guide (available on the Nutanix Portal):

“To align with Nutanix best practices for security, configure Volume Groups to use CHAP (Challenge-Handshake Authentication Protocol) for iSCSI authentication. This ensures that only authorized initiators can access the Volume Group, protecting against unauthorized access and enhancing security.”

Nutanix Volumes allows administrators to provision a volume group with one or more volumes that can be attached to multiple VMs or physical servers via iSCSI. This enables the creation of a Microsoft Server Failover Cluster that uses shared storage for a critical application. 

Microsoft Server Failover Cluster typically uses shared block storage for its quorum disk and application data. Nutanix Volumes provides this via iSCSI by provisioning a Volume Group, which can be accessed by both the AHV-hosted VMs and bare metal servers. This setup ensures maximum resiliency, as the shared storage is accessible to all nodes in the cluster, allowing failover between VMs and bare metal servers as needed.

Exact Extract from Nutanix Documentation:

From the Nutanix Volumes Administration Guide (available on the Nutanix Portal):

“Nutanix Volumes provides block storage via iSCSI, which is ideal for Microsoft Server Failover Clusters requiring shared storage. To deploy an MSFC with VMs and bare metal servers, provision a Volume Group in Nutanix Volumes and expose it via iSCSI to all cluster nodes, ensuring shared access to the storage for high availability and failover.”

File Analytics is deployed as a VM, and Nutanix provides its binary image in QCOW2 format for AHV, which is the primary hypervisor for Nutanix clusters. QCOW2 is the standard disk image format for AHV, making it the correct choice for the File Analytics deployment image.

Exact Extract from Nutanix Documentation:

From the Nutanix File Analytics Deployment Guide (available on the Nutanix Portal):

“The File Analytics VM is provided as a binary image in QCOW2 format for deployment on AHV clusters. To deploy File Analytics, download the QCOW2 image from the Nutanix Portal and import it into the cluster using Prism Central or Prism Element.”

Self-Service Restore (SSR) in Nutanix Files, part of Nutanix Unified Storage (NUS), allows users to recover previous versions of files without administrator intervention. SSR is primarily designed for SMB shares, and it has specific limitations that restrict its functionality in certain scenarios.

Analysis of Options:

Option A (SSR is not supported at the root of distributed shares or exports): Correct. According to Nutanix documentation, SSR cannot be enabled at the root level of distributed shares or exports. Distributed shares in Nutanix Files are those that span multiple FSVMs for scalability, and the root of such shares does not support SSR due to the complexity of managing snapshots at that level.

Option B (SSR for SMB does not restore streams or attributes in directories): Incorrect. While SSR has limitations, this specific restriction is not documented in Nutanix Files documentation. SSR for SMB does restore file data and metadata, including attributes, though it may not support all advanced features like alternate data streams in some cases. However, this is not a primary limitation highlighted in the official documentation.

Option C (SSR does not support NFS shares): Correct. SSR is designed for SMB shares and relies on Windows Shadow Copy (VSS) integration to provide Previous Versions functionality. NFS shares do not support SSR, as NFS lacks a native equivalent to VSS for user-driven restores.

Option D (SSR does not support SMB shares): Incorrect. This is the opposite of the truth—SSR is specifically designed for SMB shares and is not supported for NFS shares, as noted in option C.

Selected Limitations:

A: SSR’s inability to function at the root of distributed shares or exports is a documented limitation, as it affects how snapshots are managed in distributed environments.

C: SSR’s lack of support for NFS shares is a fundamental limitation, as SSR relies on SMB-specific features.

Exact Extract from Nutanix Documentation:

From the Nutanix Files Administration Guide (available on the Nutanix Portal):

“Self-Service Restore (SSR) is supported only for SMB shares and is not available for NFS shares or exports. Additionally, SSR cannot be enabled at the root of distributed shares or exports due to limitations in snapshot management at the root level.”

The two minimum resources that are required for deploying Files instances are 8 GiB of memory per host and 4 vCPUs per host. Memory and vCPUs are resources that are allocated to VMs (Virtual Machines) to run applications and processes. Files instances are file server instances (FSIs) that run on FSVMs (File Server VMs) on a Nutanix cluster. FSVMs require at least 8 GiB of memory and 4 vCPUs per host to function properly and provide SMB and NFS access to file shares and exports. The administrator should ensure that there are enough memory and vCPUs available on each host before deploying Files instances. References: Nutanix Files Administration Guide, page 27; Nutanix Files Solution Guide, page 6

There are two ways to manage Objects: PC (Prism Central) and API (Application Programming Interface). PC is a web-based user interface that allows administrators to create, configure, monitor, and manage Objects clusters, buckets, users, and policies. API is a set of S3-compatible REST APIs that allows applications and users to interact with Objects programmatically. API can be used to perform operations such as creating buckets, uploading objects, listing objects, downloading objects, deleting objects, and so on. References: Nutanix Objects User Guide; Nutanix Objects API Reference Guide

The “X” on the icon represents a distributed shared file, which is a file that belongs to a distributed share or export. A distributed share or export is a type of SMB share or NFS export that distributes the hosting of top-level directories across multiple FSVMs. The “X” indicates that the file is not hosted by the current FSVM, but by another FSVM in the cluster. The “X” also helps to identify which files are eligible for migration when using the Nutanix Files Migration Tool. References: Nutanix Files Administration Guide, page 34; Nutanix Files Migration Tool User Guide, page 10

Nutanix Objects, part of Nutanix Unified Storage (NUS), is an S3-compatible object storage solution that can be deployed on AHV or ESXi hypervisors. Deploying Objects has specific prerequisites to ensure successful installation and operation.

Analysis of Options:

Option A (Prism Central version is 5.17.1 or later): Incorrect. While Nutanix Objects requires Prism Central for deployment and management, the minimum version for Objects deployment is typically lower (e.g., Prism Central 5.15 or later, depending on the Objects version). Version 5.17.1 is not a specific requirement for Objects deployment on AHV or ESXi.

Option B (Port 9440 is accessible on both PE and PC): Correct. Port 9440 is used for communication between Prism Element (PE) and Prism Central (PC), as well as for internal Nutanix services. When deploying Objects, Prism Central communicates with the cluster (via Prism Element) to deploy Object Store Service VMs. This communication requires port 9440 to be open between PE and PC, making it a key prerequisite.

Option C (Valid SSL Certificate): Incorrect. While a valid SSL certificate is recommended for secure communication (e.g., for S3 API access), it is not a strict prerequisite for deploying Objects. Objects can be deployed with self-signed certificates, though Nutanix recommends replacing them with valid certificates for production use.

Option D (Nutanix STARTER License): Incorrect. The Nutanix STARTER license is an entry-level license for basic cluster functionality (e.g., VMs, storage). However, Nutanix Objects requires a separate license (e.g., Objects license or a higher-tier AOS license like Pro or Ultimate). The STARTER license alone does not support Objects deployment.

Why Option B?

Port 9440 is critical for communication between Prism Element and Prism Central during the deployment of Objects. If this port is blocked, the deployment will fail, as Prism Central cannot communicate with the cluster to deploy the Object Store Service VMs.

Exact Extract from Nutanix Documentation:

From the Nutanix Objects Deployment Guide (available on the Nutanix Portal):

“Before deploying Nutanix Objects on AHV or ESXi, ensure that port 9440 is accessible between Prism Element (PE) and Prism Central (PC). This port is required for communication during the deployment process, as Prism Central manages the deployment of Object Store Service VMs on the cluster.”

The component that must first be upgraded to a compatible version before upgrading Files or creating a file server is Prism Central. Prism Central is a web-based user interface that allows administrators to manage multiple Nutanix clusters and services, including Files. Prism Central must be upgraded to a compatible version with Files before upgrading an existing file server or creating a new file server. Otherwise, the upgrade or creation process may fail or cause unexpected errors. References: Nutanix Files Administration Guide, page 21; Nutanix Files Upgrade Guide

The appropriate configuration to verify to allow successful Objects cluster deployment to this ESXi cluster is to ensure that vCenter in PE cluster is registered using FQDN (Fully Qualified Domain Name) and that vCenter details in Objects UI are using FQDN. FQDN is a domain name that specifies the exact location of a host in the domain hierarchy. For example, esxi01.nutanix.com is an FQDN for an ESXi host. Using FQDN instead of IP addresses can avoid certificate validation errors when deploying Objects clusters to ESXi clusters. References: Nutanix Objects User Guide, page 9; Nutanix Objects Troubleshooting Guide, page 5

Nutanix Objects, part of Nutanix Unified Storage (NUS), is deployed as Object Store Service VMs on a Nutanix cluster. Expanding an Objects store cluster involves adding more resources (e.g., nodes, Object Store Service VMs) to handle increased demand. Prior to expansion, the environment must meet certain prerequisites to ensure a successful installation.

Analysis of Options:

Option A (Configure NTP on only Prism Central): Incorrect. Network Time Protocol (NTP) synchronization is critical for Nutanix clusters, but it must be configured on both Prism Central and Prism Element (the cluster) to ensure consistent time across all components, including Object Store Service VMs. Configuring NTP on only Prism Central is insufficient and can lead to time synchronization issues during expansion.

Option B (Upgrade MSP to 2.0 or later): Incorrect. MSP (Microservices Platform) is a Nutanix component used for certain services, but it is not directly related to Nutanix Objects expansion. Objects relies on AOS and Prism versions, not MSP, and there is no specific MSP version requirement mentioned in Objects documentation for expansion.

Option C (Upgrade Prism Element to 5.20 or later): Correct. Nutanix Objects has specific version requirements for AOS (which runs on Prism Element) to support features and ensure compatibility during expansion. According to Nutanix documentation, AOS 5.20 or later is recommended for Objects deployments and expansions, as it includes stability improvements, bug fixes, and support for newer Objects features. Upgrading Prism Element to 5.20 or later ensures the environment is properly configured for a successful Objects store cluster expansion.

Option D (Configure DNS on only Prism Element): Incorrect. DNS configuration is important for name resolution in a Nutanix environment, but it must be configured for both Prism Element and Prism Central, as well as for the Object Store Service VMs. Configuring DNS on only Prism Element is insufficient, as Objects expansion requires proper name resolution across all components, including Prism Central for management.

Why Option C?

Expanding a Nutanix Objects store cluster requires the underlying AOS version (managed via Prism Element) to meet minimum requirements for compatibility and stability. AOS 5.20 or later includes necessary updates for Objects, making this upgrade a critical prerequisite to ensure the environment is properly configured for expansion. Other options, like NTP and DNS, are also important but require broader configuration, and MSP is not relevant in this context.

Exact Extract from Nutanix Documentation:

From the Nutanix Objects Administration Guide (available on the Nutanix Portal):

“Before expanding a Nutanix Objects store cluster, ensure that the environment meets the minimum requirements. Upgrade Prism Element to AOS 5.20 or later to ensure compatibility, stability, and support for Objects expansion features.”

The cause of this issue is that the connection to Active Directory has not been configured. Active Directory is a service that provides centralized authentication and authorization for Windows-based clients and servers. To create a share that will provide user access via SMB and NFS, the administrator must first configure the connection to Active Directory in the Files Console. This will allow the administrator to enable multiprotocol accounts for NFS clients, which are accounts that map NFS users to SMB users and groups for consistent access control across both protocols. References: Nutanix Files Administration Guide, page 32; Nutanix Files Solution Guide, page 6

The configuration that is required for an Objects deployment is to configure NTP servers on both Prism Element and Prism Central. NTP (Network Time Protocol) is a protocol that synchronizes the clocks of devices on a network with a reliable time source. NTP servers are devices that provide accurate time information to other devices on a network. Configuring NTP servers on both Prism Element and Prism Central is required for an Objects deployment, because it ensures that the time settings are consistent and accurate across the Nutanix cluster and the Objects cluster, which can prevent any synchronization issues or errors. References: Nutanix Objects User Guide, page 9; Nutanix Objects Deployment Guide

Self-Service Restore (SSR) is a feature that allows individual users to restore files and folders hosted in Files without requiring administrator intervention. SSR can be enabled on a per-share or per-export basis, and users can access the snapshots of their data through a web portal or a Windows client application1. References: Nutanix Files Administration Guide1

The error log that the administrator should review to determine why the relative service is down is arithmos.ERROR. Arithmos is a service that runs on each CVM and provides volume group protection functionality for Volumes. Volume group protection is a feature that allows administrators to create protection policies for volume groups, which define how often snapshots are taken, how long they are retained, and where they are replicated. If arithmos.ERROR log shows any errors or exceptions related to volume group protection, it can indicate that the relative service is down or not functioning properly. References: Nutanix Volumes Administration Guide, page 29; Nutanix Volumes Troubleshooting Guide

The company is using Nutanix Objects 3.2, a component of Nutanix Unified Storage (NUS), which provides S3-compatible object storage. Due to an S3 protocol compatibility issue with their backup application, they need to switch to an NFS repository. The solution must be the fastest and consume the least compute capacity (CPU and memory) on their Nutanix infrastructure.

Analysis of Options:

Option A (Delete the existing bucket, create a new bucket, and enable NFS v3 access): Incorrect. Nutanix Objects does support NFS access for buckets starting with version 3.5 (as per Nutanix documentation), but Objects 3.2 does not have this capability. Since the company is using Objects 3.2, this option is not feasible without upgrading or redeploying Objects, which is not mentioned in this option. Even if NFS were supported, deleting and recreating buckets does not address the compatibility issue directly and may still consume compute resources for bucket operations.

Option B (Deploy Files and create a new Share with multi-protocol access enabled): Correct. Nutanix Files, another component of NUS, supports NFS natively and can be deployed to create an NFS share quickly. Multi-protocol access (e.g., NFS and SMB) can be enabled on a Files share, allowing the backup application to use NFS as a repository. Deploying a Files instance with a minimal configuration (e.g., 3 FSVMs) consumes relatively low compute resources compared to redeploying or upgrading Objects, and it is the fastest way to provide an NFS repository without modifying the existing Objects deployment.

Option C (Redeploy Objects using the latest version, create a new bucket, and enable NFS v3 access): Incorrect. Redeploying Objects with the latest version (e.g., 4.0 or later) would allow NFS v3 access, as this feature was introduced in Objects 3.5. However, redeployment is a time-consuming process that involves uninstalling the existing Object Store, redeploying a new instance, and reconfiguring buckets. This also consumes significant compute resources during the redeployment process, making it neither the fastest nor the least resource-intensive solution.

Option D (Upgrade Objects to the latest version, create a new bucket, and enable NFS v3 access): Incorrect. Upgrading Objects from 3.2 to a version that supports NFS (e.g., 3.5 or later) is a viable solution, as it would allow enabling NFS v3 access on a new bucket. However, upgrading Objects involves downtime, validation, and potential resource overhead during the upgrade process, which does not align with the requirement for the fastest solution with minimal compute capacity usage.

Why Option B is the Fastest and Least Resource-Intensive:

Nutanix Files Deployment: Deploying a new Nutanix Files instance is a straightforward process that can be completed in minutes via Prism Central or the Files Console. A minimal Files deployment (e.g., 3 FSVMs) requires 4 vCPUs and 12 GiB of RAM per FSVM (as noted in Question 2), totaling 12 vCPUs and 36 GiB of RAM. This is a relatively low resource footprint compared to redeploying or upgrading an Objects instance, which may require more compute resources during the process.

NFS Support: Nutanix Files natively supports NFS, and enabling multi-protocol access (NFS and SMB) on a share is a simple configuration step that does not require modifying the existing Objects deployment.

Speed: Deploying Files and creating a share can be done without downtime to the existing Objects setup, making it faster than upgrading or redeploying Objects.

Exact Extract from Nutanix Documentation:

From the Nutanix Files Deployment Guide (available on the Nutanix Portal):

“Nutanix Files supports multi-protocol access, allowing shares to be accessed via both NFS and SMB protocols. To enable NFS access, deploy a Files instance and create a share with multi-protocol access enabled. A minimal Files deployment requires 3 FSVMs, each with 4 vCPUs and 12 GiB of RAM, ensuring efficient resource usage.”

From the Nutanix Objects Administration Guide (available on the Nutanix Portal):

“Starting with Objects 3.5, NFS v3 access is supported for buckets, allowing them to be mounted as NFS file systems. This feature is not available in earlier versions, such as Objects 3.2.”

Nutanix Files instances are deployed using File Server Virtual Machines (FSVMs) that run on the Nutanix cluster’s hypervisor (AHV, ESXi, or Hyper-V). The minimum resource requirements for deploying FSVMs are specified in the Nutanix Files documentation to ensure proper performance. These requirements are typically defined per FSVM, not per host, as FSVMs are virtual machines distributed across the cluster’s hosts.

According to the official Nutanix documentation:

vCPUs: Each FSVM requires a minimum of 4 vCPUs to operate effectively.

Memory: Each FSVM requires a minimum of 12 GiB of memory (RAM).

The question asks for the “minimum resources” required for deploying Files instances, and the options are framed as “per host.” However, in the context of Nutanix Files, resource requirements are specified per FSVM, as FSVMs are the entities consuming these resources. The options likely reflect a misunderstanding in the original question phrasing, but based on the standard Nutanix Files deployment requirements:

4 vCPUs per FSVM (option D) is correct, as this is the minimum vCPU requirement.

12 GiB of memory per FSVM (option C) is correct, as this is the minimum memory requirement.

Options A (8 vCPUs per host) and B (8 GiB of memory per host) do not align with the documented minimum requirements for FSVMs:

8 vCPUs is higher than the minimum requirement of 4 vCPUs per FSVM.

8 GiB of memory is lower than the minimum requirement of 12 GiB per FSVM.

Exact Extract from Nutanix Documentation:

“For a Nutanix Files deployment, each File Server Virtual Machine (FSVM) requires the following minimum resources:

4 vCPUs

12 GiB of RAMThese resources ensure that the FSVM can handle file service operations efficiently.”— Nutanix Files Deployment Guide, Version 4.0, Section: “System Requirements for Nutanix Files”

Nutanix Files, part of Nutanix Unified Storage (NUS), uses File Server Virtual Machines (FSVMs) to manage file services. High Availability (HA) in Nutanix Files ensures that shares remain accessible even if an FSVM or host fails. HA mechanisms include IP reassignment, FSVM distribution, and integration with hypervisor HA features.

Analysis of Options:

Option A (Files reassigns the IP address of the FSVM to another FSVM): Correct. In a Nutanix Files HA scenario, if an FSVM fails (e.g., due to a host failure), the IP address of the failed FSVM is reassigned to another FSVM in the file server. This ensures that clients can continue accessing shares without disruption, as the share’s endpoint (IP address) remains the same, even though the backend FSVM handling the request has changed.

Option B (Shares availability are not impacted for several minutes): Incorrect. While Nutanix Files HA minimizes downtime, there is typically a brief disruption (seconds to a minute) during an FSVM failure as the IP address is reassigned and the new FSVM takes over. The statement “not impacted for several minutes” implies a longer acceptable downtime, which is not accurate—HA aims to restore availability quickly, typically within a minute.

Option C (Multiple FSVMs can share a single host): Incorrect. Nutanix Files HA requires that FSVMs are distributed across different hosts to ensure fault tolerance. By default, one FSVM runs per host, and Nutanix uses anti-affinity rules to prevent multiple FSVMs from residing on the same host. This ensures that a single host failure does not impact multiple FSVMs, which would defeat the purpose of HA.

Option D (Affinity rules affect HA): Correct. Nutanix Files leverages hypervisor HA features (e.g., AHV HA) and uses affinity/anti-affinity rules to manage FSVM placement. Anti-affinity rules ensure that FSVMs are placed on different hosts, which is critical for HA—if multiple FSVMs were on the same host, a host failure would impact multiple FSVMs, reducing availability. These rules directly affect how HA functions in a Files deployment.

Selected Statements:

A: IP reassignment is a core HA mechanism in Nutanix Files to maintain share accessibility during FSVM failures.

D: Affinity (specifically anti-affinity) rules ensure FSVM distribution across hosts, which is essential for effective HA.

Exact Extract from Nutanix Documentation:

From the Nutanix Files Administration Guide (available on the Nutanix Portal):

“High Availability (HA) in Nutanix Files ensures continuous share access during failures. If an FSVM fails, its IP address is reassigned to another FSVM in the file server to maintain client connectivity. Nutanix Files uses anti-affinity rules to distribute FSVMs across different hosts, ensuring that a single host failure does not impact multiple FSVMs, which is critical for HA.”

Data Lens can provide a centralized management solution for Files deployments in multiple sites, including different geographical locations. Data Lens can also automate archiving tier policies for compliance purposes, by allowing administrators to create policies based on file attributes, such as age, size, type, or owner, and move files to a lower-cost tier or delete them after a specified period. Data Lens can also protect the data against ransomware, by allowing administrators to block malicious file signatures from being written to the file system. References: Nutanix Data Lens Administration Guide

Nutanix Volumes, part of Nutanix Unified Storage (NUS), provides block storage services via iSCSI to external hosts, such as physical servers. The iSCSI traffic is managed by the Controller VMs (CVMs) in the Nutanix cluster, and a virtual IP address called the Data Services IP is used for iSCSI communication. To isolate iSCSI traffic on a dedicated network, the administrator must ensure that this traffic is routed over the isolated network.

Analysis of Options:

Option A (Create a new network interface on the CVMs via ncli): Incorrect. While it’s possible to create additional network interfaces on CVMs using the ncli command-line tool, this is not the recommended or standard method for isolating iSCSI traffic. The Data Services IP is the primary mechanism for managing iSCSI traffic, and it can be assigned to an isolated network without creating new interfaces on each CVM.

Option B (Configure the Data Services IP on an isolated network): Correct. The Data Services IP (also known as the iSCSI Data Services IP) is a cluster-wide virtual IP used for iSCSI traffic. By configuring the Data Services IP to use an IP address on the isolated network (e.g., a specific VLAN or subnet dedicated to iSCSI), the administrator ensures that all iSCSI traffic is routed over that network, meeting the requirement for isolation. This configuration is done in Prism Element under the cluster’s iSCSI settings.

Option C (Configure network segmentation for Volumes): Incorrect. Network segmentation in Nutanix typically refers to isolating traffic using VLANs or separate subnets, which is indirectly achieved by configuring the Data Services IP (option B). However, “network segmentation for Volumes” is not a specific feature or configuration step in Nutanix; the correct approach is to assign the Data Services IP to the isolated network, which inherently segments the traffic.

Option D (Create a Volumes network in Prism Central): Incorrect. Prism Central is used for centralized management of multiple clusters, but the configuration of iSCSI traffic (e.g., the Data Services IP) is performed at the cluster level in Prism Element, not Prism Central. There is no concept of a “Volumes network” in Prism Central for this purpose.

Why Option B?

The Data Services IP is the key configuration for iSCSI traffic in a Nutanix cluster. By assigning this IP to an isolated network (e.g., a dedicated VLAN or subnet), the administrator ensures that all iSCSI traffic is routed over that network, achieving the required isolation. This is a standard and recommended approach in Nutanix for isolating iSCSI traffic.

Exact Extract from Nutanix Documentation:

From the Nutanix Volumes Administration Guide (available on the Nutanix Portal):

“To isolate iSCSI traffic on a dedicated network, configure the Data Services IP with an IP address on the isolated network. This ensures that all iSCSI traffic between external hosts and the Nutanix cluster is routed over the specified network, providing network isolation as required.”

Nutanix Objects supports directory services integration, which allows administrators to configure access keys based on directory and email-based users. This enables granular access control and security for buckets and objects. The administrator can configure directory services under the Access Keys section in Prism Central, and then generate access keys for internal users from the directory service and for the consultant from an email address2. References: Nutanix Objects Administration Guide2

The user that is authorized to deploy File Analytics is Prism Central administrator. Prism Central is a web-based user interface that allows administrators to manage multiple Nutanix clusters and services, including Files and File Analytics. Prism Central administrator is a user role that has full access and control over all Prism Central features and functions. To deploy File Analytics, the user must log in to Prism Central as a Prism Central administrator and follow the steps in the File Analytics Deployment wizard. References: Nutanix Files Administration Guide, page 93; Nutanix File Analytics Deployment Guide

Nutanix Objects, a component of Nutanix Unified Storage (NUS), provides an S3-compatible object storage solution. It is deployed as a set of virtual machines (Object Store Service VMs) running on the Nutanix cluster’s hypervisor (AHV or ESXi). The resource allocation for these VMs, including the maximum number of vCPUs per node, is specified in the Nutanix Objects documentation to ensure optimal performance and resource utilization.

According to the official Nutanix documentation, each Object Store Service VM is limited to a maximum of 8 vCPUs per node (AHV or ESXi). This constraint ensures that the object storage service does not overburden the cluster’s compute resources, maintaining balance with other workloads.

Option C: Correct. The maximum number of vCPUs for Nutanix Objects per node is 8.

Option A (12), Option B (16), and Option D (10): Incorrect, as they exceed or do not match the documented maximum of 8 vCPUs per node.

Exact Extract from Nutanix Documentation:

From the Nutanix Objects Administration Guide (available on the Nutanix Portal):

“Each Object Store Service VM deployed on an AHV or ESXi node is configured with a maximum of 8 vCPUs to ensure efficient resource utilization and performance. This limit applies per node hosting the Object Store Service.”

Additional Notes:

The vCPU limit is per Object Store Service VM on a given node, not for the entire Objects deployment. Multiple VMs may run across different nodes, but each is capped at 8 vCPUs.

The documentation does not specify different limits for AHV versus ESXi, so the 8 vCPU maximum applies universally.

 Nutanix Objects requires a Data Services IP to be configured on the Prism Infrastructure (PI) cluster, which is used to expose the S3 API endpoint for accessing buckets and objects. Nutanix Objects also requires AHV IP Address Management (IPAM) to be disabled on the VLAN used for Objects, as Objects uses its own DHCP service to assign IP addresses to the Objects VMs1. References: Nutanix Objects Administration Guide1

The primary criteria that should be considered for performance-sensitive application shares with sequential I/O is throughput. Throughput is a measure of how much data can be transferred or processed in a given time period. Throughput is usually expressed in megabytes per second (MB/s) or gigabytes per second (GB/s). Sequential I/O is a type of I/O pattern where data is read or written in a sequential order, such as streaming media, backup, or archive applications. Sequential I/O typically requires high throughput to transfer large amounts of data quickly and efficiently. References: Nutanix Files Administration Guide, page 25; Nutanix Files Solution Guide, page 10

Sequential I/O workloads are characterized by large, continuous data transfers, making throughput (data transfer rate) the primary performance criterion. For performance-sensitive application shares in Nutanix Files, ensuring high throughput (e.g., by optimizing network bandwidth, FSVM resources, or storage performance) is critical to meet the application’s requirements, such as fast streaming or efficient file transfers.

Exact Extract from Nutanix Documentation:

From the Nutanix Files Performance Guide (available on the Nutanix Portal):

“For performance-sensitive application shares with sequential I/O, the primary criterion to consider is throughput (MB/s or GB/s). Sequential I/O workloads, such as media streaming or large file transfers, prioritize the rate of data transfer. Optimize throughput by ensuring sufficient network bandwidth, FSVM resources, and storage performance.”

Smart DR in Nutanix Files, part of Nutanix Unified Storage (NUS), automates disaster recovery (DR) by replicating shares between primary and recovery file servers (e.g., using NearSync, as in Question 24). The administrator is using Smart DR to protect a Files share and needs seamless client redirection in the event of a failure, meaning clients should automatically connect to the recovery site without manual intervention.

Understanding the Requirement:

Smart DR Protection: Smart DR replicates the Files share from the primary site to the recovery site, typically with the primary site in read-write (RW) mode and the recovery site in read-only (RO) mode (as seen in the exhibit for Question 24).

Seamless Client Redirection: In a failure scenario (e.g., primary site down), clients should automatically redirect to the recovery site without needing to reconfigure their connections (e.g., changing the share path or IP address).

Files Share Context: Clients typically access Files shares via SMB or NFS, using a hostname or IP address (e.g., \fileserver\share for SMB or fileserver:/share for NFS).

Analysis of Options:

Option A (Create a reverse replication policy): Incorrect. A reverse replication policy would replicate data from the recovery site back to the primary site, typically used after failover to prepare for failback. This does not address seamless client redirection during a failure—it focuses on data replication direction, not client connectivity.

Option B (Enable redirection in the protection policy): Incorrect. Smart DR protection policies define replication settings (e.g., RPO, schedule), but there is no “redirection” setting in the policy itself. Client redirection in Nutanix Files DR scenarios is managed through external mechanisms like DNS, not within the protection policy.

Option C (Update the AD and DNS entries): Correct. Seamless client redirection in Nutanix Files DR scenarios requires that clients can automatically connect to the recovery site without changing their share paths. This is achieved by updating Active Directory (AD) and DNS entries:

DNS Update: The hostname of the file server (e.g., fileserver.company.com) should resolve to the IP address of the primary site’s File Server under normal conditions. During a failure, DNS is updated to point to the recovery site’s File Server IP address (e.g., the Client network IP of the recovery FSVMs). This ensures clients automatically connect to the recovery site without changing the share path (e.g., \fileserver.company.com\share continues to work).

AD Update: For SMB shares, the Service Principal Name (SPN) in AD must be updated to reflect the recovery site’s File Server, ensuring Kerberos authentication works seamlessly after failover.This approach ensures clients are redirected without manual intervention, meeting the “seamless” requirement.

Option D (Activate protected shares on the recovery site): Incorrect. Activating protected shares on the recovery site (e.g., making them RW during failover) is a necessary step for failover, but it does not ensure seamless client redirection. Without updating DNS/AD, clients will not know to connect to the recovery site—they will continue trying to access the primary site’s IP address, requiring manual reconfiguration (e.g., changing the share path), which is not seamless.

Why Option C?

Seamless client redirection in a Nutanix Files DR scenario requires that clients can connect to the recovery site without changing their share paths. Updating AD and DNS entries ensures that the file server’s hostname resolves to the recovery site’s IP address after failover, and AD authentication (e.g., Kerberos for SMB) continues to work. This allows clients to automatically redirect to the recovery site without manual intervention, fulfilling the requirement for seamlessness.

Exact Extract from Nutanix Documentation:

From the Nutanix Files Administration Guide (available on the Nutanix Portal):

“To ensure seamless client redirection during a Smart DR failover, update Active Directory (AD) and DNS entries. Configure DNS to resolve the file server’s hostname to the recovery site’s File Server IP address after failover, and update the Service Principal Name (SPN) in AD to ensure Kerberos authentication works for SMB clients. This allows clients to automatically connect to the recovery site without manual reconfiguration.”

The administrator can achieve this requirement by creating a bucket replication rule and setting the destination Objects instance. Bucket replication is a feature that allows administrators to replicate data from one bucket to another bucket on a different Objects instance for disaster recovery or data migration purposes. Bucket replication can be configured with various parameters, such as replication mode, replication frequency, replication status, etc. Bucket replication can also replicate all versions of objects, including delete markers, which are special versions that indicate that an object has been deleted. By creating a bucket replication rule and setting the destination Objects instance, the administrator can replicate data from one Objects instance to another asynchronously, including all delete markers and versions. References: Nutanix Objects User Guide, page 19; Nutanix Objects Solution Guide, page 9

Nutanix Objects, part of Nutanix Unified Storage (NUS), supports replication of buckets between Object Store instances for disaster recovery (DR). The organization has two Objects instances across two sites, managed by the same Prism Central, and needs to replicate a bucket’s data asynchronously, including delete marker versions, to the secondary site.

Analysis of Options:

Option A (With Object Browser, upload the data at the destination site): Incorrect. The Object Browser is a UI tool in Nutanix Objects for managing buckets and objects, but it is not designed for replication. Manually uploading data to the destination site does not satisfy the requirement for asynchronous replication, nor does it handle delete marker versions automatically.

Option B (Leverage the Objects Baseline Replication Tool from a Linux VM): Incorrect. The Objects Baseline Replication Tool is not a standard feature in Nutanix Objects documentation. While third-party tools or scripts might be used for manual replication, Nutanix provides a native solution for bucket replication, making this option unnecessary and incorrect for satisfying the requirement.

Option C (Use a Protection Domain to replicate the Objects Volume Group): Incorrect. Protection Domains are used in Nutanix for protecting VMs and Volume Groups (block storage) via replication, but they do not apply to Nutanix Objects. Objects uses bucket replication rules for DR, not Protection Domains.

Option D (Create a Bucket replication rule, set the destination Objects instance): Correct. Nutanix Objects supports bucket replication rules to replicate data between Object Store instances asynchronously. This feature allows the organization to replicate the bucket to the secondary site, including all versions (such as delete marker versions), as required. The replication rule can be configured in Prism Central, specifying the destination Object Store instance, and it supports asynchronous replication for DR purposes.

Why Option D?

Bucket replication in Nutanix Objects is the native mechanism for asynchronous replication between Object Store instances. It supports replicating all versions of objects, including delete marker versions (which indicate deleted objects in a versioned bucket), ensuring that the secondary site has a complete replica of the bucket for DR. Since both Object Store instances are managed by the same Prism Central, the administrator can easily create a replication rule to meet the requirement.

Exact Extract from Nutanix Documentation:

From the Nutanix Objects Administration Guide (available on the Nutanix Portal):

“Nutanix Objects supports asynchronous bucket replication for disaster recovery. To replicate a bucket to a secondary site, create a bucket replication rule in Prism Central, specifying the destination Object Store instance. The replication rule can be configured to include all versions, including delete marker versions, ensuring that the secondary site maintains a complete replica of the bucket for DR purposes.”

The administrator can monitor their Files environment for suspicious activities, such as mass deletion or access denials, by deploying the File Analytics VM and configuring anomaly rules. File Analytics is a feature that provides insights into the usage and activity of file data stored on Files. File Analytics consists of a File Analytics VM (FAVM) that runs on a Nutanix cluster and communicates with the File Server VMs (FSVMs) that host the file shares. File Analytics can alert the administrator when there is an unusual or suspicious activity on file data, such as mass deletion, encryption, permission change, or access denial. The administrator can configure anomaly rules to define the threshold, time window, and notification settings for each type of anomaly. References: Nutanix Files Administration Guide, page 93; Nutanix File Analytics User Guide

Nutanix Files, part of Nutanix Unified Storage (NUS), supports data protection for shares through mechanisms like replication and snapshots. When a share is “protected for the first time,” this typically refers to enabling a protection mechanism, such as a replication policy (e.g., NearSync, as seen in Question 24) or a snapshot schedule, to ensure the share’s data can be recovered in case of failure.

Analysis of Options:

Option A (Share data movement is started to the recovery site): Incorrect. While data movement to a recovery site occurs during replication (e.g., with NearSync), this is not the first step when a share is protected. Before data can be replicated, a baseline snapshot is typically created to capture the share’s initial state. Data movement follows the snapshot creation, not as the first step.

Option B (A remote snapshot is created for the share): Incorrect. A remote snapshot implies that a snapshot is created directly on the recovery site, which is not how Nutanix Files protection works initially. The first step is to create a local snapshot on the primary site, which is then replicated to the remote site as part of the protection process (e.g., via NearSync).

Option C (The share is created on the recovery site with a similar configuration): Incorrect. While this step may occur during replication setup (e.g., the remote site’s file server is configured to host a read-only copy of the share, as seen in the exhibit for Question 24), it is not the first process initiated. The share on the recovery site is created as part of the replication process, which begins after a local snapshot is taken.

Option D (A local snapshot is created for the share): Correct. When a share is protected for the first time (e.g., by enabling a snapshot schedule or replication policy), the initial step is to create a local snapshot of the share on the primary site. This snapshot captures the share’s current state and serves as the baseline for protection mechanisms like replication or recovery. For example, in a NearSync setup, a local snapshot is taken, and then the snapshot data is replicated to the remote site.

Why Option D?

Protecting a share in Nutanix Files typically involves snapshots as the foundation for data protection. The first step is to create a local snapshot of the share on the primary site, which captures the share’s data and metadata. This snapshot can then be used for local recovery (e.g., via Self-Service Restore) or replicated to a remote site for DR (e.g., via NearSync). The question focuses on the initial process, making the creation of a local snapshot the correct answer.

Exact Extract from Nutanix Documentation:

From the Nutanix Files Administration Guide (available on the Nutanix Portal):

“When a share is protected for the first time, whether through a snapshot schedule or a replication policy, the initial step is to create a local snapshot of the share on the primary site. This snapshot captures the share’s current state and serves as the baseline for subsequent protection operations, such as replication to a remote site or local recovery.”

Anti-affinity rules ensure FSVMs are distributed across hosts for HA, but during a one-click hypervisor upgrade, these rules can prevent FSVMs from being migrated to other hosts when a host enters maintenance mode. Disabling the anti-affinity rules temporarily allows the upgrade to proceed by permitting FSVMs to reside on the same host during the migration process, ensuring a smooth and non-disruptive upgrade.

Exact Extract from Nutanix Documentation:

From the Nutanix Files Administration Guide (available on the Nutanix Portal):

“When performing a one-click hypervisor upgrade on ESXi hosts hosting Nutanix Files, temporarily disable the anti-affinity rules for FSVMs. This allows FSVMs to be migrated to other hosts during the upgrade process without violating placement constraints, ensuring a non-disruptive upgrade. Re-enable the anti-affinity rules after the upgrade is complete.”

To scale out an existing Files instance, the administrator needs to add one Client IP and one Storage IP for each additional FSVM. Since the Files instance needs to expand from four FSVMs to six FSVMs, the administrator needs to add two Client IPs and two Storage IPs in total. The Client IPs are used for communication between the FSVMs and the clients, while the Storage IPs are used for communication between the FSVMs and the CVMs. References: Nutanix Files Administration Guide, page 28; Nutanix Files Solution Guide, page 7

Nutanix Data Lens, a service integrated with Nutanix Unified Storage (NUS), provides data governance, analytics, and ransomware protection for Nutanix Files. Enabling Data Lens for a file server involves configuring the service to monitor the file server’s shares. If the administrator is unable to enable Data Lens, there may be a configuration or compatibility issue with the file server.

Analysis of Options:

Option A (The file server has been cloned): Correct. Cloning a file server (e.g., creating a duplicate file server instance via cloning in Nutanix) is not a supported configuration for Data Lens. Data Lens relies on a unique file server identity to manage its metadata and analytics. If the file server has been cloned, Data Lens may fail to enable due to conflicts in identity or metadata, as the cloned file server may not be properly registered or recognized by Data Lens.

Option B (SSR is enabled on the file server): Incorrect. Self-Service Restore (SSR) is a feature in Nutanix Files that allows users to recover previous versions of files in SMB shares. Enabling SSR does not affect the ability to enable Data Lens, as the two features are independent and can coexist on a file server.

Option C (The file server is in a Protection Domain): Incorrect. A Protection Domain in Nutanix is used for disaster recovery (DR) of VMs or Volume Groups, not file servers directly. Nutanix Files uses replication policies (e.g., NearSync) for DR, not Protection Domains. Even if the file server is part of a replication setup, this does not prevent Data Lens from being enabled.

Option D (The file server has blacklisted file types): Incorrect. Blacklisting file types in Nutanix Files prevents certain file extensions from being stored on shares (e.g., for security reasons). However, this feature does not affect the ability to enable Data Lens, which operates at a higher level to analyze file metadata and user activity, regardless of file types.

Why Option A?

Cloning a file server creates a duplicate instance that may not be properly registered with Data Lens, leading to conflicts in identity, metadata, or configuration. Nutanix documentation specifies that Data Lens requires a uniquely deployed file server, and cloning can cause issues when enabling the service, making this the most likely cause of the administrator’s difficulty.

Exact Extract from Nutanix Documentation:

From the Nutanix Data Lens Administration Guide (available on the Nutanix Portal):

“Data Lens requires a uniquely deployed file server to enable its services. Cloning a file server is not supported, as it may result in conflicts with Data Lens metadata and configuration. If a file server has been cloned, Data Lens may fail to enable, and the file server must be redeployed or re-registered to resolve the issue.”

Before upgrading Objects Manager, the administrator must upgrade AOS to the latest version. AOS is the core operating system that runs on each node in a Nutanix cluster and provides the foundation for Objects Manager and Objects service. Upgrading AOS will ensure compatibility and stability for Objects components. References: Nutanix Objects Administration Guide, Acropolis Operating System Upgrade Guide