NCP-US-6.5 Nutanix Certified Professional - Unified Storage (NCP-US) v6.5 Questions and Answers

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

Smart Tiering in Nutanix Files, part of Nutanix Unified Storage (NUS), allows infrequently accessed (Cold) data to be tiered to external storage, such as a public cloud (e.g., AWS S3, Azure Blob), to free up space on the primary cluster (as noted in Question 34). Configuring Smart Tiering requires setting up a connection to the external storage target, which involves providing credentials and connectivity details.

Smart Tiering requires a connection to an external storage target, such as a cloud provider. The access key and secret key are mandatory to authenticate Nutanix Files with the target (e.g., an S3 bucket), enabling secure data tiering. Without these credentials, the tiering configuration cannot be completed, making them a mandatory criterion.

Exact Extract from Nutanix Documentation:

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

“To configure Smart Tiering in Nutanix Files, you must provide the access key and secret key for the external storage target (e.g., AWS S3, Azure Blob). These credentials are mandatory to authenticate with the cloud provider and enable data tiering to the specified target.”

The exhibit illustrates a data protection setup involving Nutanix Files, a component of Nutanix Unified Storage (NUS). It shows two sites: a Primary Site and a Remote Site, each with a File Server (FILE SVR1 and FILE SVR2, respectively). The Primary Site has shares (Share1, Share2, Share3, Share4) with a replication policy applied. Share1 and Share2 are marked as RW (read-write) on the Primary Site and RO (read-only) on the Remote Site, while Share3 has a replication policy with RW on both sites. Share4 is RO on the Primary Site and RW on the Remote Site. Clients access the shares on both sites, and the replication policy governs the data protection mechanism between the sites.

Analysis of the Exhibit:

Two Sites (Primary and Remote): The setup involves replication between two sites, indicating a disaster recovery (DR) or high-availability scenario.

Replication Policy: The replication policy is applied to the shares, with specific shares being RW on one site and RO on the other (e.g., Share1 and Share2 are RW on Primary, RO on Remote). This suggests asynchronous replication, as synchronous replication would typically allow RW access on both sites with zero data loss.

Share3 (RW on Both Sites): This indicates a special configuration, possibly for load balancing or specific workload requirements, but the primary focus is on the replication policy for DR.

Share4 (RO on Primary, RW on Remote): This suggests a failover scenario where the Remote Site can take over as the primary for certain shares.

Analysis of Options:

Option A (Smart DR): Incorrect. Smart DR is a Nutanix feature that simplifies disaster recovery by automating snapshot-based replication and recovery plans. While Smart DR can use replication policies, the exhibit specifically shows a replication setup between File Servers with RW/RO configurations, which aligns more directly with a replication mechanism like NearSync. Smart DR is more about the orchestration of recovery, not the replication mechanism itself.

Option B (Metro Availability): Incorrect. Metro Availability provides synchronous replication between two sites with zero Recovery Point Objective (RPO), meaning no data loss. It typically allows RW access on both sites (with one site being primary) and requires low latency between sites (e.g., <5 ms). The exhibit shows RW/RO configurations, indicating asynchronous replication, and does not suggest zero RPO, making Metro Availability an incorrect fit.

Option C (Availability Zones): Incorrect. Availability Zones in Nutanix refer to distributing data across zones within a single cluster or cloud environment for high availability, not replication between two distinct sites. The exhibit clearly shows two separate sites with replication, not a single cluster with zones.

Option D (NearSync): Correct. NearSync is a Nutanix data protection mechanism that provides near-synchronous replication with low RPOs (e.g., 1–15 minutes). It is commonly used for Nutanix Files to replicate shares between sites for disaster recovery. The exhibit’s RW/RO configuration aligns with NearSync, where the Primary Site is RW, and the Remote Site is RO for replicated shares, allowing failover to the Remote Site if needed. The replication policy shown in the exhibit matches NearSync’s behavior of replicating data asynchronously with a configurable RPO.

Why Option D?

NearSync is designed for disaster recovery scenarios where data is replicated between two sites with a low RPO, ensuring minimal data loss. The exhibit’s depiction of replication between FILE SVR1 and FILE SVR2, with RW/RO configurations for shares, is a hallmark of NearSync for Nutanix Files. The presence of a replication policy further supports this, as NearSync uses such policies to define replication schedules and RPOs. Metro Availability (option B) would require synchronous replication with zero RPO, which is not indicated by the RW/RO setup, and the other options (Smart DR, Availability Zones) do not fit the replication scenario shown.

Exact Extract from Nutanix Documentation:

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

“NearSync provides near-synchronous replication for Nutanix Files shares between two sites, enabling disaster recovery with low Recovery Point Objectives (RPOs) ranging from 1 to 15 minutes. Shares on the primary site are typically read-write (RW), while the remote site is read-only (RO) for replicated shares. A replication policy defines the replication schedule and RPO, allowing failover to the remote site in case of a disaster.”

Additional Notes:

The exhibit’s depiction of Share3 (RW on both sites) is a less common configuration but can be achieved with NearSync by allowing specific shares to be writable on both sites for load balancing or specific use cases. However, the overall setup (replication between sites with RW/RO for most shares) aligns with NearSync.

Metro Availability would typically show zero RPO and RW access on both sites for the same shares, which is not the case here.

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

Workload optimization in Nutanix Files, part of Nutanix Unified Storage (NUS), refers to the process of tuning the Files deployment to handle specific workloads efficiently. This involves scaling resources to match the workload demands, and the primary entity for optimization is the number of File Server Virtual Machines (FSVMs).

Analysis of Options:

Option A (Protocol): Incorrect. While Nutanix Files supports multiple protocols (SMB, NFS), workload optimization is not directly based on the protocol. Protocols affect client access, but optimization focuses on resource allocation.

Option B (File type): Incorrect. File type (e.g., text, binary) is not a factor in workload optimization for Files. Optimization focuses on infrastructure resources, not the nature of the files.

Option C (FSVM quantity): Correct. Nutanix Files uses FSVMs to distribute file service workloads across the cluster. Workload optimization involves adjusting the number of FSVMs to handle the expected load, ensuring balanced performance and scalability. For example, adding more FSVMs can improve performance for high-concurrency workloads.

Option D (Block size): Incorrect. Block size is relevant for block storage (e.g., Nutanix Volumes), but Nutanix Files operates at the file level, not the block level. Workload optimization in Files does not involve block size adjustments.

Why FSVM Quantity?

FSVMs are the core entities that process file operations in Nutanix Files. Optimizing for a workload (e.g., high read/write throughput, many concurrent users) typically involves scaling the number of FSVMs to distribute the load, adding compute and memory resources as needed, or adjusting FSVM placement for better performance.

Exact Extract from Nutanix Documentation:

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

“Workload optimization in Nutanix Files is achieved by adjusting the number of FSVMs in the file server. For high-performance workloads, you can scale out by adding more FSVMs to distribute the load across the cluster, ensuring optimal resource utilization and performance.”

The two steps that the administrator should perform to resolve the connectivity issues with the domain controller servers are:

Verify the DNS settings in Prism Element: DNS (Domain Name System) is a system that translates domain names into IP addresses. DNS settings are configurations that specify which DNS servers to use for resolving domain names. Verifying the DNS settings in Prism Element is a step that the administrator should perform, because it can help identify and correct any incorrect or outdated DNS server addresses or domain names that may cause connectivity issues with the domain controller servers.

Verify the DNS entries for the given domain name: DNS entries are records that map domain names to IP addresses or other information. Verifying the DNS entries for the given domain name is another step that the administrator should perform, because it can help check and update any incorrect or outdated IP addresses or other information that may cause connectivity issues with the domain controller servers. References: Nutanix Files Administration Guide, page 32; Nutanix Files Troubleshooting Guide

The alert A130357 - VolumeGroupProtectionFailedOnPC in a Nutanix environment indicates a failure to protect a Volume Group (VG) in a Protection Domain (PD) managed through Prism Central (PC). Nutanix Volumes, part of Nutanix Unified Storage (NUS), provides block storage via iSCSI, and Volume Groups can be protected using Protection Domains for snapshots and replication. The alert suggests that the protection process failed, likely due to incompatible configurations.

Understanding the Issue:

Volume Group Protection: A Volume Group in Nutanix Volumes can be added to a Protection Domain in Prism Central for data protection (e.g., snapshots, replication).

Protection Failed on PC: The failure occurred during the protection process, managed through Prism Central, indicating an issue with the Protection Domain or policy settings.

Conditions to Address: The failure is likely due to configuration mismatches or unsupported settings in the Protection Domain or policy.

Analysis of Conditions:

Option A (Volume Group is protected in a legacy protection domain): Correct. A “legacy protection domain” refers to an older protection mechanism in Nutanix (e.g., from earlier AOS versions) that may not be fully compatible with newer Prism Central features or Volume Group protection workflows. If the Volume Group is part of a legacy PD, the protection process may fail due to deprecated features or APIs. Addressing this involves migrating the Volume Group to a modern Protection Domain in Prism Central, ensuring compatibility.

Option B (The Protection Policy applied on Volume Group has an Async snapshot schedule applied): Incorrect. An Async (asynchronous) snapshot schedule is a standard and supported configuration for Volume Group protection in a Protection Domain. Async schedules take snapshots at intervals (e.g., hourly, daily) and replicate them to a remote site, and this does not cause protection failures—it’s a valid setup.

Option C (The Protection Policy applied on Volume Group has a NearSync snapshot schedule applied): Correct. NearSync is a near-synchronous replication schedule (e.g., 1-minute RPO, as in Question 24) that is supported for VMs and some Nutanix Files configurations, but it is not supported for Volume Groups in a Protection Domain. If a NearSync schedule is applied to a Volume Group’s Protection Policy, the protection will fail because Volume Groups only support Async schedules. Addressing this involves changing the schedule to an Async policy, which is compatible with Volume Groups.

Option D (Volume Group is not protected in a legacy protection domain): Incorrect. This option suggests that the Volume Group is already in a modern (non-legacy) Protection Domain, which would not cause the failure. The issue lies in specific conditions (e.g., legacy PD or incompatible schedule), so this option does not identify a condition that needs addressing.

Selected Conditions:

A: A legacy Protection Domain can cause compatibility issues, leading to protection failures. Migrating to a modern PD in Prism Central resolves this.

C: A NearSync schedule is not supported for Volume Groups, causing the protection to fail. Switching to an Async schedule ensures compatibility.

Why These Conditions?

Legacy Protection Domain (A): Legacy PDs may use outdated mechanisms that are incompatible with Prism Central’s modern protection workflows for Volume Groups, causing failures.

NearSync Schedule (C): Volume Groups in a Protection Domain only support Async snapshot schedules. A NearSync schedule, designed for low-RPO replication, is not supported and will cause the protection process to fail.

Exact Extract from Nutanix Documentation:

From the Nutanix Prism Alerts Reference Guide (available on the Nutanix Portal):

“Alert A130357 - VolumeGroupProtectionFailedOnPC: This alert is triggered when Volume Group protection fails in a Protection Domain managed through Prism Central. Common causes include:

The Volume Group is protected in a legacy protection domain, which is not fully compatible with modern Prism Central workflows. Migrate the Volume Group to a modern Protection Domain.

The Protection Policy applied to the Volume Group has a NearSync snapshot schedule, which is not supported for Volume Groups. Change the schedule to an Async policy to allow successful protection.”

Nutanix Objects, part of Nutanix Unified Storage (NUS), is deployed and managed through Prism Central (PC), which provides a centralized interface for managing multiple Prism Element (PE) clusters. When deploying Objects or adding multi-cluster support to an Object Store, the administrator selects a PE cluster and associated subnets from drop-down lists in the Prism Central UI. If these drop-down lists are empty or show an error, it indicates an issue with visibility or access to the clusters or subnets.

Analysis of Options:

Option A (The logged-in user does not have access to any Prism Central): Correct. Prism Central is required to manage Nutanix Objects deployments and multi-cluster configurations. If the logged-in user does not have access to any Prism Central instance (e.g., due to RBAC restrictions or no PC being deployed), they cannot see any PE clusters or subnets in the UI, as Prism Central is the interface that aggregates this information. This would result in empty drop-down lists for clusters and subnets, as well as during multi-cluster addition for the Object Store.

Option B (The logged-in user does not have access to any subnets on the allowed Prism Central): Incorrect. While subnet access restrictions could prevent subnets from appearing in the Subnets drop-down, this does not explain why the Cluster drop-down is empty or why no clusters are listed during multi-cluster addition. The issue is broader—likely related to Prism Central access itself—rather than subnet-specific permissions.

Option C (The administrator has just created an access policy granting user access to Prism Element): Incorrect. Granting access to Prism Element directly does not affect visibility in Prism Central’s UI. Objects deployment and multi-cluster management are performed through Prism Central, not Prism Element. Even if the user has PE access, they need PC access to see clusters and subnets in the Objects deployment workflow.

Option D (The administrator has just created an access policy denying user access to a subnet in Prism Element): Incorrect. Denying access to a subnet in Prism Element might affect subnet visibility in the Subnets drop-down, but it does not explain the empty Cluster drop-down or the inability to see clusters during multi-cluster addition. Subnet access policies are secondary to the broader issue of Prism Central access.

Why Option A?

The core issue is that Prism Central is required to display PE clusters and subnets in the UI for Objects deployment and multi-cluster management. If the logged-in user does not have access to any Prism Central instance (e.g., they are not assigned the necessary role, such as Prism Central Admin, or no PC is registered), the UI cannot display any clusters or subnets, resulting in empty drop-down lists. This also explains why no clusters are listed during multi-cluster addition for the Object Store, as Prism Central is the central management point for such operations.

Exact Extract from Nutanix Documentation:

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

“Nutanix Objects deployment and multi-cluster management are performed through Prism Central. The logged-in user must have access to Prism Central with appropriate permissions (e.g., Prism Central Admin role) to view Prism Element clusters and subnets in the deployment UI. If the user does not have access to Prism Central, the Cluster and Subnets drop-down lists will be empty, and multi-cluster addition will fail to list available clusters.”

Workload optimization in Nutanix Files, part of Nutanix Unified Storage (NUS), involves tuning the Files deployment to handle specific workloads efficiently. This was previously discussed in Question 13, where workload optimization was based on FSVM quantity. The question now asks which entity workload optimization is configured on.

Analysis of Options:

Option A (Volume): Incorrect. Volumes in Nutanix refer to block storage provided by Nutanix Volumes, not Nutanix Files. Workload optimization for Files does not involve Volumes, which are a separate entity for iSCSI-based storage.

Option B (Share): Incorrect. Shares in Nutanix Files are the individual file shares (e.g., SMB, NFS) accessed by clients. While shares can be tuned (e.g., quotas, permissions), workload optimization in Files is not configured at the share level—it applies to the broader file server infrastructure.

Option C (Container): Incorrect. Containers in Nutanix are logical storage pools managed by AOS, used to store data for VMs, Files, and other services. While Files data resides in a container, workload optimization is not configured at the container level—it is specific to the Files deployment.

Option D (File Server): Correct. Workload optimization in Nutanix Files is configured at the File Server level, which consists of multiple FSVMs (as established in Question 13). The File Server is the entity that manages all FSVMs, shares, and resources, and optimization tasks (e.g., scaling FSVMs, adjusting resources) are applied at this level to handle workloads efficiently.

Why Option D?

Workload optimization in Nutanix Files involves adjusting resources and configurations at the File Server level, such as scaling the number of FSVMs (as in Question 13) or tuning memory and CPU for the File Server. The File Server encompasses all FSVMs and shares, making it the entity where optimization is configured to ensure the entire deployment can handle the workload effectively.

Exact Extract from Nutanix Documentation:

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

“Workload optimization in Nutanix Files is configured at the File Server level. This involves adjusting the number of FSVMs, allocating resources (e.g., CPU, memory), and tuning configurations to optimize the File Server for specific workloads.”

A distributed share is a type of SMB share or NFS export that distributes the hosting of top-level directories across multiple FSVMs, which improves load balancing and performance. A distributed share cannot be created on a single-node cluster, because there is only one FSVM available. A distributed share requires at least two nodes in the cluster to distribute the directories. Therefore, the task of creating a distributed share on a single-node cluster will fail. References: Nutanix Files Administration Guide, page 33; Nutanix Files Solution Guide, page 8

A distributed share in Nutanix Files, part of Nutanix Unified Storage (NUS), is a share that spans multiple File Server Virtual Machines (FSVMs) to provide scalability and high availability. Distributed shares are designed to handle large-scale workloads by distributing file operations across FSVMs.

Analysis of Options:

Option A (File server version should be greater than 3.8.0): Incorrect. While Nutanix Files has version-specific features, distributed shares have been supported since earlier versions (e.g., Files 3.5). The failure to create a distributed share on a single-node cluster is not due to the Files version.

Option B (Distributed shares require multiple nodes): Correct. Distributed shares in Nutanix Files require a minimum of three FSVMs for high availability and load balancing, which in turn requires a cluster with at least three nodes. A single-node cluster cannot support a distributed share because it lacks the necessary nodes to host multiple FSVMs, which are required for the distributed architecture.

Option C (AOS version should be greater than 6.0): Incorrect. Nutanix AOS (Acropolis Operating System) version 6.0 or later is not a specific requirement for distributed shares. Distributed shares have been supported in earlier AOS versions (e.g., AOS 5.15 and later with compatible Files versions). The issue is related to the cluster’s node count, not the AOS version.

Option D (Number of distributed shares limit reached): Incorrect. The question does not indicate that the administrator has reached a limit on the number of distributed shares. The failure is due to the single-node cluster limitation, not a share count limit.

Why Option B?

A single-node cluster cannot support a distributed share because Nutanix Files requires at least three FSVMs for a distributed share, and each FSVM typically runs on a separate node for high availability. A single-node cluster can support a non-distributed (standard) share, but not a distributed share, which is designed for scalability across multiple nodes.

Exact Extract from Nutanix Documentation:

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

“Distributed shares in Nutanix Files require a minimum of three FSVMs to ensure scalability and high availability. This requires a cluster with at least three nodes, as each FSVM is typically hosted on a separate node. Single-node clusters do not support distributed shares due to this requirement.”

Nutanix Files, part of Nutanix Unified Storage (NUS), can be installed or upgraded using Life Cycle Manager (LCM), a tool in Prism Central or Prism Element for managing software updates. Before installing or upgrading Files, LCM must ensure that the underlying components are compatible to avoid issues during the process.

Analysis of Options:

Option A (Nutanix Cluster Check): Correct. Nutanix Cluster Check (NCC) is a health and compatibility checking tool integrated with LCM. LCM requires a compatible version of NCC to perform pre-upgrade checks and validate the cluster’s readiness for a Files installation or upgrade. NCC ensures that the cluster environment (e.g., hardware, firmware, software) is compatible with the Files version being installed or upgraded.

Option B (Active Directory Services): Incorrect. Active Directory (AD) Services are used by Nutanix Files for user authentication (e.g., for SMB shares or multiprotocol access, as in Question 60), but AD is not a component managed by LCM, nor is it a prerequisite for LCM compatibility. AD configuration is a separate requirement for Files functionality, not LCM operations.

Option C (File Server Module): Incorrect. There is no “File Server Module” component in Nutanix terminology. Nutanix Files itself consists of File Server Virtual Machines (FSVMs), but this is the component being upgraded, not a prerequisite for LCM. LCM manages the Files upgrade directly and does not require a separate “module” compatibility.

Option D (Acropolis Operating System): Correct. The Acropolis Operating System (AOS) is the core operating system of the Nutanix cluster, managing storage, compute, and virtualization. LCM requires a compatible AOS version to install or upgrade Files, as Files relies on AOS features (e.g., storage, networking) and APIs. LCM checks the AOS version to ensure it meets the minimum requirements for the target Files version.

Selected Components:

A: NCC ensures cluster compatibility and readiness, which LCM relies on for Files installation or upgrades.

D: AOS provides the underlying platform for Files, and LCM must ensure its version is compatible with the Files version being deployed.

Exact Extract from Nutanix Documentation:

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

“Before installing or upgrading Nutanix Files using Life Cycle Manager (LCM), ensure that LCM has compatible versions of Nutanix Cluster Check (NCC) and Acropolis Operating System (AOS). NCC performs pre-upgrade checks to validate cluster readiness, while AOS must meet the minimum version requirements for the target Files version.”

The administrator should prevent the Files environment and the AD Server from having such a time difference in future by using the same NTP Servers for the File environment and the AD Server. 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. By using the same NTP Servers for the File environment and the AD Server, the administrator can ensure that they have consistent and accurate time settings and avoid any synchronization issues or errors. References: Nutanix Files Administration Guide, page 32; Nutanix Files Troubleshooting Guide

Nutanix Data Lens, part of Nutanix Unified Storage (NUS), provides data governance and analytics for Nutanix Files, including features to optimize storage usage. The administrator wants to maximize available space on the file server by moving cold (infrequently accessed) data to an object store (e.g., AWS S3, Azure Blob), which aligns with a specific Data Lens feature.

Analysis of Options:

Option A (Smart Tier): Correct. Smart Tier is a feature in Data Lens (and Nutanix Files, as noted in Question 34) that identifies cold data based on access patterns and tiers it to an external object store, such as AWS S3 or Azure Blob. This process frees up space on the file server while keeping the data accessible through the same share, maximizing available space as required.

Option B (Smart DR): Incorrect. Smart DR is a disaster recovery solution for Nutanix Files that automates replication policies between file servers (e.g., using NearSync). It replicates data to a recovery site for DR purposes, not to an object store, and does not free up space on the primary file server—it creates a copy.

Option C (Backup): Incorrect. Data Lens does not have a “Backup” feature. While Nutanix Files can be backed up using third-party tools or replication, this is not a Data Lens feature, and backups do not move cold data to an object store to free up space—they create additional copies for recovery purposes.

Option D (Versioning): Incorrect. Versioning is a feature in Nutanix Objects (as seen in Questions 11 and 15), not Data Lens, and it retains multiple versions of objects, not file server data. Even if versioning were applied to Files shares (e.g., via snapshots), it does not move cold data to an object store—it retains versions locally, consuming more space.

Why Option A?

Smart Tier, supported by Data Lens, identifies cold data on the file server and moves it to an external object store, freeing up space on the primary storage while keeping the data accessible. This directly addresses the requirement to maximize available file server space by offloading cold data, aligning with Data Lens’s data management capabilities.

Exact Extract from Nutanix Documentation:

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

“Data Lens supports Smart Tier, a feature that maximizes available file server space by identifying cold data based on access patterns and tiering it to an external object store, such as AWS S3 or Azure Blob. This process frees up space on the file server while maintaining data accessibility.”

Nutanix Files provides a built-in ransomware prevention feature that allows administrators to block malicious file signatures from being written to the file system. However, this feature has a limit of 300 signatures per share or export. If the list of malicious file signatures to block is greater than 300, a third-party solution is recommended2

Neither File Analytics nor Data Lens supports signature-based ransomware prevention with a large list of malicious file signatures (300+). Signature-based blocking requires a dedicated security solution with a robust signature database, which third-party tools are designed to handle. Nutanix Files supports integration with such tools, making a third-party solution the best choice for this requirement.

Exact Extract from Nutanix Documentation:

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

“For advanced ransomware prevention requiring signature-based blocking, such as when the list of malicious file signatures exceeds 300, Nutanix Files supports integration with third-party security solutions. These solutions can handle large signature databases and perform file scanning/blocking at scale, complementing the behavioral detection capabilities of File Analytics and Data Lens.”

Data Lens is a feature that provides insights into the data stored in Files across multiple sites, including different geographical locations. Data Lens allows administrators to monitor usage, performance, capacity, and growth trends for all Files deployments globally. Data Lens also provides reports on file types, sizes, owners, permissions, and access patterns3. References: Nutanix Data Lens Administration Guide3

The tool that includes these features is File Analytics. 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 display various reports and dashboards that include these features:

Permission Denials: This report shows the number of permission denied events for file operations, such as read, write, delete, etc., along with the user, file, share, and server details.

Top 5 Active Users: This dashboard shows the top five users who performed the most file operations in a given time period, along with the number and type of operations.

Top 5 Accessed Files: This dashboard shows the top five files that were accessed the most in a given time period, along with the number of accesses and the file details.

File Distribution by Type: This dashboard shows the distribution of files by their type or extension, such as PDF, DOCX, JPG, etc., along with the number and size of files for each type. 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.”

Nutanix Files, part of Nutanix Unified Storage (NUS), supports WORM (Write Once, Read Many) shares to enforce immutability for compliance and data retention. A WORM share prevents files from being modified or deleted for a specified retention period. The “cool-off interval” (or cool-off period) is the time after a file is written to a WORM share during which it can still be modified or deleted before becoming immutable. The default cool-off interval is typically 1 minute, and the administrator wants to update it to 5 minutes.

Analysis of Options:

Option A (Delete and re-create the WORM share): Incorrect. Deleting and re-creating the WORM share would remove the existing share and its data, which is disruptive and unnecessary. The cool-off interval can be updated without deleting the share, making this an inefficient and incorrect approach.

Option B (Update the worm_cooloff_interval parameter using CLI): Correct. The worm_cooloff_interval parameter controls the cool-off period for WORM shares in Nutanix Files. This parameter can be updated using the Nutanix CLI (e.g., ncli or afs commands) on the file server. The administrator can log into an FSVM, use the CLI to set the worm_cooloff_interval to 5 minutes (300 seconds), and apply the change without disrupting the share. This is the most direct and efficient method to update the cool-off interval.

Option C (Contact support to update the WORM share): Incorrect. Contacting Nutanix support is unnecessary for this task, as updating the cool-off interval is a standard administrative action that can be performed using the CLI. Support is typically needed for complex issues, not for configurable parameters like this.

Option D (Use FSM to update the worm_cooloff_interval parameter): Incorrect. FSM (File Server Manager) is not a standard Nutanix tool or interface for managing Files configurations. The correct method is to use the CLI (option B) to update the worm_cooloff_interval parameter. While the Files Console (FSM-like interface) can manage some share settings, the cool-off interval requires CLI access.

Why Option B?

The worm_cooloff_interval parameter is a configurable setting in Nutanix Files that controls the cool-off period for WORM shares. Updating this parameter via the CLI (e.g., using ncli or afs commands on an FSVM) allows the administrator to change the cool-off interval from the default (1 minute) to 5 minutes without disrupting the existing share. This is the recommended and most efficient method per Nutanix documentation.

Exact Extract from Nutanix Documentation:

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

“The cool-off interval for a WORM share, which determines the time after a file is written during which it can still be modified, is controlled by the worm_cooloff_interval parameter. To update this interval, use the CLI on an FSVM to set the parameter (e.g., to 300 seconds for 5 minutes) using commands like ncli or afs, then apply the change.”

The administrator can meet this requirement by configuring data protection policies in the Files view in Prism Central. Data protection policies are policies that define how file data is protected by taking snapshots, replicating them to another site, or tiering them to cloud storage. Data protection policies can be configured for each share or export in a file server in the Files view in Prism Central. The administrator can create different data protection policies for different shares or exports based on their protection needs and requirements. References: Nutanix Files Administration Guide, page 79; Nutanix Files Solution Guide, page 9

https://portal.nutanix.com/page/documents/kbs/details?targetId=kA00e000000CvHICA0

The scenario that is causing the alert and needs to be addressed to allow the entities to be protected is that one or more VMs or Volume Groups belonging to the Consistency Group may have been deleted. A Consistency Group is a logical grouping of VMs or Volume Groups that are protected together by a Protection Policy. A Protection Policy is a set of rules that defines how often snapshots are taken, how long they are retained, and where they are replicated for disaster recovery purposes. If one or more VMs or Volume Groups belonging to the Consistency Group are deleted, the Protection Policy will fail to protect them and generate an alert with the code AI303551 – VolumeGroupProtectionFailed. References: Nutanix Volumes Administration Guide, page 29; Nutanix Volumes Troubleshooting Guide

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 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.”

The protocols that are supported by Files are SMBv2, SMBv3, NFSv3, and NFSv4. SMB (Server Message Block) is a protocol that allows clients to access files, printers, and other resources on a network. NFS (Network File System) is a protocol that allows clients to access files on a remote server as if they were local. Files supports both SMB and NFS protocols for creating shares and exports that can be accessed by different types of clients. References: Nutanix Files Administration Guide, page 31; Nutanix Files Solution Guide, page 6

Nutanix Volumes, part of Nutanix Unified Storage (NUS), provides block storage via iSCSI to VMs and external hosts. A Volume Group (VG) in Nutanix Volumes is a collection of volumes that can be attached to VMs. For VMs with intensive I/O, performance can be improved by distributing the I/O load across multiple Controller VMs (CVMs) in the Nutanix cluster. The vg.update command in the Nutanix CLI (e.g., ncli) is used to modify Volume Group settings, including parameters that affect I/O distribution.

Analysis of Options:

Option A (flash_mode=enable): Incorrect. The flash_mode parameter enables flash mode for a Volume Group, which prioritizes SSDs for I/O operations to improve performance. While this can help with intensive I/O, it does not distribute I/O across multiple CVMs—it focuses on storage tiering, not load balancing.

Option B (load_balance_vm_attachments=true): Correct. The load_balance_vm_attachments=true parameter enables load balancing of VM attachments for a Volume Group. When enabled, this setting distributes the iSCSI connections from VMs to multiple CVMs in the cluster, balancing the I/O load across CVMs. This improves performance for VMs with intensive I/O by ensuring that no single CVM becomes a bottleneck.

Option C (load_balance_vm_attachments=enable): Incorrect. While this option is close to the correct parameter, the syntax is incorrect. The load_balance_vm_attachments parameter uses true or false as its value, not enable. The correct syntax is load_balance_vm_attachments=true (option B).

Option D (flash_mode=true): Incorrect. Similar to option A, flash_mode=true enables flash mode for the Volume Group, prioritizing SSDs for I/O. This does not distribute I/O across multiple CVMs, as it addresses storage tiering rather than load balancing.

Why Option B?

The load_balance_vm_attachments=true parameter in the vg.update command enables load balancing for VM attachments to a Volume Group, distributing iSCSI connections across multiple CVMs. This ensures that the I/O load from VMs with intensive I/O is balanced across the cluster’s CVMs, improving performance by preventing any single CVM from becoming a bottleneck. This directly addresses the requirement to distribute I/O for better performance.

Exact Extract from Nutanix Documentation:

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

“To improve performance for Volume Groups with intensive I/O, use the vg.update command to enable load balancing with the parameter load_balance_vm_attachments=true. This setting distributes iSCSI connections from VMs across multiple CVMs in the cluster, balancing the I/O load and preventing bottlenecks.”

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 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

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.”

The correct task order for creating an object store is:

Select ObjectStore Service and click Enable

Click Create Object Store to start creating the first Object store

Click Download Creation Checklist to download the list of prerequisites for deploying an Object store

The first step is to enable the ObjectStore Service, which is a service that allows users to create and manage object storage clusters on a Nutanix cluster. The second step is to create an Object store, which is an object storage cluster that provides S3-compatible access to buckets and objects for various applications and users. The third step is to download the Creation Checklist, which is a document that lists the prerequisites and configurations that are required for deploying an Object store, such as cluster details, network details, storage details, etc. The administrator should review and complete the Creation Checklist before proceeding with the deployment of the Object store.

The most likely cause of this issue is that the file server has been cloned. Cloning a file server is not a supported operation and can cause various problems, such as Data Lens not being able to enable or disable for the cloned file server. To avoid this issue, the administrator should use the scale-out feature to add more FSVMs to an existing file server, or create a new file server from scratch. References: Nutanix Files Administration Guide, page 28; Nutanix Files Troubleshooting Guide, page 11

Nutanix Volumes uses IQN-based authorization to control access to volumes. The administrator must specify the IQN of the host that needs to access the volume when creating or editing the volume. If the host’s IQN is not authorized, it will not be able to see the target in the MS iSCSI Initiator3. References: Nutanix Volumes Administration Guide3