Free Practice Questions for Nutanix NCP-US-6.10 Exam

TheNutanix Files deployment processrequirestwo logical networksfor operational separation and performance:

Client Network:

“This is the network through which client devices (Windows, Linux) connect to the file shares hosted by the FSVMs. It ensures that user data access is isolated from management traffic.”

Management Network:

“This network is used for communication between FSVMs and Prism Central/Prism Element for administrative tasks, health monitoring, and management APIs.”

TheStorage Networkis not a separate network for Nutanix Files—it uses the cluster’s existing storage network (backed by the Nutanix DSF). TheOverlay Networkconcept is specific to container environments, not Nutanix Files deployments.

Legal Holdin Nutanix Objects is a feature designed for compliance and regulatory use cases, ensuring thatspecific objects (files)cannot be deleted or modified for an indefinite period, even if WORM (Write Once Read Many) policies exist.

Here’s how it matches the scenario:

Indefinite Lock:

Legal Hold ensures that once applied, the object islocked indefinitely.

Unlike WORM retention, which is based ona fixed duration (like days/months), Legal Hold hasno expirationuntil an authorized administrator explicitly removes it.

Authorized Removal Only:

Only users withspecific Legal Hold management permissionscan remove the lock, maintaining compliance and governance integrity.

The NUSA course materials emphasize:

“Legal Hold is a compliance feature that prevents deletion or modification of specific objects. It can only be lifted by authorized administrators, ensuring that the data remains immutable as long as required by legal or regulatory processes.”

The other options:

WORM versioning— locks data for afixed retention period; it does not provide indefinite locking.

Data Lens Ransomware Protection— focuses on monitoring for anomalies, not explicit file locking.

Blocked File Types for Files— prevents certain files from being uploaded but does not lock already uploaded files.

Thus, toindefinitely lock a filein Nutanix Objects, the administrator should useLegal Hold.

The issue involves a user on an Ubuntu client (a Linux-based system) who is unable to create files on a Nutanix Files share configured to support both Windows and Linux clients. Since Ubuntu typically uses the NFS protocol to access file shares, the problem is likely related to the NFS configuration on the Nutanix Files share. The correct action is tomodify NFS Client Access to read-write, as the current setting may be restricting the Ubuntu client to read-only access.

TheNutanix Unified Storage Administration (NUSA)course explains that “Nutanix Files supports NFS for Linux clients, and administrators can configure NFS Client Access settings to control permissions, such as read-only or read-write access, for specific clients or subnets.” If the NFS Client Access is set to read-only for the Ubuntu client’s IP or subnet, the user would be able to read files but not create or modify them, which matches the described issue.

TheNutanix Certified Professional - Unified Storage (NCP-US)study guide further states that “troubleshooting access issues for Linux clients on Nutanix Files often involves verifying the NFS Client Access settings, ensuring that the client has read-write permissions to create or modify files on NFS shares.” The administrator should check the NFS export settings for the share and update the client access rules to grant read-write permissions to the Ubuntu client’s IP address or subnet.

The other options are incorrect:

Allow simultaneous read access to same files: This setting is relevant for managing concurrent access to files (e.g., in SMB environments) but does not address the Ubuntu client’s inability to create files via NFS.

Update the blocked file types in the file server: Blocked file types prevent specific file extensions from being stored, but the issue is about creating files, not a specific file type being blocked.

Add NTFS permissions for the user account: NTFS permissions are relevant for SMB shares used by Windows clients, not for NFS shares accessed by Linux clients like Ubuntu.

The NUSA course documentation emphasizes that “for Linux clients experiencing permission issues on NFS shares, administrators should review and modify the NFS Client Access settings to ensure read-write permissions are granted, resolving issues like the inability to create files.”

The performance issue for the database VM is related to large block-size I/O operations over iSCSI, which connects to a Nutanix volume group. The VM has a dedicated NIC for iSCSI traffic, but a single NIC can become a bottleneck for large I/O operations, especially for a high-performance workload like a database. To improve performance, the administrator shouldadd an additional NIC for iSCSI connectivity and enable MPIO (Multipath I/O). This approach allows the VM to use multiple network paths for iSCSI traffic, increasing throughput and reducing latency for large block-size I/O operations.

TheNutanix Unified Storage Administration (NUSA)course states, “For high-performance workloads using Nutanix Volumes over iSCSI, enabling MPIO with multiple NICs on the VM can significantly improve I/O performance, especially for large block-size operations.” MPIO allows the VM to establish multiple iSCSI sessions to the Nutanix volume group, distributing I/O traffic across the available NICs and Controller Virtual Machines (CVMs) in the cluster. This is particularly effective for database workloads, which often involve large sequential I/O operations.

TheNutanix Certified Professional - Unified Storage (NCP-US)study guide further elaborates that “adding a second NIC for iSCSI traffic and configuring MPIO ensures load balancing and failover for iSCSI sessions, optimizing performance for VMs with high I/O demands, such as databases.” By adding another NIC, the VM can establish additional iSCSI paths to the volume group’s iSCSI Data Services IP (DSIP), leveraging the cluster’s distributed architecture to handle large block-size I/O more efficiently.

The other options are incorrect:

Add additional virtual disks to the volume group: Adding more virtual disks does not address the network bottleneck caused by a single iSCSI NIC and may not improve performance for large block-size I/O operations.

Increase the iSCSI adapter maximum transfer length: Adjusting the maximum transfer length (MTU) might help with network efficiency, but it does not address the fundamental issue of a single NIC being a bottleneck for large I/O operations. MPIO with multiple NICs is a more effective solution.

Locate the iSCSI NIC on the same VLAN as the cluster DSIP: While placing the iSCSI NIC on the same VLAN as the DSIP can reduce latency by avoiding inter-VLAN routing, the primary issue here is the single NIC bottleneck, not VLAN configuration. MPIO with multiple NICs provides a better performance improvement.

The NUSA course documentation emphasizes that “for VMs with large block-size I/O requirements, such as databases, using MPIO with multiple iSCSI NICs ensures optimal performance by distributing traffic across multiple paths to the Nutanix volume group.”

The exhibit shows the "Cluster Details" page in a Nutanix Prism interface, displaying fields such as Cluster Name, FQDN, Virtual IP, Virtual IPv6, and iSCSI Data Services IP. The administrator is enabling Nutanix Volumes, which is a block storage service that provides iSCSI-based storage for workloads. Nutanix Volumes allows external hosts or VMs to connect to the Nutanix cluster via iSCSI, requiring a specific IP address for iSCSI communication.

According to theNutanix Unified Storage Administration (NUSA)course, “Nutanix Volumes requires the iSCSI Data Services IP to be configured in the cluster settings to enable iSCSI connectivity for external hosts or workloads.” The iSCSI Data Services IP is a dedicated IP address used by the Nutanix cluster to handle iSCSI traffic, ensuring that iSCSI initiators (clients) can connect to the cluster and access block storage volumes. This field must be populated to enable Nutanix Volumes functionality, as it serves as the endpoint for iSCSI communication.

TheNutanix Certified Professional - Unified Storage (NCP-US)study guide further elaborates that “the iSCSI Data Services IP is a mandatory field when enabling Nutanix Volumes, as it defines the IP address that external iSCSI initiators use to connect to the cluster for block storage access.” Without this IP address, Nutanix Volumes cannot function, as there would be no designated network endpoint for iSCSI traffic.

In the exhibit, the "iSCSI Data Services IP" field is present, indicating its relevance to Nutanix Volumes configuration. The other fields are not mandatory for enabling Nutanix Volumes:

FQDN (Fully Qualified Domain Name): The FQDN is optional and used for resolving the cluster’s name in DNS. It is not required for Nutanix Volumes to function, as iSCSI connectivity relies on IP addresses, not DNS names.

Virtual IPv6: This field is for configuring a Virtual IP using IPv6 for cluster management access (e.g., Prism GUI). Nutanix Volumes does not require IPv6; the iSCSI Data Services IP typically uses IPv4, and IPv6 support is optional.

Virtual IP: The Virtual IP (IPv4) is used for accessing the Prism GUI and other cluster management services. While recommended for cluster management, it is not specifically required for Nutanix Volumes, as iSCSI traffic uses the iSCSI Data Services IP.

The NUSA course documentation emphasizes that “configuring the iSCSI Data Services IP is a prerequisite for enabling Nutanix Volumes, ensuring that iSCSI initiators can connect to the cluster for block storage operations.” The administrator must populate this field with a valid IP address from the cluster’s network to enable Nutanix Volumes successfully.

To protect a Nutanix Files instance between two sites with a1-hour RPO (Recovery Point Objective),four recovery points, andcross-hypervisor capabilities, the administrator should useSmart DR. Smart DR is a disaster recovery feature for Nutanix Files that enables replication of file shares between primary and recovery sites, supporting automated failover and recovery with configurable RPOs and retention policies.

TheNutanix Unified Storage Administration (NUSA)course explains that “Smart DR for Nutanix Files supports replication between sites with configurable RPOs as low as 1 hour, multiple recovery points, and cross-hypervisor compatibility, ensuring seamless failover and recovery.” Smart DR allows the administrator to set a replication schedule to meet the 1-hour RPO requirement, retain four recovery points by configuring the retention policy, and supports cross-hypervisor environments (e.g., AHV, ESXi, Hyper-V) since Nutanix Files operates at the file-share level, independent of the underlying hypervisor.

TheNutanix Certified Professional - Unified Storage (NCP-US)study guide further states that “Smart DR provides disaster recovery for Nutanix Files with an RPO as low as 1 hour, the ability to retain multiple recovery points (e.g., four snapshots), and compatibility across hypervisors, making it ideal for multi-site file server protection.” The feature uses asynchronous replication to copy file share data to the recovery site, ensuring data consistency and availability.

The other options are incorrect:

Protection Policies: Protection Policies in Nutanix are used for backup and snapshot schedules, typically for VMs or volumes, but they are not specific to Nutanix Files and do not support cross-site replication with the specified RPO.

Smart Sync: Smart Sync is not a Nutanix feature; it may refer to third-party tools or unrelated functionalities and is not applicable here.

Protection Domain: Protection Domains are used for VM-level replication and disaster recovery in Nutanix, not for Nutanix Files, and they are hypervisor-specific, which may limit cross-hypervisor support.

The NUSA course documentation highlights that “Smart DR meets stringent RPO requirements, such as 1-hour intervals, and supports multiple recovery points while ensuring compatibility across hypervisors, making it the optimal solution for Nutanix Files disaster recovery.”

TheSelf-Service Restore (SSR)feature in Nutanix Files is designed to empower users and administrators to recover previous versions of files or entire shares. This feature leverages the snapshot capabilities of Nutanix Files to present earlier file versions directly to users for easy, self-directed recovery.

The NUSA and NCP-US materials highlight this:

“Self-Service Restore allows end users or administrators to restore individual files or folders from snapshots. This minimizes administrator intervention and improves recovery times for file-level incidents.”

While snapshots and protection policies underlie the mechanism,Self-Service Restoreis thespecific featurethat enables user-initiated recovery of earlier versions.

SMB (Server Message Block)protocol is the foundation for file sharing in Windows environments. In a Nutanix Files deployment, enablingDistributed File System (DFS)on Windows clients enhances SMB functionality by:

Allowingnamespace-based accessto shares.

Providingclient failover and load balancingwhen used with Nutanix Files SMB shares.

According to the NUSA course:

“For Windows clients accessing Nutanix Files via SMB, enabling Distributed File System (DFS) ensures they can dynamically discover and connect to the most optimal FSVM, even during failovers. DFS enhances resiliency and performance by maintaining a consistent namespace.”

The other options:

Zettabyte File System— not relevant for Windows or SMB.

Internet Information Services— web server technology, not related to SMB shares.

Automatic Windows Update— not directly tied to SMB access.

Thus,enabling Distributed File System (DFS)on Windows clients ensures smooth SMB integration and high availability.

Nutanix Files includes several features for managing data availability and mobility across sites. Here’s the detailed breakdown:

Data Sync— This feature is designed toreplicate user data between file servers at different locations. It enablesbi-directional or one-way file-level replicationfor use cases such as:

Branch office file sharing

Geo-dispersed data access

Centralized backups of branch data

From the NUSA course materials:

“Data Sync provides file-level replication across geographically distributed Nutanix Files deployments, ensuring consistent data access and synchronization across multiple sites.”

This feature is purpose-built forcross-location file data replication, meeting the administrator’s need.

Data Protection— Refers to snapshot-based local or remote protection of theentire file server or shares, not file-level sync across different locations.

Smart Sync— Specific to Object data within Nutanix Objects, not for Files.

VDI Sync— Designed for syncing user profiles in VDI environments, not general file share replication.

Thus, the administrator should useData Syncfor replicating user data across file servers in different locations.

Nutanix File Analytics sends anomaly alerts and data to email recipientsas defined in the Anomaly Rules. File Analytics uses anomaly detection to identify unusual activities on the file server, such as permission changes, excessive file access, or potential ransomware behavior. Administrators can configure anomaly rules to specify which activities to monitor and how to handle notifications, including sending emails to designated recipients based on the defined rules.

TheNutanix Unified Storage Administration (NUSA)course explains that “File Analytics allows administrators to define anomaly rules to detect suspicious activities, with email notifications configured as part of the rule settings to alert recipients when specific conditions are met.” This ensures that emails are sent only when the criteria in the anomaly rules are triggered, allowing for targeted and timely alerts.

TheNutanix Certified Professional - Unified Storage (NCP-US)study guide further states that “anomaly rules in File Analytics are customizable, enabling administrators to set thresholds, conditions, and notification preferences, including email alerts, to ensure timely responses to detected anomalies.” The timing and frequency of email notifications depend on the configuration of the anomaly rules, not a fixed schedule or automatic detection.

The other options are incorrect:

Whenever an anomaly is detected: While anomalies trigger alerts, emails are sent only if the anomaly rules are configured to do so. Not every detected anomaly automatically results in an email unless specified in the rules.

Every 15 minutes: File Analytics does not send emails on a fixed 15-minute schedule; notifications are event-driven based on anomaly rule triggers.

When a minimum of anomalies are detected: There is no concept of a “minimum number of anomalies” in File Analytics; alerts are sent based on the specific conditions defined in the anomaly rules.

The NUSA course documentation emphasizes that “File Analytics anomaly rules provide granular control over alert notifications, with email alerts sent to recipients as specified in the rule configuration, ensuring timely communication of critical events.”