2V0-16.25 · Question #15
An administrator is tasked to implement a new iSCSI storage for a new cluster. The following information was provided to the administrator: - iSCSI storage controller IPs are all in the same subnet…
The correct answer is B. Configure 1 vSwitch with 2 Uplinks. E. Add iSCSI software adapter. F. Set Path Selection Policy (PSP) to Round Robin (RR). G. Configure two bound VMkernel ports. Configuring iSCSI multipathing on ESX requires one vSwitch with two uplinks (B) - not two separate vSwitches - because port binding to a single switch is how ESX creates distinct network paths to the storage. The iSCSI software adapter (E) must be added to enable iSCSI protocol…
Question
An administrator is tasked to implement a new iSCSI storage for a new cluster. The following information was provided to the administrator:
- iSCSI storage controller IPs are all in the same subnet.
- Multipathing should be used.
- Storage supports Asymmetric Logical Unit Access (ALUA).
- Should be configured for high performance.
Which are the four required steps to configure this on an ESX host? (Choose four.)
Options
- AConfigure 2 vSwitch with 1 Uplink.
- BConfigure 1 vSwitch with 2 Uplinks.
- CAdd NVMe over TCP software adapter.
- DSet Path Selection Policy (PSP) to Most Recently Used (MRU).
- EAdd iSCSI software adapter.
- FSet Path Selection Policy (PSP) to Round Robin (RR).
- GConfigure two bound VMkernel ports.
- HConfigure two unbound VMkernel ports.
How the community answered
(25 responses)- A4% (1)
- B80% (20)
- C12% (3)
- D4% (1)
Explanation
Configuring iSCSI multipathing on ESX requires one vSwitch with two uplinks (B) - not two separate vSwitches - because port binding to a single switch is how ESX creates distinct network paths to the storage. The iSCSI software adapter (E) must be added to enable iSCSI protocol support on the host, and two bound VMkernel ports (G) must be created and bound to that adapter (one per uplink), which is what actually establishes the two independent paths required for multipathing. Finally, Round Robin (F) is the correct PSP because ALUA exposes active-optimized paths and high performance is required - RR distributes I/O across all active paths simultaneously, maximizing throughput.
Why the distractors are wrong:
- A (2 vSwitches, 1 Uplink each): iSCSI port binding requires VMkernel ports on the same vSwitch; splitting across two vSwitches breaks the binding mechanism.
- C (NVMe over TCP adapter): This is a different storage protocol entirely - the question specifies iSCSI.
- D (MRU): Most Recently Used sends all I/O down a single path until it fails, wasting the second path and hurting performance - the opposite of what's needed here.
- H (Unbound VMkernel ports): Unbound ports let ESX choose any uplink freely, which defeats multipathing - binding locks each port to a specific NIC to guarantee separate paths.
Memory tip: Use the phrase "One Switch, Two Bound Paths, Round Robin" - one vSwitch holds everything together, two bound VMkernel ports create the paths, and Round Robin squeezes out all the performance ALUA allows.
Topics
Community Discussion
No community discussion yet for this question.