A storage engineer is troubleshooting a Cisco MDS switch upgrade issue. What prevents the completion of a non-disruptive upgrade?

Question

Options

• AThe Fibre Channel host initiator is connected.
• BThe Fibre Channel storage target is connected.
• CThe Cisco Fabric Services operation in progress.
• DThe Fibre Channel and FCoE storage targets are connected.

• A
  9% (6)
• B
  72% (49)
• C
  16% (11)
• D
  3% (2)

Explanation

Option B is correct because a Fibre Channel storage target directly connected to the MDS switch being upgraded has no alternate path during the upgrade process - when the switch momentarily disrupts to complete the upgrade, that storage target becomes unreachable, making the upgrade inherently disruptive by definition.

Option A is wrong because host initiators (servers) typically use multipath I/O (MPIO), so they can reroute I/O through alternate fabric paths during the upgrade - their presence alone doesn't block the non-disruptive upgrade process.

Option C is wrong because an in-progress Cisco Fabric Services (CFS) operation pauses and delays the upgrade, but once the CFS operation finishes, the upgrade can resume and complete - it's a temporary hold, not a blocker.

Option D is wrong because it's a broader distractor combining FC and FCoE targets; while both types of directly connected storage targets would cause disruption, the question targets the most precise blocking condition, which is the directly connected FC storage target (B).

Memory tip: Think "Targets = Trouble." Storage targets have no alternate path, so they trap the upgrade. Initiators (hosts) can reroute; targets cannot.

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