What occurs that causes a Split Brain Issue with Fabric Interconnects?

Question

Options

• AThe subordinate Fabric Interconnect detects heartbeat failure and declares itself primary
• BManage configuration changes made with UCS Manager
• CA quorum tie occurs that must be resolved by the SEEPROM
• DBoth cluster links fail

• A
  78% (28)
• B
  3% (1)
• C
  8% (3)
• D
  11% (4)

Explanation

Option A is correct because a Split Brain scenario occurs when the subordinate Fabric Interconnect stops receiving heartbeats from the primary and incorrectly concludes the primary has failed - so it promotes itself to primary. You now have two nodes both acting as primary simultaneously, which creates conflicting control-plane authority over the cluster.

Why the distractors are wrong:

• B is a normal operational function of UCS Manager, not a failure condition - configuration changes are a managed, expected activity.
• C is partially related to cluster arbitration concepts, but a quorum tie resolved by SEEPROM describes a different mechanism (SEEPROM stores cluster ownership data); it's not what causes split brain.
• D is the triggering condition for a loss of cluster communication, but split brain specifically requires the subordinate to act on that failure by self-promoting - losing both links alone doesn't define split brain unless the subordinate declares itself primary as a result.

Memory tip: Think of "split brain" literally - one brain (cluster) becomes two independent decision-makers. The key word in the answer is declares itself primary: split brain = two primaries, and that only happens when the subordinate acts unilaterally after missing heartbeats.

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