The correct answer is to enable PFC on the switch for the FCoE VLAN. This is because FCoE requires lossless transport to prevent frame drops that would corrupt Fibre Channel frames, and Priority Flow Control (PFC), defined in IEEE 802.1Qbb, provides per-priority pause frames to guarantee no-drop treatment for a dedicated FCoE priority class. On the Cisco DCCOR 350-601 exam, this concept tests your understanding of converged networking and the specific configuration needed on Nexus 9000 switches with FEX modules to isolate FCoE traffic on dedicated VLANs. A common trap is assuming that enabling PFC globally or on all interfaces is sufficient, but the best practice is to apply it only to the FCoE VLAN to avoid impacting other traffic classes. Memory tip: think “PFC per VLAN for FCoE” — the VLAN is the boundary for lossless behavior, not the entire port.
350-601 Storage Network Practice Question
This 350-601 practice question tests your understanding of storage network. This is a configuration task: choose the command set that satisfies every stated requirement. Small differences — like 'secret' vs 'password' or 'transport input ssh' vs 'all' — change whether the answer is correct. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
A company is deploying FCoE in their data center. The design includes a Cisco Nexus 9000 switch with FEX modules. The storage team insists on using dedicated FCoE VLANs. Which best practice should be followed to ensure lossless behavior for FCoE traffic?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "best"
Why it matters: Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Enable PFC on the switch for the FCoE VLAN
Option D is correct because FCoE requires lossless transport to prevent frame drops that could corrupt Fibre Channel frames. Priority Flow Control (PFC), defined in IEEE 802.1Qbb, enables pause frames on a per-priority basis, allowing the FCoE VLAN to be configured with a dedicated priority class that receives no-drop treatment. On Cisco Nexus 9000 switches, this is achieved by enabling PFC on the specific VLAN used for FCoE traffic, ensuring lossless behavior without affecting other traffic classes.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
✗
Configure traffic shaping on FCoE interfaces
Why it's wrong here
Traffic shaping can introduce jitter and is not recommended for FCoE.
✗
Use the same VLAN for FCoE and IP traffic to reduce VLAN count
Why it's wrong here
FCoE should be on a dedicated VLAN to isolate lossless traffic.
✗
Disable flow control on all interfaces
Why it's wrong here
Flow control is needed for lossless operation.
✓
Enable PFC on the switch for the FCoE VLAN
Why this is correct
PFC provides lossless behavior for the CoS used by FCoE.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "best" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Cisco often tests the misconception that flow control (IEEE 802.3x) is sufficient for FCoE, but the trap here is that standard link-level flow control pauses all traffic on the link, whereas PFC provides granular per-priority lossless handling required for FCoE.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
PFC operates by assigning FCoE traffic to a specific CoS value (typically CoS 3) and enabling pause frames only for that priority, while other priorities remain lossy. On Nexus 9000, the command 'priority-flow-control mode on' is applied at the interface level, and 'priority-flow-control no-drop cos 3' maps the no-drop class to the FCoE VLAN. In a real-world scenario, if PFC is misconfigured or not enabled, a single congested link can cause FCoE Initialization Protocol (FIP) keepalive failures, leading to storage disconnects.
KKey Concepts to Remember
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
TExam Day Tips
→Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
→Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A help-desk technician troubleshoots why a newly connected PC cannot reach shared printers on the same floor. The cable is good, the switch port is active, but the PC is in VLAN 20 and the printers are in VLAN 10. The uplink trunk only allows VLAN 10. A trunk being up does not mean every VLAN crosses it.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Storage Network — This question tests Storage Network — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Enable PFC on the switch for the FCoE VLAN — Option D is correct because FCoE requires lossless transport to prevent frame drops that could corrupt Fibre Channel frames. Priority Flow Control (PFC), defined in IEEE 802.1Qbb, enables pause frames on a per-priority basis, allowing the FCoE VLAN to be configured with a dedicated priority class that receives no-drop treatment. On Cisco Nexus 9000 switches, this is achieved by enabling PFC on the specific VLAN used for FCoE traffic, ensuring lossless behavior without affecting other traffic classes.
What should I do if I get this 350-601 question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "best". Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Question Discussion
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