The best practice for NPV mode high availability is to dual-home each NPV switch to two separate core switches for redundancy. This configuration ensures that if one core MDS 9710 director fails, the NPV switch can continue forwarding traffic through the other core director, maintaining uninterrupted host-to-storage connectivity. In NPV mode, the switch operates as a transparent passthrough, relying entirely on the core fabric for routing decisions, so connecting to two separate core directors provides path-level fault tolerance without requiring the NPV switch to run full Fibre Channel routing protocols. On the Cisco DCCOR 350-601 exam, this concept tests your understanding of SAN high-availability design, often appearing in scenario-based questions where you must choose between single-homing, dual-homing, or fabric-binding approaches. A common trap is assuming NPV switches need to run FSPF or be part of a VSAN, but they do not—they simply proxy logins to the core. Memory tip: think of NPV as a “pass-through proxy” that needs two uplinks to two different core directors, just like a host needs two HBAs to two separate fabrics.
350-601 Storage Network Practice Question
This 350-601 practice question tests your understanding of storage network. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. 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 data center engineer is designing a Fibre Channel SAN for high availability. The design includes two MDS 9710 directors connected to multiple storage arrays. Which best practice should be followed when configuring NPV mode on the switches connecting the hosts?
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
✓
Dual-home each NPV switch to two separate core switches for redundancy
Option D is correct because dual-homing each NPV switch to two separate core switches ensures that if one core switch fails, the NPV switch can still forward traffic through the other core switch. In NPV mode, the switch acts as a passthrough, and connecting to two separate core directors provides path redundancy without requiring the NPV switch to perform full Fibre Channel routing. This design aligns with high-availability best practices for Fibre Channel SANs.
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.
✗
Enable VSAN interop on the NPV switch to support multiple storage arrays
Why it's wrong here
VSAN interop is for multi-vendor fabrics, not NPV best practice.
✗
Connect each NPV switch to a single core switch for simplicity
Why it's wrong here
Single-homing creates a single point of failure.
✗
Use FC trunking between NPV and core switches to increase bandwidth
Why it's wrong here
Trunking is for ISL, not specifically for NPV.
✓
Dual-home each NPV switch to two separate core switches for redundancy
Why this is correct
Dual-homing ensures high availability.
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 FC trunking alone provides redundancy, but trunking only increases bandwidth and link aggregation, not failover independence; dual-homing to separate core switches is required for true high availability.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
In NPV mode, the switch does not participate in fabric services such as domain ID assignment or FSPF routing; it relies entirely on the core switch for these functions. Dual-homing requires the NPV switch to have two uplinks to different core switches, each in the same VSAN, and the NPV switch will load-balance traffic across these uplinks using source-destination FC-ID hashing. In a real-world scenario, if a core switch undergoes a software upgrade, the NPV switch can continue forwarding traffic through the other core switch without disruption.
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: Dual-home each NPV switch to two separate core switches for redundancy — Option D is correct because dual-homing each NPV switch to two separate core switches ensures that if one core switch fails, the NPV switch can still forward traffic through the other core switch. In NPV mode, the switch acts as a passthrough, and connecting to two separate core directors provides path redundancy without requiring the NPV switch to perform full Fibre Channel routing. This design aligns with high-availability best practices for Fibre Channel SANs.
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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