350-601 Storage Network Practice Question
A data center uses a Cisco MDS 9710 director with multiple line cards. The storage network includes several host servers connected to the director via 16 Gbps FC connections. Recently, the engineering team deployed a new storage array that supports 32 Gbps FC. To take advantage of the higher speed, they upgraded the host HBAs to 32 Gbps. However, after the upgrade, some hosts are experiencing intermittent connection drops. The team notices that when a host disconnects, it takes approximately 30 seconds to reconnect. The link lights on the host and switch ports are green. The switch logs show 'VSAN 100: Port fc1/1 is down (link failure)' messages. No other errors are reported. The MDS line cards support 32 Gbps, and the ports are configured with the 'speed 32000' command. What is the most likely cause of the intermittent drops?
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Mismatched port speed configuration between host and switch
The most likely cause is a speed mismatch between the host HBA and the switch port. Although the switch port is set to 32 Gbps, the HBA might be set to auto-negotiate or default to 16 Gbps, causing instability. The 30-second reconnect time is typical of speed negotiation failures. Incompatible SFPs would cause persistent link failure, buffer credits cause throughput drops but not disconnects, and zoning would block connectivity.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Insufficient buffer credits on the host ports
Why it's wrong here
Insufficient buffer credits cause reduced throughput, not link drops.
- ✗
Incompatible SFP+ modules
Why it's wrong here
Incompatible SFPs would cause persistent link failure, not intermittent drops with green lights.
- ✗
Inconsistent zoning configuration
Why it's wrong here
Zoning issues would prevent access entirely, not cause intermittent drops.
- ✓
Mismatched port speed configuration between host and switch
Why this is correct
A mismatch (e.g., host at 16 Gbps, switch at 32 Gbps) can cause intermittent link drops.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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