The correct action is to replace the failed power supply while the blade remains powered on, as UCS B-Series blades rely on a shared chassis power infrastructure with N+1 redundancy. This design allows any single power supply to be hot-swapped without disrupting service, because the remaining power supplies in the chassis automatically assume the load and continue providing uninterrupted power to all blades. On the Cisco DCCOR / CCNP Data Center Core 350-601 exam, this concept tests your understanding of UCS chassis power management and concurrent maintenance capabilities—a common trap is assuming you must shut down the blade or isolate it from the fabric interconnect before swapping the supply. Remember the memory tip: “Hot-swap the PSU, not the blade—redundancy does the work.”
350-601 Compute Practice Question
This 350-601 practice question tests your understanding of compute. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. 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.
Exhibit
<pre>
UCS-B-230-M4# show server environment
Server Temperature: 42 C
CPU1 Temperature: 65 C
CPU2 Temperature: 68 C
Ambient Temperature: 25 C
Fan Speed: 8000 RPM
Power Supply 1: 450 W, Status: OK
Power Supply 2: 450 W, Status: Failed
</pre>
Refer to the exhibit. A UCS B-Series blade shows a failed power supply. The blade is currently running. Which action should the engineer take to replace the power supply without causing service disruption?
<pre>
UCS-B-230-M4# show server environment
Server Temperature: 42 C
CPU1 Temperature: 65 C
CPU2 Temperature: 68 C
Ambient Temperature: 25 C
Fan Speed: 8000 RPM
Power Supply 1: 450 W, Status: OK
Power Supply 2: 450 W, Status: Failed
</pre>
A
Replace the power supply only after the blade is isolated from the fabric.
Why wrong: Not required; blade can stay active.
B
Replace the failed power supply in the chassis without affecting the blade.
Why wrong: Power supplies are per blade, not per chassis.
C
Shut down the blade, replace the power supply, then power on.
Why wrong: Unnecessary disruption.
D
Replace the failed power supply while the blade remains powered on.
The blade has redundant power supplies; hot-swap is supported.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Replace the failed power supply while the blade remains powered on.
Option D is correct because UCS B-Series blades use a shared chassis power infrastructure with N+1 redundancy. The failed power supply can be hot-swapped while the blade remains powered on, as the remaining power supplies in the chassis will continue to provide power without interruption. No blade isolation or shutdown is required, as the chassis power subsystem is designed for concurrent maintenance.
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.
✗
Replace the power supply only after the blade is isolated from the fabric.
Why it's wrong here
Not required; blade can stay active.
✗
Replace the failed power supply in the chassis without affecting the blade.
Why it's wrong here
Power supplies are per blade, not per chassis.
✗
Shut down the blade, replace the power supply, then power on.
Why it's wrong here
Unnecessary disruption.
✓
Replace the failed power supply while the blade remains powered on.
Why this is correct
The blade has redundant power supplies; hot-swap is supported.
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 a blade must be shut down or isolated before replacing a chassis-level component, but the key is understanding that UCS chassis power supplies are hot-swappable and redundant, so no blade-level action is needed.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
In a UCS 5108 chassis, power supplies are installed in a redundant configuration (N+1 or N+N). When one PSU fails, the chassis power budget is recalculated, and the remaining PSUs handle the load. The blade's power is drawn from the chassis backplane, not directly from a single PSU, so replacing a failed PSU is a simple hot-swap event. The UCS Manager will generate a syslog alert but no service disruption occurs as long as the total power draw stays within the remaining capacity.
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 practitioner preparing for the 350-601 exam encounters this exact type of scenario on the job. The correct answer here is not the most general option — it is the best answer for the specific constraint described. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Real exam questions reward reading the full scenario before eliminating options, because the constraint defines which answer fits.
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.
Compute — This question tests Compute — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Replace the failed power supply while the blade remains powered on. — Option D is correct because UCS B-Series blades use a shared chassis power infrastructure with N+1 redundancy. The failed power supply can be hot-swapped while the blade remains powered on, as the remaining power supplies in the chassis will continue to provide power without interruption. No blade isolation or shutdown is required, as the chassis power subsystem is designed for concurrent maintenance.
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.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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