Quick Answer
The answer is to examine the fabric port error counts first in UCS Manager. This is correct because high CPU latency from an I/O bottleneck is often caused by physical-layer issues like CRC errors, alignment errors, or link flaps, which force retransmissions and backpressure that consume CPU cycles on the blade server. On the Cisco DCCOR 350-601 exam, this concept tests your ability to isolate root causes in the UCS I/O subsystem, steering you away from jumping to higher-layer metrics like interface utilization or buffer drops. A common trap is to blame the server’s vNIC or adapter policy, but fabric port errors reveal cabling or transceiver faults upstream. Memory tip: think “PHY before FIFO”—always check physical-layer errors on the fabric port before examining queue depths or CPU utilization counters.
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.
A UCS B-Series blade server shows high CPU latency when processing network I/O. The engineer suspects a bottleneck in the I/O subsystem. Which metric in UCS Manager should be examined first?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "first"
Why it matters: Order matters here. You are being tested on which action comes before the others — not which action is generally useful.
vNIC utilization percentage
Why wrong: Utilization shows load but not latency
Fabric port error counts
Errors cause retransmissions and latency
Memory usage statistics
Why wrong: Memory is not directly I/O related
Power consumption per server
Why wrong: Power consumption is not a performance metric
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Fabric port error counts
Fabric port error counts directly reflect physical-layer issues (e.g., CRC errors, alignment errors, link flaps) that cause retransmissions and backpressure, leading to high CPU latency on the blade server. In UCS Manager, these counters are the first place to check when suspecting an I/O subsystem bottleneck because they pinpoint problems in the fabric interconnect or cabling before examining higher-layer metrics.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
vNIC utilization percentage
Why it's wrong here
Utilization shows load but not latency
Fabric port error counts
Why this is correct
Errors cause retransmissions and latency
Clue confirmation
The clue word "first" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Memory usage statistics
Why it's wrong here
Memory is not directly I/O related
Power consumption per server
Why it's wrong here
Power consumption is not a performance metric
Common exam traps
Cisco often tests the distinction between utilization metrics (which show load) and error metrics (which show health), so candidates mistakenly pick vNIC utilization thinking high usage equals a bottleneck, when the real issue is physical-layer errors causing retransmissions.
Trap categories for this question
Command / output trap
Utilization shows load but not latency
Detailed technical explanation
Under the hood, UCS fabric ports use cut-through switching; any CRC or alignment error forces the port to request retransmission at the link layer, which stalls the pipeline and increases CPU interrupt overhead on the B-Series blade. In a real-world scenario, a faulty SFP+ or damaged fiber cable can cause hundreds of CRC errors per second, which would not be visible in vNIC utilization but would immediately spike CPU latency.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
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
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Compute — study guide chapter
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Compute practice questions
Targeted practice on this topic area only
All 350-601 questions
500 questions across all exam domains
Cisco DCCOR / CCNP Data Center Core 350-601 study guide
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350-601 practice test guide
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FAQ
Compute — This question tests Compute — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: Fabric port error counts — Fabric port error counts directly reflect physical-layer issues (e.g., CRC errors, alignment errors, link flaps) that cause retransmissions and backpressure, leading to high CPU latency on the blade server. In UCS Manager, these counters are the first place to check when suspecting an I/O subsystem bottleneck because they pinpoint problems in the fabric interconnect or cabling before examining higher-layer metrics.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Yes — watch for: "first". Order matters here. You are being tested on which action comes before the others — not which action is generally useful.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 24, 2026
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