350-601 Storage Network Practice Question
Which TWO of the following are characteristics of NPV (N-Port Virtualization) in a Cisco MDS fabric?
⚠ Common exam trap
Cisco often tests the misconception that NPV requires the edge switch to appear as a virtual host to the core, when in fact it is the hosts that appear as virtual N_Ports, not the switch itself.
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
✓
It enables multiple hosts to share the same physical uplink.
NPV (N-Port Virtualization) allows multiple hosts to share a single physical uplink from an NPV switch to a core NPIV-enabled switch. This is achieved by multiplexing multiple Fibre Channel N-Port IDs over the same physical link, reducing the number of domain IDs required in the fabric because the NPV switch does not participate in principal switch selection or domain ID distribution. The core switch sees each host as a separate virtual N_Port, but the NPV switch itself does not consume a domain ID.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
It enables multiple hosts to share the same physical uplink.
Why this is correct
NPIV allows multiple FLOGIs over a single NP port.
- ✓
It reduces the number of domain IDs required.
Why this is correct
Edge switches do not have their own domain ID; they use the core's domain.
- ✗
It allows the edge switch to appear as a virtual host to the core switch.
Why it's wrong here
The edge switch's NP port acts as a host, but the switch itself does not appear as a virtual host; it presents multiple virtual N ports.
- ✗
It requires FC-SP authentication.
Why it's wrong here
FC-SP is an optional security feature, not required for NPV.
- ✗
It is only supported on 8 Gbps or higher ports.
Why it's wrong here
NPV supports 1, 2, 4, 8, 16 Gbps and higher.
Go deeper
Related to this question
About these practice questions
One of 984 original 350-601 practice questions on Courseiva, each with a full explanation and wrong-answer analysis — not exam dumps or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This 350-601 practice question is part of Courseiva's free Cisco certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the 350-601 exam.