Quick Answer
The answer is to check firmware compatibility between the Fabric Interconnect (FI) and the chassis, and to verify the physical cabling between the IOM and the FI. The initial UCS blade server discovery failure occurs because the IOM must establish a stable link with the FI via the chassis midplane; incompatible firmware versions can prevent the discovery protocol from negotiating properly, while faulty or incorrect cabling—such as mismatched transceivers or loose connections—will break the physical layer handshake. On the Cisco DCCOR 350-601 exam, this question tests your understanding of the UCS discovery sequence, where many candidates mistakenly jump to software configuration issues first. A common trap is overlooking that discovery happens before any management IP assignment, so hardware and firmware layers are the root cause. Remember the mnemonic “Cable then Code” to prioritize checking physical links before firmware versions.
This 350-601 practice question tests your understanding of compute. 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.
Which TWO troubleshooting steps should be taken when a UCS blade server fails to discover during the initial discovery process?
Verify the physical cabling between the IOM and fabric interconnect
Physical connectivity is essential
Immediately replace the blade server
Why wrong: Should verify connections first
Power cycle the chassis
Why wrong: Power cycling is not a first troubleshooting step
Reset the fabric interconnect to factory defaults
Why wrong: Drastic and unnecessary
Check firmware compatibility between FI and chassis
Firmware mismatch can prevent discovery
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Verify the physical cabling between the IOM and fabric interconnect
Option A is correct because the initial discovery process relies on the IOM (Fabric Interconnect) establishing a link to the blade server through the chassis midplane. If the physical cabling between the IOM and the fabric interconnect is faulty, loose, or using incorrect transceivers, the discovery will fail. Verifying this cabling is a fundamental first step in troubleshooting discovery failures.
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.
Verify the physical cabling between the IOM and fabric interconnect
Why this is correct
Physical connectivity is essential
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Immediately replace the blade server
Why it's wrong here
Should verify connections first
Power cycle the chassis
Why it's wrong here
Power cycling is not a first troubleshooting step
Reset the fabric interconnect to factory defaults
Why it's wrong here
Drastic and unnecessary
Check firmware compatibility between FI and chassis
Why this is correct
Firmware mismatch can prevent discovery
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Cisco often tests the misconception that a blade server discovery failure is always a hardware fault, leading candidates to choose 'replace the blade' or 'power cycle the chassis' instead of checking the physical and logical connectivity between the IOM and the FI.
Detailed technical explanation
During initial discovery, the UCS Manager uses the Fabric Interconnect's discovery protocol (based on Cisco's proprietary FCoE and Ethernet framing) to enumerate blade servers via the IOM. The IOM acts as a transparent bridge, forwarding discovery frames (e.g., VIF registration) between the FI and the blade's CIMC. A firmware mismatch between the FI and the chassis can cause the IOM to reject discovery frames, as the discovery process requires compatible versions of the UCS infrastructure firmware to negotiate management and data path parameters.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
A small business has 20 workstations on the 192.168.1.0/24 network and one public IP from its ISP. The router uses PAT (NAT overload) so all 20 devices share one public address using different source ports. NAT questions test whether you understand the four address terms and which direction each translation applies.
What to study next
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FAQ
Compute — This question tests Compute — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: Verify the physical cabling between the IOM and fabric interconnect — Option A is correct because the initial discovery process relies on the IOM (Fabric Interconnect) establishing a link to the blade server through the chassis midplane. If the physical cabling between the IOM and the fabric interconnect is faulty, loose, or using incorrect transceivers, the discovery will fail. Verifying this cabling is a fundamental first step in troubleshooting discovery failures.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 24, 2026
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.
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