The correct answer is that VDCs enable partitioning of a single physical switch into multiple logical switches, each with its own separate management plane. This is because a Virtual Device Context creates an isolated administrative domain within the Nexus chassis, allowing you to assign dedicated management interfaces like mgmt0 per VDC, along with independent admin credentials and routing tables. On the ENCOR 350-401 exam, this concept tests your understanding of network virtualization and multi-tenancy at the data center switching layer. A common trap is confusing VDCs with VLANs or VRFs—remember that VDCs virtualize the entire switch control plane, not just Layer 2 or Layer 3 forwarding. The exam often presents a scenario where you need to isolate management access for different tenants on a single Nexus 7000 or 9000 series switch. Memory tip: think of VDCs as "virtual chassis" where each VDC has its own admin, its own mgmt0, and its own configuration file—completely separate from its neighbors.
350-401 Virtualization Practice Question
This 350-401 practice question tests your understanding of virtualization. This is a configuration task: choose the command set that satisfies every stated requirement. Small differences — like 'secret' vs 'password' or 'transport input ssh' vs 'all' — change whether the answer is correct. 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 statements correctly describe characteristics of virtual device contexts (VDCs) in Cisco Nexus switches?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Each VDC can have its own admin account and separate management interface.
Option C is correct because each VDC in a Cisco Nexus switch can be configured with its own administrative credentials and a dedicated management interface (e.g., mgmt0). This allows separate administrative domains and management access per VDC, which is a key feature for multi-tenant environments.
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.
✗
VDCs allow overlapping VLAN IDs across different VDCs only if using different VNIs.
Why it's wrong here
VLANIDs are local per VDC and do not require VNI mapping.
✗
VDCs provide Layer 3 routing isolation by default across all VDCs.
Each VDC can have its own admin account and separate management interface.
Why this is correct
Correct: VDCs provide administrative and management isolation.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
VDCs are supported on all Cisco IOS-XE switches.
Why it's wrong here
VDCs are specific to Nexus switches.
✓
VDCs enable partitioning of a single physical switch into multiple logical switches.
Why this is correct
Correct: VDCs create logical switches from a single physical chassis.
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 VDCs automatically provide Layer 3 routing isolation, but in reality, routing isolation requires explicit VRF configuration per VDC.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, a VDC is a logical partition of the switch hardware resources (e.g., TCAM, buffers, interfaces) and software processes (e.g., control plane, management plane). Each VDC runs its own instance of the NX-OS control plane, including separate routing protocols and STP instances, which provides fault isolation. In real-world deployments, VDCs are commonly used to consolidate multiple tenant environments onto a single Nexus 7000 or 9000 chassis while maintaining strict administrative and traffic separation.
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 help-desk technician troubleshoots why a newly connected PC cannot reach shared printers on the same floor. The cable is good, the switch port is active, but the PC is in VLAN 20 and the printers are in VLAN 10. The uplink trunk only allows VLAN 10. A trunk being up does not mean every VLAN crosses it.
Related glossary terms
Concepts from this question explained
These glossary pages explain the core terms tested in this 350-401 question in full detail.
Virtualization — This question tests Virtualization — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Each VDC can have its own admin account and separate management interface. — Option C is correct because each VDC in a Cisco Nexus switch can be configured with its own administrative credentials and a dedicated management interface (e.g., mgmt0). This allows separate administrative domains and management access per VDC, which is a key feature for multi-tenant environments.
What should I do if I get this 350-401 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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Question Discussion
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