NCP-AIO Administration Practice Question
An administrator is deploying NVIDIA AI Enterprise on a vSphere cluster with multiple ESXi hosts, each containing several NVIDIA A100 GPUs. They need to enable GPU sharing across multiple virtual machines to maximize utilization. Which vSphere feature should they configure?
⚠ Common exam trap
Test-takers frequently confuse GPU sharing with GPU passthrough, where DirectPath I/O gives exclusive access to one VM, not sharing.
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
✓
NVIDIA vGPU
NVIDIA vGPU is the vSphere feature that partitions a physical GPU into multiple virtual GPUs, allowing multiple VMs to share the same physical GPU. This maximizes GPU utilization and is designed for AI workloads. DirectPath I/O provides exclusive access, while DRS and SR-IOV do not enable GPU sharing.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
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vSphere DRS
Why it's wrong here
vSphere DRS balances VM workloads across hosts but does not enable GPU sharing within a host. It can help distribute VMs with GPU requirements, but it does not partition or share a physical GPU among VMs. Therefore, it does not address the requirement.
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SR-IOV
Why it's wrong here
SR-IOV is a network virtualization technology that allows sharing of network adapters, not GPUs. While some GPUs support SR-IOV, NVIDIA vGPU is the specific solution for GPU sharing in vSphere. SR-IOV alone does not provide GPU partitioning for AI workloads.
- ✓
NVIDIA vGPU
Why this is correct
NVIDIA vGPU allows a single physical GPU to be partitioned into multiple virtual GPUs, each assigned to a different VM. This enables sharing and maximizes utilization. It requires vSphere with NVIDIA vGPU software and compatible GPUs. This is the correct feature for GPU sharing in vSphere.
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DirectPath I/O
Why it's wrong here
DirectPath I/O passes through an entire physical GPU to a single VM, providing exclusive access but no sharing. It does not allow multiple VMs to share the same GPU. This would not maximize utilization across VMs, as each GPU can only serve one VM.
About these practice questions
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JA
Written and reviewed by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
Last reviewed September 2026 · checked against the official NVIDIA exam blueprint
This NCP-AIO practice question is part of Courseiva's free NVIDIA 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 NCP-AIO exam.