- A
Reduce the number of disk groups per host to 2, using larger SSDs for cache, to reduce cache contention.
Correct: With 8 disk groups per host, there are many SSDs competing; reducing groups alleviates cache contention and improves latency.
- B
Add two more hosts to the cluster and redistribute the disk groups.
Why wrong: Incorrect: Adding hosts may help capacity but does not directly address the cache contention issue on existing hosts.
- C
Change the storage policy to PFTT=2 and Failure Tolerance Method=RAID-5/6 to reduce the number of replicas.
Why wrong: Incorrect: RAID-5/6 with PFTT=2 would require more components and add CPU overhead, likely increasing latency.
- D
Enable deduplication and compression on the vSAN datastore to reduce capacity usage and I/O.
Why wrong: Incorrect: Deduplication and compression increase CPU usage and can increase latency, not reduce it.
VCP-DCV Configure and Manage vSphere Storage Practice Question
This VCP-DCV practice question tests your understanding of configure and manage vsphere storage. 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.
A financial services company has a vSAN cluster composed of 4 hosts, each with 8 disk groups (1 SSD cache and 6 HDD capacity per group). The cluster runs a mix of VMs, including a critical trading application VM that requires low latency. The administrator notices that the trading VM experiences intermittent performance degradation during market hours. vSAN performance monitoring shows high I/O latency for the VM's objects. The storage policy for this VM is set to RAID-1 (Mirroring) with Primary Failures to Tolerate (PFTT)=1 and Object Space Reservation=100%. The cluster has a disk capacity of 80% used. The administrator also observes that the vSAN cluster is configured with a single fault domain. Which action should the administrator take to improve the trading VM's performance?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue:
"primary"Why it matters: Asks for the main purpose or function, not a secondary benefit. Eliminate answers that describe side-effects or partial functions.
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
Reduce the number of disk groups per host to 2, using larger SSDs for cache, to reduce cache contention.
Creating multiple fault domains allows vSAN to place replicas across different failure domains, improving availability and potentially reducing contention. However, the performance issue is likely due to resource contention. The best action is to reduce the number of disk groups per host to lower the number of devices competing for cache. Option A is incorrect because increasing PFTT to 2 would require more resources and increase overhead, worsening performance. Option C is incorrect because adding more hosts without reducing disk groups may not help if the bottleneck is cache contention. Option D is incorrect because deduplication and compression add CPU overhead and may increase latency, not reduce it.
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.
- ✓
Reduce the number of disk groups per host to 2, using larger SSDs for cache, to reduce cache contention.
Why this is correct
Correct: With 8 disk groups per host, there are many SSDs competing; reducing groups alleviates cache contention and improves latency.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "primary" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Add two more hosts to the cluster and redistribute the disk groups.
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect: Adding hosts may help capacity but does not directly address the cache contention issue on existing hosts.
- ✗
Change the storage policy to PFTT=2 and Failure Tolerance Method=RAID-5/6 to reduce the number of replicas.
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect: RAID-5/6 with PFTT=2 would require more components and add CPU overhead, likely increasing latency.
- ✗
Enable deduplication and compression on the vSAN datastore to reduce capacity usage and I/O.
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect: Deduplication and compression increase CPU usage and can increase latency, not reduce it.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Many certification questions include familiar terms but test a specific constraint. Read the exact wording before choosing an answer that is generally true but wrong for this case.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
This question should be treated as a scenario, not a definition check. Identify the problem, the constraint and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.
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.
- Use explanations to understand the rule behind the answer.
TExam Day Tips
- Underline the problem statement mentally.
- 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 practitioner preparing for the VCP-DCV 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
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which VCP-DCV exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
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Configure and Manage vSphere Storage — study guide chapter
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this VCP-DCV question test?
Configure and Manage vSphere Storage — This question tests Configure and Manage vSphere Storage — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Reduce the number of disk groups per host to 2, using larger SSDs for cache, to reduce cache contention. — Creating multiple fault domains allows vSAN to place replicas across different failure domains, improving availability and potentially reducing contention. However, the performance issue is likely due to resource contention. The best action is to reduce the number of disk groups per host to lower the number of devices competing for cache. Option A is incorrect because increasing PFTT to 2 would require more resources and increase overhead, worsening performance. Option C is incorrect because adding more hosts without reducing disk groups may not help if the bottleneck is cache contention. Option D is incorrect because deduplication and compression add CPU overhead and may increase latency, not reduce it.
What should I do if I get this VCP-DCV question wrong?
Identify which VCP-DCV exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "primary". Asks for the main purpose or function, not a secondary benefit. Eliminate answers that describe side-effects or partial functions.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
About these practice questions
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Last reviewed: Jun 24, 2026
This VCP-DCV practice question is part of Courseiva's free VMware 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 VCP-DCV exam.
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