The answer is vSAN Enterprise edition. This is the correct choice because it is the only vSAN edition that simultaneously supports stretched clusters, VM-level encryption at rest and in transit, and intelligent capacity management features like deduplication and compression, all of which are required by the scenario. On the VMware Certified Professional Data Center Virtualization VCP-DCV exam, this question tests your ability to map specific business requirements—such as high-latency links between sites and per-CPU licensing—to the correct vSAN edition, a common trap being that vSAN Advanced offers encryption and deduplication but lacks stretched cluster support, while vSAN Standard and Starter omit encryption entirely. To remember this, think of the acronym "E-S-E": Encryption, Stretched clusters, and Efficiency (deduplication/compression) all require the Enterprise edition.
VCP-DCV vSphere Architecture, Products and Solutions Practice Question
This VCP-DCV practice question tests your understanding of vsphere architecture, products and solutions. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. 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 rapidly growing company currently uses vSphere 7 Standard Edition across two data centers connected via a high-latency link. They plan to implement a vSAN stretched cluster to provide a unified storage solution and enable automatic failover between sites. The cluster must support VM-level encryption at rest and in transit, as well as intelligent capacity management with deduplication and compression. The budget is strictly allocated to a per-CPU licensing model. Which vSAN edition should the company select to meet all requirements while minimizing costs?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
vSAN Enterprise
vSAN Enterprise edition is required to support stretched clusters, encryption, and intelligent capacity management features such as deduplication/compression. vSAN Advanced supports deduplication/compression and encryption but not stretched clusters. vSAN Standard lacks both stretched clusters and encryption. vSAN Starter is intended for small deployments and does not support any of these advanced features. Therefore, vSAN Enterprise is the correct choice.
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.
✓
vSAN Enterprise
Why this is correct
vSAN Enterprise includes all required features: stretched clusters, encryption, deduplication/compression, and intelligent capacity management.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
vSAN Starter
Why it's wrong here
vSAN Starter is limited to single-site configurations and lacks encryption and advanced storage features.
✗
vSAN Advanced
Why it's wrong here
vSAN Advanced supports deduplication/compression and encryption but does not support stretched clusters.
✗
vSAN Standard
Why it's wrong here
vSAN Standard does not support stretched clusters, encryption, or deduplication/compression.
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.
vSphere Architecture, Products and Solutions — This question tests vSphere Architecture, Products and Solutions — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: vSAN Enterprise — vSAN Enterprise edition is required to support stretched clusters, encryption, and intelligent capacity management features such as deduplication/compression. vSAN Advanced supports deduplication/compression and encryption but not stretched clusters. vSAN Standard lacks both stretched clusters and encryption. vSAN Starter is intended for small deployments and does not support any of these advanced features. Therefore, vSAN Enterprise is the correct choice.
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.
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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