VCP-DCV vSphere Lifecycle Management Practice Question
A vSphere administrator is managing a vLCM cluster with a desired image that includes a custom partner add-on. During remediation, one host fails with the error: 'Failed to apply image. Cannot find VIB required by add-on.' The administrator verifies that the add-on is present in the image and that the host is compatible. What is the most likely cause of this error?
⚠ Common exam trap
The trap here is assuming that the add-on itself is self-contained and that any missing VIB error indicates a problem with the add-on rather than its dependencies.
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
✓
The custom add-on depends on a VIB that is not included in the desired image or is not available in the depot.
Custom add-ons often have dependencies on other VIBs. If those dependency VIBs are not included in the desired image or are not available in the depot used by vLCM, remediation will fail with an error about missing VIBs. The administrator must ensure all required VIBs are included in the image or available in the depot.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
The custom add-on is not signed by VMware and is therefore rejected during remediation.
Why it's wrong here
Unsigned add-ons are typically blocked at image creation or validation, not during remediation with a missing VIB error. If the add-on were rejected due to signing, the error would mention signature verification failure. The scenario states the add-on is present in the image, implying it passed initial checks. Thus, signing is not the issue here.
- ✗
The host's software depot is not synchronized with the vCenter Server depot, causing the VIB to be unavailable.
Why it's wrong here
vLCM uses the vCenter Server's depot or a configured offline depot for remediation, not a host-specific depot. Hosts do not maintain their own software depots. While depot synchronization issues can cause missing VIB errors, they would affect all hosts, not just one. Since only one host failed, a depot sync issue is unlikely. The error is specific to the add-on's dependency.
- ✗
The host's ESXi version is too new for the custom add-on to be installed.
Why it's wrong here
If the host's ESXi version were incompatible, the error would likely indicate an incompatibility rather than a missing VIB. vLCM validates compatibility before remediation, and the administrator confirmed the host is compatible. Therefore, version mismatch is not the cause. The error specifically points to a missing VIB required by the add-on, not a version issue.
- ✓
The custom add-on depends on a VIB that is not included in the desired image or is not available in the depot.
Why this is correct
Custom add-ons may have dependencies on other VIBs. If those dependency VIBs are not part of the desired image or are not present in the configured depot, vLCM cannot resolve them during remediation, resulting in the error. The administrator should verify the add-on's dependencies and ensure all required VIBs are included in the image or available in the depot.
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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 VMware exam blueprint
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.