The answer is a minimum of 3 ESXi hosts in the cluster. This requirement exists because vSAN uses a distributed storage architecture where each host contributes local disks to a shared datastore, and a three-host minimum ensures that the cluster can maintain quorum and data availability during a single host failure. For the VMware Certified Professional Data Center Virtualization VCP-DCV exam, this is a foundational concept tested in the vSAN planning domain, often appearing as a straightforward multiple-choice question where distractors include two hosts or four hosts. A common trap is assuming two hosts suffice for a two-node cluster, but that configuration requires a separate witness host, making three the true minimum for a standard cluster. Memory tip: think of the "Rule of Three" for vSAN—three hosts, three fault domains, and three disk groups per host for maximum resilience.
VCP-DCV Configure and Manage vSphere Storage Practice Question
This VCP-DCV practice question tests your understanding of configure and manage vsphere storage. 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.
A vSphere administrator is planning to configure VMware vSAN. Which TWO requirements must be met for a vSAN cluster?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Each host must have at least one SSD and one HDD for capacity.
Option C is correct because vSAN requires at least one SSD (or NVMe) for the cache tier and one HDD (or SSD) for the capacity tier on each host to form a disk group. This hybrid or all-flash configuration is fundamental to vSAN's storage architecture, where the cache tier accelerates writes and reads, while the capacity tier provides persistent storage.
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.
✗
A dedicated 10 GbE network for vSAN traffic.
Why it's wrong here
While recommended, 1 GbE can be used for vSAN.
✗
All hosts must have identical CPU models.
Why it's wrong here
vSAN does not require identical CPUs.
✓
Each host must have at least one SSD and one HDD for capacity.
Why this is correct
vSAN uses SSD for caching and HDD for capacity.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✓
A minimum of 3 ESXi hosts in the cluster.
Why this is correct
Standard vSAN requires at least 3 hosts.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
A shared storage array accessible by all hosts.
Why it's wrong here
vSAN uses local disks, not shared storage.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse vSAN's minimum requirement of 3 hosts with the common misconception that vSAN can run with 2 hosts (which requires a witness host for quorum), or they mistakenly think a dedicated 10 GbE network is mandatory, when vSAN can function on 1 GbE with proper configuration.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
vSAN uses a distributed object-based storage system where each host contributes local disks to a shared datastore. The cache tier (SSD) handles write buffering and read caching, while the capacity tier (HDD or SSD) stores data persistently; in all-flash configurations, both tiers use SSDs but with different endurance and performance characteristics. The minimum cluster size of 3 hosts ensures that vSAN can tolerate a single host failure while maintaining data availability through replication (RAID-1 mirroring) or erasure coding.
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 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 exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
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: Each host must have at least one SSD and one HDD for capacity. — Option C is correct because vSAN requires at least one SSD (or NVMe) for the cache tier and one HDD (or SSD) for the capacity tier on each host to form a disk group. This hybrid or all-flash configuration is fundamental to vSAN's storage architecture, where the cache tier accelerates writes and reads, while the capacity tier provides persistent storage.
What should I do if I get this VCP-DCV 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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