This VCP-DCV practice question tests your understanding of vsphere security. 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 vSphere environment uses Active Directory for authentication. The administrator notices that users from a specific AD group cannot log in to the vCenter Server, although other AD users can. The group is added to vCenter Server with the correct permissions. What is the most likely cause?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "most likely"
Why it matters: Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
The users are not members of the vCenter Single Sign-On domain
Why wrong: SSO domain is for local users.
The user accounts have expired passwords
Why wrong: Would affect individual users, not entire group.
The group is nested within another group
Why wrong: Nesting is usually supported.
The domain of the group is not configured as an identity source in vCenter Single Sign-On
Without the identity source, authentication fails.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
The domain of the group is not configured as an identity source in vCenter Single Sign-On
The most likely cause is that the domain of the group is not configured as an identity source in vCenter Single Sign-On. Even if the group is added with correct permissions in vCenter Server, vCenter SSO must be able to authenticate users against the domain. Without the domain listed as an identity source, vCenter cannot validate the credentials of users from that group, causing authentication failures for all users in that domain.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
The users are not members of the vCenter Single Sign-On domain
Why it's wrong here
SSO domain is for local users.
The user accounts have expired passwords
Why it's wrong here
Would affect individual users, not entire group.
The group is nested within another group
Why it's wrong here
Nesting is usually supported.
The domain of the group is not configured as an identity source in vCenter Single Sign-On
Why this is correct
Without the identity source, authentication fails.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "most likely" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
The trap here is that candidates often assume that adding a group to vCenter permissions is sufficient for authentication, overlooking the prerequisite that the group's domain must first be registered as an identity source in vCenter Single Sign-On.
Detailed technical explanation
vCenter Single Sign-On uses identity sources to authenticate users from external directories like Active Directory. When a domain is not configured as an identity source, vCenter SSO cannot perform LDAP binds or Kerberos authentication against that domain, even if the group object exists in vCenter permissions. In real-world scenarios, administrators often forget to add the domain as an identity source after migrating or restructuring AD domains, leading to authentication failures for entire groups despite correct permission assignments.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
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
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FAQ
vSphere Security — This question tests vSphere Security — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: The domain of the group is not configured as an identity source in vCenter Single Sign-On — The most likely cause is that the domain of the group is not configured as an identity source in vCenter Single Sign-On. Even if the group is added with correct permissions in vCenter Server, vCenter SSO must be able to authenticate users against the domain. Without the domain listed as an identity source, vCenter cannot validate the credentials of users from that group, causing authentication failures for all users in that domain.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Yes — watch for: "most likely". Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 11, 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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