VCP-DCV vSphere Lifecycle Management Practice Question
An administrator attempts to export a vLCM image but gets an error: 'Export image operation is not supported for this image'. What could be the reason?
⚠ Common exam trap
VCP-DCV often tests whether candidates blame infrastructure-level causes (corruption, size, version) for an error that is actually caused by the content of the image itself — specifically a non-depot custom component.
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 image contains a custom component.
vLCM image export is only supported for images composed entirely of components available in the VMware depot (base image plus standard add-ons). When an image includes a custom component — for example, an OEM or third-party VIB added outside the standard depot — vCenter cannot serialize that image for export, so it returns 'Export image operation is not supported for this image'. Removing the custom component or rebuilding the image from depot-only components resolves the error.
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 vLCM database is corrupt.
Why it's wrong here
A corrupt vLCM database would produce general connectivity or inventory failures, not a targeted rejection of the export operation itself. This distractor is tempting because database corruption genuinely causes broad vLCM errors, and would be the right diagnosis if the image list failed to load or tasks stalled inconsistently rather than one specific operation being refused.
- ✓
The image contains a custom component.
Why this is correct
vLCM image export is blocked when the image includes a custom component, because such components cannot be represented in the exportable image specification. Removing the custom component or using a base image allows export to succeed.
- ✗
The image is too large.
Why it's wrong here
Image size does not trigger this vLCM export error; the restriction stems from the image's origin, such as a draft or imported image lacking a completed compliance check. Size limits are tempting because OVF exports can fail on oversized disks, but vLCM's "not supported for this image" message concerns image type, not capacity.
- ✗
The vCenter version does not support export.
Why it's wrong here
Export support depends on the image's source and type, not the vCenter version; images from certain sources cannot be exported. It is tempting because version compatibility often explains missing features, and it would be correct if the feature were absent from that vCenter release.
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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.