VCP-DCV vSphere Architecture, Products and Solutions Practice Question
An administrator needs to migrate a powered-on VM from one datastore to another without any downtime. Which vSphere feature should be used?
⚠ Common exam trap
VCP-DCV often tests the confusion between vMotion (compute/host migration) and Storage vMotion (datastore migration), so candidates pick vMotion when the requirement is specifically moving storage without downtime.
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
✓
Storage vMotion
Storage vMotion migrates a powered-on VM's virtual disks from one datastore to another with zero downtime, keeping the VM running throughout the copy. It is the correct feature when the requirement is datastore-level migration of a live VM.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Storage DRS
Why it's wrong here
Storage DRS balances datastore capacity and I/O across a datastore cluster automatically; it does not perform the requested one-off relocation of a powered-on VM. It is tempting because Storage DRS does trigger Storage vMotion migrations, which is correct for ongoing automated load balancing within a datastore cluster.
- ✓
Storage vMotion
Why this is correct
Storage vMotion relocates a VM's virtual disks between datastores while the VM remains powered on, using changed-block tracking to synchronise writes during the copy. This satisfies the no-downtime constraint, unlike cold migration, which requires the VM to be powered off first.
- ✗
vSphere Replication
Why it's wrong here
vSphere Replication asynchronously copies a VM to a remote site for disaster recovery; it does not relocate the source VM's files to another datastore. It is tempting because it moves VM data continuously, which is correct when providing recovery-point objectives for site-level failover.
- ✗
vSphere vMotion
Why it's wrong here
vMotion migrates a powered-on VM's compute state between hosts, not its files between datastores. Storage vMotion is the feature that relocates VM disks while the VM runs. vMotion would be correct for host maintenance or load balancing without downtime.
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Same concept, more angles
1 more way this is tested on VCP-DCV
These questions test the same concept from different angles. Work through them to make sure you can recognise it however the exam phrases it.
Variation 1. An administrator needs to migrate a running VM from one datastore to another without any downtime. Which vSphere feature allows this?
easy- A.Cross vCenter vMotion
- ✓ B.Storage vMotion
- C.Storage DRS
- D.vMotion
Why B: Storage vMotion is the vSphere feature specifically designed to migrate a running VM's virtual disks (files) from one datastore to another while the VM remains powered on and continues serving workloads. It leverages a mirroring mechanism that copies disk blocks to the destination datastore and performs a fast switchover, achieving zero downtime. This is distinct from compute vMotion, which moves the VM's execution state between ESXi hosts.
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.