VCP-DCV vSphere Architecture, Products and Solutions Practice Question
An administrator notices that a VM with a critical application is experiencing intermittent network connectivity. The VM is configured with an E1000 vNIC. The ESXi host has been upgraded from 6.5 to 7.0. What is the most likely cause?
⚠ Common exam trap
Watch out — candidates often assume the E1000 vNIC is completely unsupported in ESXi 7.0, when in fact it is deprecated but still functional, and the real issue is the VM hardware version not being updated to match the host's capabilities.
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 VM hardware version needs to be upgraded to version 15.
The E1000 vNIC is a legacy emulated device that relies on the VM's hardware version for proper compatibility with newer ESXi releases. Upgrading the VM hardware version to version 15 (or later) ensures that the virtual hardware is aligned with ESXi 7.0's supported features and drivers, resolving intermittent network connectivity caused by outdated emulation.
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 VM hardware version needs to be upgraded to version 15.
Why this is correct
Correct: Upgrading virtual hardware resolves compatibility issues.
- ✗
The VM needs to be powered off and back on to reset the vNIC.
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect: Power cycle is not a permanent fix.
- ✗
The E1000 vNIC is not supported in ESXi 7.0; VMXNET3 must be used.
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect: E1000 is supported; VMXNET3 is recommended but not required.
- ✗
The E1000 driver is incompatible with ESXi 7.0.
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect: E1000 is still supported in ESXi 7.0.
Visual reference
Go deeper
Related to this question
About these practice questions
Courseiva writes every VCP-DCV question from scratch — 498 in total, each with an explanation and a wrong-answer breakdown. None are copied from real exams or dumps. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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.