VCP-DCV vSphere Security Practice Question
An administrator wants to configure the ESXi host firewall to allow connections only from a specific management subnet. How can this be achieved?
⚠ Common exam trap
The trap is thinking that vSphere HA, DCUI, or a blanket firewall enablement can restrict management access by subnet; only the per-ruleset allowed IP list in the ESXi firewall does this.
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
✓
Use the ESXi firewall settings to define allowed IP addresses for the required services.
ESXi's built-in firewall allows you to restrict each service (e.g., SSH, vSphere Client, vMotion) to specific IP addresses or subnets via the 'Allowed IP addresses' list in the firewall ruleset. By editing the ruleset for the management services and specifying the management subnet, you limit connections to only those sources.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Enable vSphere HA and set it to control management traffic.
Why it's wrong here
vSphere HA provides host-level restart of virtual machines after failures; it has no role in filtering management traffic by subnet. It is tempting because HA is configured on clusters and sounds like access control, but firewall rule sets with permitted IP ranges are what restrict source addresses.
- ✓
Use the ESXi firewall settings to define allowed IP addresses for the required services.
Why this is correct
Defining allowed IP addresses per service in the ESXi firewall directly enforces the management-subnet restriction, since each rule's allowedIP list filters inbound traffic at the host level. This satisfies the stem's requirement to permit connections only from that subnet, without relying on external network controls.
- ✗
Configure the DCUI to restrict management access.
Why it's wrong here
The DCUI controls local console access and lockdown mode, not firewall rules; it cannot filter traffic by source subnet. It is tempting because DCUI settings govern who may reach the host for management, but restricting a specific subnet requires firewall rule sets with allowed IP addresses.
- ✗
Set the firewall to enabled and allow all incoming connections.
Why it's wrong here
Enabling the firewall while allowing all incoming connections applies no source restriction, so any subnet can still reach the host. It is tempting because enabling the firewall appears to secure management access, but the requirement demands allowed-IP lists per rule set, not blanket permission.
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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.