- A
Upgrade the ESXi hosts to models with higher CPU clock speeds.
Faster CPUs improve per-core performance, reducing the impact of contention.
- B
Reduce the number of VMs running on each host.
Fewer VMs per host reduces overall CPU demand and contention.
- C
Ensure Hyper-Threading is enabled on all hosts.
Enabling Hyper-Threading doubles the number of logical CPUs, which can help reduce CPU ready time.
- D
Configure CPU affinity for VMs with high vCPU counts.
Why wrong: CPU affinity is not a best practice and can prevent DRS from balancing effectively.
- E
Increase the DRS migration threshold to the most aggressive setting.
Why wrong: An overly aggressive threshold can cause unnecessary migrations and instability.
Question 490 of 521
VCP-DCV vSphere Performance and Scaling Practice Question
This VCP-DCV practice question tests your understanding of vsphere performance and scaling. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. 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 cluster is experiencing high CPU ready time across multiple hosts during peak hours. The cluster consists of 8 hosts, each with 2 sockets and 8 cores per socket (hyperthreading enabled). DRS is set to a moderately aggressive migration threshold. The administrator needs to reduce CPU contention without disrupting workloads. Which three actions should the administrator consider? (Choose three.)
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
✓
Upgrade the ESXi hosts to models with higher CPU clock speeds.
Enabling hyperthreading increases logical CPUs and can reduce ready time. Reducing the number of VMs per host decreases overall demand. Upgrading to faster CPUs increases per-core capacity. Setting CPU affinity on VMs is not recommended as it limits DRS balancing. Increasing the DRS migration threshold to the most aggressive may cause excessive migrations and does not address the root cause. Adding vCPUs to VMs would worsen contention.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Upgrade the ESXi hosts to models with higher CPU clock speeds.
Why this is correct
Faster CPUs improve per-core performance, reducing the impact of contention.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✓
Reduce the number of VMs running on each host.
Why this is correct
Fewer VMs per host reduces overall CPU demand and contention.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✓
Ensure Hyper-Threading is enabled on all hosts.
Why this is correct
Enabling Hyper-Threading doubles the number of logical CPUs, which can help reduce CPU ready time.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Configure CPU affinity for VMs with high vCPU counts.
Why it's wrong here
CPU affinity is not a best practice and can prevent DRS from balancing effectively.
- ✗
Increase the DRS migration threshold to the most aggressive setting.
Why it's wrong here
An overly aggressive threshold can cause unnecessary migrations and instability.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Many certification questions include familiar terms but test a specific constraint. Read the exact wording before choosing an answer that is generally true but wrong for this case.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
This question should be treated as a scenario, not a definition check. Identify the problem, the constraint and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
- Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
- Use explanations to understand the rule behind the answer.
TExam Day Tips
- Underline the problem statement mentally.
- Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
- Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
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
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which VCP-DCV exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
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vSphere Performance and Scaling — study guide chapter
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this VCP-DCV question test?
vSphere Performance and Scaling — This question tests vSphere Performance and Scaling — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Upgrade the ESXi hosts to models with higher CPU clock speeds. — Enabling hyperthreading increases logical CPUs and can reduce ready time. Reducing the number of VMs per host decreases overall demand. Upgrading to faster CPUs increases per-core capacity. Setting CPU affinity on VMs is not recommended as it limits DRS balancing. Increasing the DRS migration threshold to the most aggressive may cause excessive migrations and does not address the root cause. Adding vCPUs to VMs would worsen contention.
What should I do if I get this VCP-DCV question wrong?
Identify which VCP-DCV exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 24, 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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