Question 379 of 521

Configure and Manage vSphere Networking →hardMultiple ChoiceObjective-mapped

LACP on vDS for MLAG

This VCP-DCV practice question tests your understanding of configure and manage vsphere networking. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. 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 company operates a three-node vSphere cluster for a critical application. Each ESXi host has two 10GbE physical NICs (vmnic0 and vmnic1) connected to two separate physical switches (Switch A and Switch B) for redundancy. The cluster uses a vSphere Distributed Switch (vDS) with two uplinks per host: uplink1 (vmnic0) connected to Switch A, and uplink2 (vmnic1) connected to Switch B. The teaming policy is set to 'Route based on originating virtual port' with both uplinks active. The physical switches are configured in a multi-chassis link aggregation group (MLAG) that bundles the ports from both switches into a single LAG interface. The LAG is configured with mode 'active' (802.3ad). Recently, the cluster experienced a network outage when one of the physical switch uplinks failed. The VMs on the affected host lost connectivity for several seconds before recovering. The administrator wants to prevent such outages in the future. Which action should the administrator take?

A
Disable LACP on the physical switches and configure the vDS with 'Route based on originating virtual port' only.
Why wrong: Disabling LACP would remove the MLAG benefits.
B
Add a third physical NIC to each host and configure it as a standby uplink.
Why wrong: Does not address the root cause.
C
Change the vDS teaming policy to 'Use explicit failover order' with vmnic0 active and vmnic1 standby.
Why wrong: Would not leverage the MLAG.
D
Configure the vDS with LACP support and set the teaming policy to 'Route based on IP hash'.
This aligns the vDS with the physical LAG.

Full breakdown with real-world context →

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

✓

Configure the vDS with LACP support and set the teaming policy to 'Route based on IP hash'.

Option D is correct because the current configuration uses a static LAG (MLAG) on the physical switches with 802.3ad active mode, but the vDS is not configured for LACP. This mismatch causes the vDS to send frames based on originating virtual port, which does not coordinate with the physical LAG's hashing algorithm. When a physical uplink fails, the MLAG may not properly redistribute traffic because the vDS is unaware of the LAG state, leading to connectivity loss. Configuring the vDS with LACP support and setting the teaming policy to 'Route based on IP hash' aligns the virtual and physical LAG configurations, ensuring proper load balancing and failover behavior.

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.

✗
Disable LACP on the physical switches and configure the vDS with 'Route based on originating virtual port' only.
Why it's wrong here
Disabling LACP would remove the MLAG benefits.
✗
Add a third physical NIC to each host and configure it as a standby uplink.
Why it's wrong here
Does not address the root cause.
✗
Change the vDS teaming policy to 'Use explicit failover order' with vmnic0 active and vmnic1 standby.
Why it's wrong here
Would not leverage the MLAG.
✓
Configure the vDS with LACP support and set the teaming policy to 'Route based on IP hash'.
Why this is correct
This aligns the vDS with the physical LAG.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.

Common exam traps

Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword

The trap here is that candidates assume 'Route based on originating virtual port' with two active uplinks provides adequate failover, but they overlook the critical requirement for LACP coordination when the physical switches are configured with an active-mode LAG (802.3ad), leading to a mismatch that causes delayed failover.

Detailed technical explanation

How to think about this question

When using a static LAG (MLAG) with 802.3ad active mode, the physical switches expect LACP PDUs from the endpoints to negotiate the aggregation. Without LACP configured on the vDS, the vDS sends frames using its own hashing algorithm (e.g., originating virtual port), which may not distribute traffic evenly across the LAG members. During a link failure, the MLAG relies on LACP to update the port channel membership; without LACP, the vDS may continue sending traffic to the failed uplink until a timeout occurs (typically 3-5 seconds), causing the observed outage. Configuring LACP on the vDS with 'Route based on IP hash' ensures that both sides use the same hashing algorithm and that failover is immediate via LACP fast timeout (1 second).

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.

TExam Day Tips

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 exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.

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FAQ

Questions learners often ask

What does this VCP-DCV question test?

Configure and Manage vSphere Networking — This question tests Configure and Manage vSphere Networking — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..

What is the correct answer to this question?

The correct answer is: Configure the vDS with LACP support and set the teaming policy to 'Route based on IP hash'. — Option D is correct because the current configuration uses a static LAG (MLAG) on the physical switches with 802.3ad active mode, but the vDS is not configured for LACP. This mismatch causes the vDS to send frames based on originating virtual port, which does not coordinate with the physical LAG's hashing algorithm. When a physical uplink fails, the MLAG may not properly redistribute traffic because the vDS is unaware of the LAG state, leading to connectivity loss. Configuring the vDS with LACP support and setting the teaming policy to 'Route based on IP hash' aligns the virtual and physical LAG configurations, ensuring proper load balancing and failover behavior.

What should I do if I get this VCP-DCV question wrong?

Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.

What is the key concept behind this question?

Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.

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Same concept, more angles

1 more ways 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. After upgrading the physical switches, the LAG (Link Aggregation Group) on a VDS does not come up. The VDS LAG configuration shows LACP active mode. The physical switch ports are configured with LACP active mode as well. What is the most likely cause?

hard

A.The physical switch uses a different LACP system priority
✓ B.The physical switch ports are not in a port-channel
C.The ESXi hosts have different LAG IDs
D.The VDS LAG hashing algorithm is set to IP hash

Why B: Option B is correct because for a LAG to form, the physical switch ports must be configured as a port-channel or etherchannel. Even if both sides are set to LACP active, the switch ports must first be grouped into a port-channel interface; otherwise, LACP negotiations will not complete. Option A is incorrect because the system priority affects LACP role but does not prevent LAG formation if both sides are active. Option C is incorrect because LAG IDs are not relevant across hosts; each host's LAG is independent. Option D is incorrect because the hashing algorithm does not affect LACP negotiation; it only affects load distribution.

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