- A
Separate vMotion traffic onto a different VLAN.
Why wrong: Separating vMotion traffic onto a different VLAN helps reduce congestion and improves performance for vMotion, but it does not directly reduce network latency for general VM traffic. It is more about isolating management traffic.
- B
Enable jumbo frames on the virtual switch and physical network.
Enabling jumbo frames on both the virtual switch and physical network reduces CPU overhead and improves throughput by allowing larger packets, which decreases the number of packets per second and thus lowers latency for VM traffic.
- C
Increase the MTU on the vSphere Standard Switch to 9000.
Why wrong: Increasing the MTU on the vSphere Standard Switch alone does not enable jumbo frames; the physical network must also support and be configured for jumbo frames. Without end-to-end consistency, fragmentation can occur, negating the benefits. Option B is the correct phrasing for enabling jumbo frames.
- D
Use Network I/O Control to set a higher network share for latency-sensitive VMs.
Using Network I/O Control to set a higher network share for latency-sensitive VMs ensures that these VMs receive higher priority for network resources, reducing latency during contention.
- E
Assign dedicated physical NICs for VM traffic.
Assigning dedicated physical NICs for VM traffic eliminates contention with other traffic types, reducing latency by providing dedicated bandwidth.
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.
Which THREE actions would help reduce network latency for VMs in a vSphere environment?
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
Enable jumbo frames on the virtual switch and physical network.
To reduce network latency in a vSphere environment, enabling jumbo frames (B) reduces packet overhead by allowing larger MTU sizes, which decreases the number of packets and CPU processing, thereby lowering latency. Using Network I/O Control (D) prioritizes latency-sensitive traffic by allocating higher shares, ensuring critical VM traffic isn't delayed by other traffic. Assigning dedicated physical NICs (E) isolates VM traffic from other network activities (like management or vMotion), eliminating contention. Option A (separating vMotion onto a different VLAN) mainly addresses traffic isolation and security, not latency reduction directly, since vMotion traffic can still compete with VM traffic if not separated. Option C (increasing MTU on vSwitch alone) is insufficient because jumbo frames require end-to-end consistency across the physical network; changing only the virtual switch can lead to fragmentation and performance degradation.
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.
- ✗
Separate vMotion traffic onto a different VLAN.
- ✓
Enable jumbo frames on the virtual switch and physical network.
Why this is correct
Enabling jumbo frames on both the virtual switch and physical network reduces CPU overhead and improves throughput by allowing larger packets, which decreases the number of packets per second and thus lowers latency for VM traffic.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Increase the MTU on the vSphere Standard Switch to 9000.
Why it's wrong here
Increasing the MTU on the vSphere Standard Switch alone does not enable jumbo frames; the physical network must also support and be configured for jumbo frames. Without end-to-end consistency, fragmentation can occur, negating the benefits. Option B is the correct phrasing for enabling jumbo frames.
- ✓
Use Network I/O Control to set a higher network share for latency-sensitive VMs.
Why this is correct
Using Network I/O Control to set a higher network share for latency-sensitive VMs ensures that these VMs receive higher priority for network resources, reducing latency during contention.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✓
Assign dedicated physical NICs for VM traffic.
Why this is correct
Assigning dedicated physical NICs for VM traffic eliminates contention with other traffic types, reducing latency by providing dedicated bandwidth.
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 often confuse increasing MTU on the virtual switch alone (Option C) as sufficient, forgetting that jumbo frames require end-to-end consistency across the entire physical network to avoid fragmentation and performance degradation.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Jumbo frames reduce the number of packets required to send a given amount of data, which lowers the per-packet processing overhead on the CPU and NIC, and reduces the frequency of interrupts. In a vSphere environment, this is especially beneficial for vMotion, NFS, and iSCSI traffic, where large data transfers are common; however, the MTU must be set to 9000 on all intermediate devices, including physical switches, to avoid fragmentation, which can actually increase latency due to reassembly delays.
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 help-desk technician troubleshoots why a newly connected PC cannot reach shared printers on the same floor. The cable is good, the switch port is active, but the PC is in VLAN 20 and the printers are in VLAN 10. The uplink trunk only allows VLAN 10. A trunk being up does not mean every VLAN crosses it.
Visual reference
What to study next
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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: Enable jumbo frames on the virtual switch and physical network. — To reduce network latency in a vSphere environment, enabling jumbo frames (B) reduces packet overhead by allowing larger MTU sizes, which decreases the number of packets and CPU processing, thereby lowering latency. Using Network I/O Control (D) prioritizes latency-sensitive traffic by allocating higher shares, ensuring critical VM traffic isn't delayed by other traffic. Assigning dedicated physical NICs (E) isolates VM traffic from other network activities (like management or vMotion), eliminating contention. Option A (separating vMotion onto a different VLAN) mainly addresses traffic isolation and security, not latency reduction directly, since vMotion traffic can still compete with VM traffic if not separated. Option C (increasing MTU on vSwitch alone) is insufficient because jumbo frames require end-to-end consistency across the physical network; changing only the virtual switch can lead to fragmentation and performance degradation.
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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Last reviewed: Jun 11, 2026
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