- A
The uplinks are configured in active/standby mode
In active/standby mode, only one uplink is active, so no load balancing occurs.
- B
The load balancing algorithm is not supported by the physical switch
Why wrong: Route based on originating virtual port is a vSphere-only algorithm and does not require physical switch support.
- C
The number of VMs is less than the number of uplinks
Why wrong: Even with fewer VMs, traffic should be distributed across active uplinks based on the algorithm.
- D
The teaming policy uses an explicit failover order
Why wrong: Explicit failover order can still have multiple uplinks in the active list; if so, load balancing should work.
Question 97 of 521
NIC Teaming Load Balancing
This VCP-DCV practice question tests your understanding of configure and manage vsphere networking. This is a configuration task: choose the command set that satisfies every stated requirement. Small differences — like 'secret' vs 'password' or 'transport input ssh' vs 'all' — change whether the answer is correct. 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 deploys a VDS with multiple uplinks and uses Route based on originating virtual port for load balancing. The network team reports that traffic from VMs on the same host is not balanced across uplinks. The administrator verifies that the physical switch ports are all in the same port-channel. What could be the cause?
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 uplinks are configured in active/standby mode
The correct answer is A. When uplinks are configured in active/standby mode, only one uplink is active at a time, so no load balancing occurs regardless of the algorithm. Option B is incorrect because Route based on originating virtual port is a vSphere algorithm and does not depend on physical switch support. Option C is incorrect because having fewer VMs than uplinks might reduce distribution but does not prevent load balancing entirely; traffic could still be balanced across active uplinks. Option D is incorrect because an explicit failover order can still allow multiple active uplinks if multiple paths are set to active; it is not the same as active/standby.
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.
- ✓
The uplinks are configured in active/standby mode
Why this is correct
In active/standby mode, only one uplink is active, so no load balancing occurs.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
The load balancing algorithm is not supported by the physical switch
Why it's wrong here
Route based on originating virtual port is a vSphere-only algorithm and does not require physical switch support.
- ✗
The number of VMs is less than the number of uplinks
Why it's wrong here
Even with fewer VMs, traffic should be distributed across active uplinks based on the algorithm.
- ✗
The teaming policy uses an explicit failover order
Why it's wrong here
Explicit failover order can still have multiple uplinks in the active list; if so, load balancing should work.
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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Configure and Manage vSphere Networking — study guide chapter
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Configure and Manage vSphere Networking practice questions
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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: The uplinks are configured in active/standby mode — The correct answer is A. When uplinks are configured in active/standby mode, only one uplink is active at a time, so no load balancing occurs regardless of the algorithm. Option B is incorrect because Route based on originating virtual port is a vSphere algorithm and does not depend on physical switch support. Option C is incorrect because having fewer VMs than uplinks might reduce distribution but does not prevent load balancing entirely; traffic could still be balanced across active uplinks. Option D is incorrect because an explicit failover order can still allow multiple active uplinks if multiple paths are set to active; it is not the same as active/standby.
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.
About these practice questions
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
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. A vSphere administrator needs to provide redundancy for VM traffic on a vSphere Standard Switch by using multiple physical uplinks. Which teaming configuration should be used to ensure that if one uplink fails, traffic automatically fails over to another?
easy- A.Set load balancing to 'Route based on IP hash' and make both uplinks active.
- B.Enable 'Use explicit failover order' and configure 'Network failures' detection.
- C.Set load balancing to 'Explicit failover order' and set one uplink as active.
- ✓ D.Set load balancing to 'Route based on originating virtual port' and make one uplink active and one standby.
Why D: Option D is correct because 'Route based on originating virtual port' with one uplink active and one standby provides automatic failover: if the active uplink fails, the standby takes over. Option A is incorrect because 'Route based on IP hash' with both uplinks active is an active/active configuration that provides load balancing, but failover is not the primary goal; however, it does offer failover if one fails, but the question asks for a teaming configuration that ensures failover, and active/standby is the explicit choice. Option B is incorrect because 'Use explicit failover order' is a teaming policy that allows you to set active/standby, but the option as stated does not specify the load balancing algorithm; 'Network failures' detection is a monitoring setting, not a teaming configuration. Option C is incorrect because 'Explicit failover order' is not a load balancing algorithm; load balancing algorithms are 'Route based on originating virtual port', 'Route based on IP hash', etc. Therefore, D is the correct answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 24, 2026
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