The answer is to check the physical switch ports and cables for uplink2 and uplink3 first. This is correct because a vDS relies on physical connectivity at the link layer; when two uplinks are down, the logical redundancy provided by teaming policies like Route Based on Originating Virtual Port is broken, and the root cause is almost always a physical-layer issue such as a faulty cable, disabled switch port, or transceiver failure. On the VMware Certified Professional Data Center Virtualization VCP-DCV exam, this scenario tests your understanding that troubleshooting must follow the OSI model from Layer 1 upward, and a common trap is jumping to vDS configuration changes like load balancing or failover order when the problem is purely physical. A helpful memory tip is “Layer 1 first, then the vDS”—always verify the physical path before touching virtual settings, because no software policy can fix a broken cable.
VCP-DCV Configure and Manage vSphere Networking Practice Question
This VCP-DCV practice question tests your understanding of configure and manage vsphere networking. 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.
Exhibit
esxcli network vswitch dvs vmware list
VDS Name: VDS-01
Uplink ports: 4
Number of portgroups: 5
MTU: 1500
LACP: Enabled (Active)
NetFlow: Enabled (collector 192.168.100.50:2055)
Health check: Enabled
esxcli network vswitch dvs vmware uplink list
Uplink Port Uplink Name Physical NIC Link Status
0 uplink0 vmnic0 Up
1 uplink1 vmnic1 Up
2 uplink2 vmnic2 Down
3 uplink3 vmnic3 Down
Refer to the exhibit. An administrator notices that two uplinks are down on the VDS. Which step should be taken first to restore redundancy?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "first"
Why it matters: Order matters here. You are being tested on which action comes before the others — not which action is generally useful.
esxcli network vswitch dvs vmware list
VDS Name: VDS-01
Uplink ports: 4
Number of portgroups: 5
MTU: 1500
LACP: Enabled (Active)
NetFlow: Enabled (collector 192.168.100.50:2055)
Health check: Enabled
esxcli network vswitch dvs vmware uplink list
Uplink Port Uplink Name Physical NIC Link Status
0 uplink0 vmnic0 Up
1 uplink1 vmnic1 Up
2 uplink2 vmnic2 Down
3 uplink3 vmnic3 Down
A
Check the physical switch ports and cables for uplink2 and uplink3.
Physical connectivity issues are the most common cause of down uplinks.
B
Increase the MTU to 9000 to improve performance.
Why wrong: MTU change does not affect link status.
C
Disable LACP on the VDS to allow single-uplink operation.
Why wrong: LACP is not causing the down state.
D
Remove the down uplinks from the VDS.
Why wrong: Removing uplinks would reduce redundancy further.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Check the physical switch ports and cables for uplink2 and uplink3.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
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.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
✓
Check the physical switch ports and cables for uplink2 and uplink3.
Why this is correct
Physical connectivity issues are the most common cause of down uplinks.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "first" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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.
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: Check the physical switch ports and cables for uplink2 and uplink3.
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.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "first". Order matters here. You are being tested on which action comes before the others — not which action is generally useful.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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