Quick Answer
The answer is that all hosts must be attached to the same vSphere Distributed Switch and the vSphere license must be Enterprise Plus. These two conditions are required because Network I/O Control (NIOC) operates at the vDS level to enforce consistent network resource allocation and traffic shaping policies across a cluster, meaning every host in the cluster must share the same distributed switch for the feature to apply uniformly. The Enterprise Plus license is mandatory because NIOC leverages advanced resource management capabilities—such as per-VM bandwidth limits and reservation—that are restricted to the highest license tier. On the VCP-DCV exam, this question tests your understanding that NIOC is not a per-host feature but a distributed switch property, and a common trap is assuming a Standard or Enterprise license suffices. Remember the mnemonic: “All hosts, one switch, Enterprise Plus—no NIOC without these three.”
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.
Which TWO conditions must be met to successfully enable vSphere Network I/O Control (NIOC) on a vSphere Distributed Switch? (Choose two.)
All ESXi hosts in the cluster must be connected to the same vDS.
NIOC is configured on the vDS.
Each ESXi host must have a dedicated vDS.
Why wrong: One vDS can be shared across hosts.
The vDS must have at least one uplink.
Why wrong: NIOC does not require uplinks.
The vSphere license must be Enterprise Plus.
NIOC is an Enterprise Plus feature.
The physical switches must support LACP.
Why wrong: LACP is not required for NIOC.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
All ESXi hosts in the cluster must be connected to the same vDS.
Option A is correct because NIOC operates at the vDS level and requires all hosts participating in the NIOC configuration to be attached to the same distributed switch. This ensures consistent network resource allocation and traffic shaping policies across the cluster. Option D is correct because NIOC is a premium feature that requires an Enterprise Plus license, as it leverages advanced resource management capabilities not available in lower license tiers.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
All ESXi hosts in the cluster must be connected to the same vDS.
Why this is correct
NIOC is configured on the vDS.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Each ESXi host must have a dedicated vDS.
Why it's wrong here
One vDS can be shared across hosts.
The vDS must have at least one uplink.
Why it's wrong here
NIOC does not require uplinks.
The vSphere license must be Enterprise Plus.
Why this is correct
NIOC is an Enterprise Plus feature.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
The physical switches must support LACP.
Why it's wrong here
LACP is not required for NIOC.
Common exam traps
The trap here is that candidates often confuse NIOC's dependency on Enterprise Plus with other networking features like LACP or uplink requirements, leading them to select options C or E instead of recognizing the license and shared vDS prerequisites.
Detailed technical explanation
NIOC uses the vDS to enforce per-traffic-type bandwidth reservations and limits based on the Network Resource Pool (NRP) system, which relies on the vDS's ability to tag and prioritize traffic using the 802.1p priority field. Under the hood, NIOC leverages the vDS's I/O scheduler to allocate shares and limits to system traffic (e.g., vMotion, FT, management) and virtual machine traffic, ensuring fair distribution even during congestion. In a real-world scenario, enabling NIOC without Enterprise Plus will result in the feature being grayed out in the vSphere Web Client, as the license check occurs at the vCenter level.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
A small business has 20 workstations on the 192.168.1.0/24 network and one public IP from its ISP. The router uses PAT (NAT overload) so all 20 devices share one public address using different source ports. NAT questions test whether you understand the four address terms and which direction each translation applies.
What to study next
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FAQ
Configure and Manage vSphere Networking — This question tests Configure and Manage vSphere Networking — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: All ESXi hosts in the cluster must be connected to the same vDS. — Option A is correct because NIOC operates at the vDS level and requires all hosts participating in the NIOC configuration to be attached to the same distributed switch. This ensures consistent network resource allocation and traffic shaping policies across the cluster. Option D is correct because NIOC is a premium feature that requires an Enterprise Plus license, as it leverages advanced resource management capabilities not available in lower license tiers.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 11, 2026
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