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edutz1014
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VCAP5-DCA Question Format


Can anyone one give me an example of the question format for this exam. I am not asking you to violate the NDA, I am looking more for the type of outline the questions are in. For example

Q1- Go and configure a new HA cluster to meet the following client requirements-- HA, vMotion, FT and DRS

or

Q2- the needs to have their virtual servers fully load balanced and protected against a single host failure, while having vm1, vm2 and vm3 not experience any downtime due to a single host failure.

Thanks

Ed

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MannyS
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Yep, most questions will be like Q1. There could one/two of the second format too.

And to ease your fears a little (if any, of course!) - this isnt a difficult exam. If you've done most things in the blueprint multiple times in your lab or at work, it's easily passable. One thing you've got to do is work at speed during the exam. It's more about time management than anything else.

|| VCAP5 - DCA, VCP 5 and a slew of Microsoft certs. || If you find this answer useful, please consider awarding points by marking the answer correct or helpful. Thank you.
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JoshuaAndrewsVM
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You can get this info from the DCA and CIA simulators and VCAP Test Track FYI.  Note that each "live" exam has a slightly different method of making the kit components and passwords available to you.

opening paragraph (setting up the scenario), a requirements list (if needed) and a bullet-ed action list (if needed).

Sample "full" q:

The development team has requested a new DMZ for a test platform. They requires their database servers (DB1, DB2) to communicate with each other and the web server (W1), and the security (S1) server to only communicate with the web server.  The network admin has prepped the physical switch to use VLAN 750 and attached a firewall interface. VLANs 751-755 are available if needed.

Requirements:

vCenter: vcs (administrator/hardpassword)

ESXi hosts: ESXi01/ESXi02 (root/hardpassword)

vms:

     W1 - communicate with firewall and all VMs

     DB1/DB2 - communicate with W1 and each other

     S1 - communicate with W1

networking:

     firewall: VLAN750

     available VLAN IDs: 750-755

   

Create a new switch solution on hosts ESXi01 and ESXi02 connecting the VMs as appropriate.

Sometimes the question is shorter:

Configure ThatMemoryMachine to be able to add memory without a power cycle.

Sometimes no requirements are listed:

Another admin has requested a new cluster be created on NewDC

1) Create NewCluster on NewDC

2) Add hosts ThisHost and ThatHost

3) Ensure all virtual machines on ThisHost will power up in the shortest time possible on ThatHost in the event of a host issue

4) Ensure any future hosts connected to NewCluster will allow the use of storage profiles

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edutz1014
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That is perfect. thanks for shooting me that link.

Ed

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edutz1014
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Joshua,

Thank you for those examples. just so I know I am looking at this correctly. your first question:

The development team
has requested a new DMZ for a test platform. They requires their database
servers (DB1, DB2) to communicate with each other and the web server (W1), and
the security (S1) server to only communicate with the web server.  The network admin has prepped the physical
switch to use VLAN 750 and attached a firewall interface. VLANs 751-755 are
available if needed. 

Result: I did the following, please let me know if I did this correctly.

1. Created a primary vlan and a couple of private vlans

  • Web server was on the primary vlan of 750
  • DB servers were on a community vlan of 751
  • Security server was on an isolated vlan of 752

The db servers could communicate with each other and the web server. The security server could only communicate with the web server.

Does this sound correct?

Thanks

Ed

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JoshuaAndrewsVM
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Yes, that is one possible solution.   There is at least one more that would work also.

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edutz1014
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Thanks Joshua. What is the other way to do it? Is it standard switches with vlan ids?

Ed

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JoshuaAndrewsVM
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Technically S1 could be in it's own community.  Your solution would be the preferred one.

You could also get creative with vCNS but that is not part of the DCA at this time.

graemevermeulen
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Hi Josh,

"The network admin has prepped the physical switch to use VLAN 750 and attached a firewall interface. VLANs 751-755 are available if needed.

Requirements:

vCenter: vcs (administrator/hardpassword)

ESXi hosts: ESXi01/ESXi02 (root/hardpassword)

vms:

     W1 - communicate with firewall and all VMs

     DB1/DB2 - communicate with W1 and each other

     S1 - communicate with W1

networking:

     firewall: VLAN750

     available VLAN IDs: 750-755"

Just to confirm, there's a typo there right?

It's my understanding that if since VLAN 750 is being used by a regular VLAN, that 750 is unavailable as a PVLAN.

*** Edit: My Cisco C3550 doesn't support PVLANs so I couldn't try... fail. But I've read through some Cisco documentation and once the VLAN is created, you change it to a PVLAN | Primary | Community | Isolated etc. VLAN 750 wouldn't be an available VLAN ID to use as a PVLAN ID/ ***

Thanks,
Graeme

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JoshuaAndrewsVM
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‌correct, that was to identify the VLAN IDs available to use during the item, not ones available for PVLAN IDs.

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