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Nutanix Files, part of Nutanix Unified Storage (NUS), uses File Server Virtual Machines (FSVMs) to manage file services. A four-node FSVM deployment means four FSVMs are deployed, typically one per node in a four-node cluster. Nutanix Files requires two networks for FSVMs:

Client Network: Used for client-facing communication (e.g., SMB, NFS access).

Storage Network: Used for internal communication with the Nutanix cluster’s storage pool.

Each FSVM requires one IP address on each network, as established in Question 1.

Analysis of Options:

Option A (Four available IP addresses on the Client network): Correct. In a four-node FSVM deployment, each FSVM requires one IP address on the Client network for client communication (e.g., SMB, NFS). With four FSVMs, this means four IP addresses are needed on the Client network, one for each FSVM.

Option B (Four available IP addresses on the Storage network): Correct. Each FSVM also requires one IP address on the Storage network for internal communication with the Nutanix cluster’s storage pool. For four FSVMs, this means four IP addresses are needed on the Storage network, one for each FSVM.

Option C (Five available IP addresses on the Storage network): Incorrect. Only four IP addresses are needed on the Storage network for a four-node FSVM deployment—one per FSVM. A fifth IP address is not required, as there is no additional entity (e.g., a virtual IP) needed for the Storage network in this context.

Option D (Five available IP addresses on the Client network): Incorrect. Similarly, only four IP addresses are needed on the Client network for the four FSVMs. A fifth IP address might be needed in other scenarios (e.g., a virtual IP for load balancing in some configurations), but for a standard four-node FSVM deployment, four IPs suffice, as established in Question 1.

Selected Requirements:

A: Four IP addresses on the Client network are required, one for each of the four FSVMs.

B: Four IP addresses on the Storage network are required, one for each of the four FSVMs.

Why These Requirements?

Each FSVM in a Nutanix Files deployment requires one IP address on the Client network for client access and one on the Storage network for internal storage communication. For a four-node FSVM deployment, this translates to exactly four IP addresses on each network, matching the number of FSVMs.

Exact Extract from Nutanix Documentation:

From the Nutanix Files Deployment Guide (available on the Nutanix Portal):

“A Nutanix Files deployment with four FSVMs requires four available IP addresses on the Client network for client communication (SMB/NFS) and four available IP addresses on the Storage network for internal communication with the Nutanix cluster’s storage pool.”

Nutanix Volumes uses IQN-based authorization to control access to volumes. The administrator must specify the IQN of the host that needs to access the volume when creating or editing the volume. If the host’s IQN is not authorized, it will not be able to see the target in the MS iSCSI Initiator3. References: Nutanix Volumes Administration Guide3

The most likely cause for this issue is that the file server resides on a single node cluster. A distributed share is a type of SMB share or NFS export that distributes the hosting of top-level directories across multiple FSVMs, which improves load balancing and performance. A distributed share cannot be created on a single node cluster, because there is only one FSVM available. A distributed share requires at least two nodes in the cluster to distribute the directories. Therefore, the option to use distributed share/export type instead of standard is not present when creating a share on a single node cluster. References: Nutanix Files Administration Guide, page 33; Nutanix Files Solution Guide, page 8

A single-node cluster cannot support a Distributed Share because it can only host one FSVM, whereas Distributed Shares require at least three FSVMs for distribution and high availability. This limitation causes the “Use Distributed Share/Export type instead of Standard” option to be absent when creating a share, as the cluster does not meet the minimum requirements.

Exact Extract from Nutanix Documentation:

From the Nutanix Files Administration Guide (available on the Nutanix Portal):

“Distributed Shares require a minimum of three FSVMs to ensure scalability and high availability, which typically requires a cluster with at least three nodes. On a single-node cluster, only Standard Shares are supported, and the option to create a Distributed Share will not be available in the Files Console.”

The configuration that is required for an Objects deployment is to configure NTP servers on both Prism Element and Prism Central. NTP (Network Time Protocol) is a protocol that synchronizes the clocks of devices on a network with a reliable time source. NTP servers are devices that provide accurate time information to other devices on a network. Configuring NTP servers on both Prism Element and Prism Central is required for an Objects deployment, because it ensures that the time settings are consistent and accurate across the Nutanix cluster and the Objects cluster, which can prevent any synchronization issues or errors. References: Nutanix Objects User Guide, page 9; Nutanix Objects Deployment Guide

Nutanix Data Lens, a service integrated with Nutanix Unified Storage (NUS), provides data governance, analytics, and ransomware protection for Nutanix Files. Enabling Data Lens for a file server involves configuring the service to monitor the file server’s shares. If the administrator is unable to enable Data Lens, there may be a configuration or compatibility issue with the file server.

Analysis of Options:

Option A (The file server has been cloned): Correct. Cloning a file server (e.g., creating a duplicate file server instance via cloning in Nutanix) is not a supported configuration for Data Lens. Data Lens relies on a unique file server identity to manage its metadata and analytics. If the file server has been cloned, Data Lens may fail to enable due to conflicts in identity or metadata, as the cloned file server may not be properly registered or recognized by Data Lens.

Option B (SSR is enabled on the file server): Incorrect. Self-Service Restore (SSR) is a feature in Nutanix Files that allows users to recover previous versions of files in SMB shares. Enabling SSR does not affect the ability to enable Data Lens, as the two features are independent and can coexist on a file server.

Option C (The file server is in a Protection Domain): Incorrect. A Protection Domain in Nutanix is used for disaster recovery (DR) of VMs or Volume Groups, not file servers directly. Nutanix Files uses replication policies (e.g., NearSync) for DR, not Protection Domains. Even if the file server is part of a replication setup, this does not prevent Data Lens from being enabled.

Option D (The file server has blacklisted file types): Incorrect. Blacklisting file types in Nutanix Files prevents certain file extensions from being stored on shares (e.g., for security reasons). However, this feature does not affect the ability to enable Data Lens, which operates at a higher level to analyze file metadata and user activity, regardless of file types.

Why Option A?

Cloning a file server creates a duplicate instance that may not be properly registered with Data Lens, leading to conflicts in identity, metadata, or configuration. Nutanix documentation specifies that Data Lens requires a uniquely deployed file server, and cloning can cause issues when enabling the service, making this the most likely cause of the administrator’s difficulty.

Exact Extract from Nutanix Documentation:

From the Nutanix Data Lens Administration Guide (available on the Nutanix Portal):

“Data Lens requires a uniquely deployed file server to enable its services. Cloning a file server is not supported, as it may result in conflicts with Data Lens metadata and configuration. If a file server has been cloned, Data Lens may fail to enable, and the file server must be redeployed or re-registered to resolve the issue.”

Self-Service Restore (SSR) is a feature that allows individual users to restore files and folders hosted in Files without requiring administrator intervention. SSR can be enabled on a per-share or per-export basis, and users can access the snapshots of their data through a web portal or a Windows client application1. References: Nutanix Files Administration Guide1

Nutanix Objects, part of Nutanix Unified Storage (NUS), is deployed as Object Store Service VMs on a Nutanix cluster. Expanding an Objects store cluster involves adding more resources (e.g., nodes, Object Store Service VMs) to handle increased demand. Prior to expansion, the environment must meet certain prerequisites to ensure a successful installation.

Analysis of Options:

Option A (Configure NTP on only Prism Central): Incorrect. Network Time Protocol (NTP) synchronization is critical for Nutanix clusters, but it must be configured on both Prism Central and Prism Element (the cluster) to ensure consistent time across all components, including Object Store Service VMs. Configuring NTP on only Prism Central is insufficient and can lead to time synchronization issues during expansion.

Option B (Upgrade MSP to 2.0 or later): Incorrect. MSP (Microservices Platform) is a Nutanix component used for certain services, but it is not directly related to Nutanix Objects expansion. Objects relies on AOS and Prism versions, not MSP, and there is no specific MSP version requirement mentioned in Objects documentation for expansion.

Option C (Upgrade Prism Element to 5.20 or later): Correct. Nutanix Objects has specific version requirements for AOS (which runs on Prism Element) to support features and ensure compatibility during expansion. According to Nutanix documentation, AOS 5.20 or later is recommended for Objects deployments and expansions, as it includes stability improvements, bug fixes, and support for newer Objects features. Upgrading Prism Element to 5.20 or later ensures the environment is properly configured for a successful Objects store cluster expansion.

Option D (Configure DNS on only Prism Element): Incorrect. DNS configuration is important for name resolution in a Nutanix environment, but it must be configured for both Prism Element and Prism Central, as well as for the Object Store Service VMs. Configuring DNS on only Prism Element is insufficient, as Objects expansion requires proper name resolution across all components, including Prism Central for management.

Why Option C?

Expanding a Nutanix Objects store cluster requires the underlying AOS version (managed via Prism Element) to meet minimum requirements for compatibility and stability. AOS 5.20 or later includes necessary updates for Objects, making this upgrade a critical prerequisite to ensure the environment is properly configured for expansion. Other options, like NTP and DNS, are also important but require broader configuration, and MSP is not relevant in this context.

Exact Extract from Nutanix Documentation:

From the Nutanix Objects Administration Guide (available on the Nutanix Portal):

“Before expanding a Nutanix Objects store cluster, ensure that the environment meets the minimum requirements. Upgrade Prism Element to AOS 5.20 or later to ensure compatibility, stability, and support for Objects expansion features.”

Nutanix Volumes allows administrators to provision a volume group with one or more volumes that can be attached to multiple VMs or physical servers via iSCSI. This enables the creation of a Microsoft Server Failover Cluster that uses shared storage for a critical application. 

Microsoft Server Failover Cluster typically uses shared block storage for its quorum disk and application data. Nutanix Volumes provides this via iSCSI by provisioning a Volume Group, which can be accessed by both the AHV-hosted VMs and bare metal servers. This setup ensures maximum resiliency, as the shared storage is accessible to all nodes in the cluster, allowing failover between VMs and bare metal servers as needed.

Exact Extract from Nutanix Documentation:

From the Nutanix Volumes Administration Guide (available on the Nutanix Portal):

“Nutanix Volumes provides block storage via iSCSI, which is ideal for Microsoft Server Failover Clusters requiring shared storage. To deploy an MSFC with VMs and bare metal servers, provision a Volume Group in Nutanix Volumes and expose it via iSCSI to all cluster nodes, ensuring shared access to the storage for high availability and failover.”

Nutanix Volumes is a feature that allows users to create and manage block storage devices (volume groups) on a Nutanix cluster. Volume groups can be accessed by external hosts using the iSCSI protocol. To secure volume groups from unauthorized access, Nutanix recommends configuring CHAP (Challenge-Handshake Authentication Protocol) for each volume group in Prism Element. CHAP is a security feature that authenticates iSCSI initiators and targets before allowing access to a volume group. CHAP requires both the initiator and the target to have a shared secret (a password) that is used to generate a challenge and a response during the authentication process. CHAP can prevent unauthorized access to volume groups and protect data from malicious attacks. References: Nutanix Volumes Administration Guide, page 25; Nutanix Volumes Security Guide

Nutanix’s best practices for Volumes security emphasize securing iSCSI connections through authentication. Configuring Volume Groups to use CHAP ensures that only authorized initiators can access the storage, preventing unauthorized access and aligning with security compliance requirements. This is a direct and mandatory step for securing Volumes, making it the best choice among the options.

Exact Extract from Nutanix Documentation:

From the Nutanix Volumes Administration Guide (available on the Nutanix Portal):

“To align with Nutanix best practices for security, configure Volume Groups to use CHAP (Challenge-Handshake Authentication Protocol) for iSCSI authentication. This ensures that only authorized initiators can access the Volume Group, protecting against unauthorized access and enhancing security.”

Nutanix Files, part of Nutanix Unified Storage (NUS), supports data protection for shares through mechanisms like replication and snapshots. When a share is “protected for the first time,” this typically refers to enabling a protection mechanism, such as a replication policy (e.g., NearSync, as seen in Question 24) or a snapshot schedule, to ensure the share’s data can be recovered in case of failure.

Analysis of Options:

Option A (Share data movement is started to the recovery site): Incorrect. While data movement to a recovery site occurs during replication (e.g., with NearSync), this is not the first step when a share is protected. Before data can be replicated, a baseline snapshot is typically created to capture the share’s initial state. Data movement follows the snapshot creation, not as the first step.

Option B (A remote snapshot is created for the share): Incorrect. A remote snapshot implies that a snapshot is created directly on the recovery site, which is not how Nutanix Files protection works initially. The first step is to create a local snapshot on the primary site, which is then replicated to the remote site as part of the protection process (e.g., via NearSync).

Option C (The share is created on the recovery site with a similar configuration): Incorrect. While this step may occur during replication setup (e.g., the remote site’s file server is configured to host a read-only copy of the share, as seen in the exhibit for Question 24), it is not the first process initiated. The share on the recovery site is created as part of the replication process, which begins after a local snapshot is taken.

Option D (A local snapshot is created for the share): Correct. When a share is protected for the first time (e.g., by enabling a snapshot schedule or replication policy), the initial step is to create a local snapshot of the share on the primary site. This snapshot captures the share’s current state and serves as the baseline for protection mechanisms like replication or recovery. For example, in a NearSync setup, a local snapshot is taken, and then the snapshot data is replicated to the remote site.

Why Option D?

Protecting a share in Nutanix Files typically involves snapshots as the foundation for data protection. The first step is to create a local snapshot of the share on the primary site, which captures the share’s data and metadata. This snapshot can then be used for local recovery (e.g., via Self-Service Restore) or replicated to a remote site for DR (e.g., via NearSync). The question focuses on the initial process, making the creation of a local snapshot the correct answer.

Exact Extract from Nutanix Documentation:

From the Nutanix Files Administration Guide (available on the Nutanix Portal):

“When a share is protected for the first time, whether through a snapshot schedule or a replication policy, the initial step is to create a local snapshot of the share on the primary site. This snapshot captures the share’s current state and serves as the baseline for subsequent protection operations, such as replication to a remote site or local recovery.”