Dell EMC D-XTR-OE-A-24 Dell XtremIO Operate Achievement Exam Practice Test

Answer : D

The iostat command is used for monitoring system input/output device loading by observing the time the devices are active in relation to their average transfer rates. It generates reports that can be used to change system configuration to better balance the input/output load between physical disks1. The iostat command is particularly useful for monitoring disk throughput and can help identify high disk utilization, which is essential for diagnosing performance issues related to storage2.

The iostat command provides information about input/output (I/O) statistics for block devices (like hard drives and SSDs) and CPUs, making it a valuable tool for analyzing the performance and usage of these resources on a system1. It is distributed as part of the sysstat package and is available on most Linux distributions1.

The other commands listed have different purposes:

stat (OA) is used to display file or file system status.

netstat (OB) displays network connections, routing tables, interface statistics, masquerade connections, and multicast memberships.

nbtstat (OC) is a Windows command-line utility that displays protocol statistics and current TCP/IP connections using NetBIOS over TCP/IP.

Therefore, for monitoring the performance of system input/output devices on Linux/UNIX systems, iostat (OD) is the correct command to use1.

Answer : B

When dealing with misaligned partitions on XtremIO volumes after upgrading from Windows Server 2003 to Windows Server 2008, the following steps should be taken to realign the data:

Backup the Data: The first and most crucial step is to ensure that all data on the existing partitions is backed up. This is to prevent any data loss during the alignment process.

Run Diskpart: After backing up, use the Diskpart utility, which is a command-line disk partitioning tool that allows you to manage your disk's partitions.

Recreate the Partition: With Diskpart, delete the existing misaligned partition and then create a new partition. When creating the new partition, ensure that it is aligned correctly, typically to a 1MB boundary, which is the default alignment for Windows Server 2008 and newer versions1.

Restore the Data: Once the new partition is created and aligned properly, restore the data from the backup to the newly aligned partition.

This process ensures that the partitions are aligned optimally for the XtremIO storage system, which can help improve performance and efficiency. It's important to note that while tools like Disk Management and Mbralign can be used for managing partitions, they may not provide the necessary functionality to realign existing partitions on Windows Server 2008. Therefore, using Diskpart is the recommended approach1.

Answer : A

Misalignment of data, particularly to the 4k boundaries, can significantly impact write operations on a Linux server connected to an XtremIO storage system. Here's why:

Block Size Alignment: Modern storage systems, including SSDs used in XtremIO arrays, typically use a 4k (4096 bytes) block size for data storage1. This is the smallest unit of data that can be read or written to the storage.

Misalignment Issues: When data is misaligned, it means that the file system's blocks do not line up with the storage device's blocks. This misalignment can cause additional read-modify-write cycles, which can degrade performance and increase latency for write operations1.

Effect on Write Operations: If data is not aligned to the 4k boundaries, the storage system may need to perform extra work to handle the writes, as each write operation could span multiple physical blocks. This results in inefficient use of the storage array's resources and can lead to reduced throughput and increased wear on the SSDs1.

Linux Server Configuration: On a Linux server, ensuring proper alignment is crucial for optimal performance. This can involve configuring the file system and partition alignment during the setup and using tools that can check and correct alignment issues.

In conclusion, misaligned data to the 4k boundaries (OA) is a non-optimal configuration that can have a significant effect on write operations on a Linux server connected to XtremIO. Proper alignment to the storage system's block size is essential for maintaining high performance and longevity of the storage media1.

Answer : C

Configuring Linux hosts to support XtremIO storage involves setting the LUN queue depth to 64.

This configuration ensures optimal performance by allowing the host to handle multiple I/O operations concurrently, matching the capabilities of the XtremIO array.

Proper tuning of the LUN queue depth is crucial for maximizing throughput and minimizing latency in high-performance storage environments.

Dell XtremIO Host Configuration Guide for Linux

Host Configurations in XtremIO Environments

Answer : D

When creating a volume on an XtremIO X2-S array, administrators have the option to assign tags.

Tags are used to organize and manage volumes more efficiently, allowing for better categorization and retrieval based on specific criteria.

This feature enhances the management capabilities within the XtremIO environment, facilitating easier identification and handling of storage resources.

Dell XtremIO X2-S Configuration Guide

Answer : A

VMware vStorage APIs for Array Integration (VAAI) offloads certain storage tasks from the ESXi host to the storage array.

When VAAI is disabled, operations like quick formatting can take significantly longer because the tasks are handled by the host instead of being offloaded to the array.

Quick formatting involves writing zeroes to the entire LUN, and without VAAI, this process is much slower.

Enabling VAAI allows the XtremIO array to handle these operations more efficiently, reducing the time required for tasks like formatting.

Dell XtremIO VMware Integration Guide

VMware VAAI Best Practices with XtremIO

Answer : B

If the requested data is not found in cache, it is called a cache miss and the data must be read from the storage. The back end accesses the appropriate storage device and retrieves the requested data. Data is then placed in cache and finally sent to the compute system through the front end. Cache misses increase the I/O response time.