Dell EMC Dell XtremIO Operate Achievement Exam Practice Test

Answer : B

A single XtremIO Management Server (XMS) can manage up to 8 X-Brick clusters.

For 20 XtremIO X1 clusters, the smallest number of XMS servers required to support the environment is 4.

Consolidating management operations to the minimum number of XMS servers helps in simplifying administration and monitoring tasks.

Dell XtremIO XMS Configuration Guide

XtremIO Cluster Management Documentation

Answer : C

When using XtremIO storage arrays for Oracle ASM disk groups, the recommended redundancy type is typically external redundancy. This is because XtremIO arrays are built with inherent data protection and redundancy features that eliminate the need for additional mirroring at the ASM level1.

External Redundancy: With external redundancy, Oracle ASM does not mirror data within the disk group. Instead, it relies on the underlying storage system to provide redundancy and data protection. XtremIO's unique data protection scheme, XDP (XtremIO Data Protection), provides such redundancy1.

XtremIO Features: XtremIO arrays are designed with high levels of fault tolerance and include features like SSD failover and advanced error correction. These features ensure data integrity and availability, making external redundancy a suitable choice1.

Performance Considerations: Choosing external redundancy can also lead to better performance since it avoids the overhead of additional mirroring at the ASM level, which is unnecessary given XtremIO's capabilities1.

Best Practices: Dell EMC recommends using external redundancy for ASM disk groups when using storage arrays like XtremIO that provide their own robust data protection mechanisms1.

In summary, for Oracle ASM disk groups using XtremIO storage arrays, external redundancy (OC) is the recommended setting, as it leverages the array's built-in redundancy features and optimizes performance1.

Answer : B

If the email server is not receiving notifications for major severity issues, it is likely because alert definitions have not been defined.

Alert definitions specify the conditions under which notifications are sent, and without these, the system will not trigger email alerts.

Ensuring proper configuration of alert definitions is essential for timely notifications of critical events.

Dell XtremIO Administration Guide

XtremIO Alerts Configuration Documentation

Answer : A

The SuperCapacitor (SuperCap) in an XtremIO X2 NVRAM card is designed to provide power to the card in the event of a power failure. When there is a power failure, the SuperCap discharges to maintain power to the NVRAM card long enough to ensure that all data in transit is written to flash storage, preventing data loss1.

Here's the sequence of events during a power failure:

Power Failure Detected: The system detects a loss of power to the NVRAM card.

SuperCap Discharge: The SuperCap begins to discharge, providing backup power to the NVRAM card.

Data Write: The NVRAM card uses the power from the SuperCap to write any data in transit to the SSDs in the storage array.

Data Secured: Once the data is safely written to the SSDs, the NVRAM card can safely shut down without risking data loss.

The SuperCap is a critical component that ensures data integrity during unexpected power interruptions. It is not used during normal operation (OB), after data is secured (OC), or when power is restored (OD). Its primary function is to protect data during power failures (OA)1.

Answer : A

For integrating Oracle with XtremIO, along with path failover software, it is best practice to increase the queue depth and execution throttle to 'maximum.'

This configuration optimizes the handling of I/O requests, improving performance and efficiency.

Properly tuning these settings ensures that the HBA drivers can handle the high I/O demands of an Oracle environment on XtremIO.

Dell XtremIO Oracle Integration Guide

XtremIO Configuration Best Practices

Answer : C

To create an iSCSI portal using the XtremIO X2 XMS WebUI, an administrator should navigate to Cluster Settings.

Within Cluster Settings, the configuration options for creating and managing iSCSI portals are available.

This is the starting point for setting up network configurations and ensuring the proper operation of iSCSI connections.

Dell XtremIO X2 Configuration Guide

XtremIO XMS WebUI Documentation

Answer : B

This ensures that the XMS can effectively communicate with and manage each cluster, regardless of their individual configurations or the specific features they are using.

Compatibility is crucial for the XMS to perform its functions across all clusters, which includes tasks such as monitoring, reporting, and executing management operations. If the XMS code version is not compatible with a particular cluster, it may not be able to manage it properly, leading to potential issues with performance, reliability, and data integrity1.

Therefore, before adding a new XtremIO cluster to an existing XMS setup, the systems administrator must verify that the XMS code version is compatible with the firmware version running on the new cluster, as well as the versions on all other clusters currently being managed. This step is a fundamental requirement to ensure seamless management and operation of the XtremIO storage environment1.