Free Netapp NS0-185 Practice Exam with Questions & Answers | Set: 3

From a hardware installation perspective, NetApp SAS shelves are designed to function witha minimum of one installed disk. While performance, redundancy, and aggregate creation require additional disks, the physical shelf itself does not mandate a minimum disk count beyond one for detection and operation.

This flexibility allows administrators to stage hardware installations or expand capacity incrementally. However, ONTAP best practices strongly recommend populating shelves in ways that support RAID protection and performance requirements.

Therefore, the minimum number of disks required in a SAS shelf isone, making optionBcorrect.

To observe a node’s boot process during takeover testing, you need access to aconsole-capable, out-of-band management interfacethat remains reachable even when the node is not fully up at the ONTAP management layer. NetApp platforms provide theService Processor (SP)(or BMC on some models) as the remote management device used for out-of-band monitoring, console redirection, and power control/diagnostics.

ONTAP documentation describes that the remote management device (Service Processor) can detect certain failure conditions and is involved in hardware-assisted takeover behavior, which reinforces its role as the out-of-band management plane. Additionally, ONTAP provides explicit commands to manage the Service Processor (for example, rebooting the SP), which further confirms that SP is a distinct management interface independent of in-band ONTAP LIFs.

Options B (SVM management), C (cluster management), and D (node management) are allin-band ONTAP LIF-based management interfaces. These LIFs depend on ONTAP network services being operational and do not provide the low-level boot console view needed to watch BIOS/loader/kernel initialization. During takeover testing, the node being taken over may be halted, rebooting, or otherwise not servicing its management LIF in a reliable way. In contrast, SP access is intended specifically for situations where the OS is not fully running or where you need visibility into the boot process and hardware health.

From an installation testing and troubleshooting standpoint, connecting to the SP is the correct method to watch the node boot while its partner is in takeover, because the SP provides persistent, independent access to the node console regardless of ONTAP LIF availability.

Therefore, the correct interface isA. Service Processor.

This is a post-install validation and troubleshooting scenario for SAS shelf cabling. ONTAP hardware installation guidance distinguishes betweenmultipath/tri-pathandquad-pathconfigurations based on how shelves are cabled. For shelves with IOM12/IOM12B modules, quad-path configurations requiredouble-wideshelf-to-shelf connectivity: first using the standard connections (IOM ports 3 and 1) and then adding double-wide connections (IOM ports 4 and 2). If quad-path HA is intended but Config Advisor reportsmixed-path HA, then ONTAP’s view of the end-to-end SAS topology does not match the expected double-wide design.

The question states LEDs look normal and rebooting the SAS expander did not change the status. That reduces the likelihood of a transient expander condition and shifts focus tophysical seating/connection integrity. In installation practice, a common next corrective step is tore-seat the SAS I/O modules(IOMs on the shelf side or SAS modules/adapters on the controller side depending on platform architecture). Reseating is a controlled, practical action to address partial lane connectivity, marginal contacts, or module insertion issues that can still present as “connected” at an LED level but result in ONTAP detecting fewer active paths than expected.

Option D is incorrect because multipath HA is not “the only” supported method on such platforms; ONTAP documentation explicitly describes quad-path (“double-wide”) cabling rules and steps. Option B (disconnect and rerun Config Advisor) is destructive and does not correct the underlying condition; it is more of a diagnostic reset than a validated next fix step, and it risks creating additional variables. Option A (open a case and power off shelves) is premature given there is a clear, standard physical remediation action remaining.

Therefore, the correct next step is tore-seat the SAS IO modulesof the affected controller.

Default failover groups are defined bybroadcast domains. Therefore, the LIF fails over to any operational port in the broadcast domain.

Broadcom BES-53248 cluster interconnect switches require aReference Configuration File (RCF)to define supported port roles, speeds, breakout behavior, ISLs, and node-facing ports. By default, only a subset of ports is enabled for cluster connectivity. Ports0/17 through 0/20are not active for node connections unless explicitly configured by the correct RCF.

When new controllers are cabled to ports that are not enabled or correctly configured for cluster interconnect traffic, the ONTAP nodes cannot establish cluster LIF communication and therefore cannot join the cluster. Installing the correctRCFconfigures these ports with the required VLANs, MTU, flow control, and speed settings so that cluster traffic can pass.

A license file is not required for basic cluster interconnect functionality. The Cluster Switch Health Monitor (CSHM) configuration file enables monitoring, not port functionality. Rebooting controllers does not resolve switch-side configuration issues.

Therefore, installing thereference configuration fileis the required corrective action.

The customer’s environment uses aCisco MDSSAN fabric, so a Cisco-focused management/visibility tool is the most direct way to gain insight into the fabric’s configuration, health, zoning state, and operational status.Cisco Data Center Network Manager (DCNM)is a Cisco tool designed for managing Cisco SAN (including MDS) and therefore is the correct selection for Cisco fabric configuration insight.

From a NetApp installation and assessment perspective, the second tool that provides valuable insight—especially in the context of deploying NetApp storage into an existing fabric—isActive IQ Config Advisor. Config Advisor is used to validate installation-related configuration and cabling and to detect configuration issues across the environment, including SAN connectivity/cabling checks from the NetApp side. While it is not a Cisco fabric manager, it is the NetApp tool used during installation and verification phases to identify configuration and connection problems that affect successful deployment into a SAN environment (for example, incorrect connectivity patterns or misconfigurations that would impact host/storage access).

Option A (Brocade SAN Health) is purpose-built for Brocade environments and does not match “Cisco MDS fabric configuration.” Option C (Active IQ) focuses on NetApp system health, telemetry, and risks for NetApp arrays rather than providing direct insight into a Cisco MDS fabric configuration.

Therefore, the two tools that best satisfy “insight into their existing Cisco MDS fabric configuration” in the context of deploying NetApp SAN storage areB. Cisco DCNM(Cisco-side fabric visibility) andD. Active IQ Config Advisor(NetApp-side installation validation and connectivity/configuration checks relevant to the fabric integration).

Mailbox disks store HA metadata and partner state information required for takeover and giveback operations.

Explanation (250–350 words):

Cluster peering authentication is a foundational ONTAP SAN concept that ensures secure trust between clusters before data replication can occur. Authentication is performed during the peering process and establishes mutual trust.

ONTAP supportspassphrase-based authentication, where a passphrase is either user-defined orautomatically generated by ONTAP. This passphrase is exchanged between clusters to authenticate the peer relationship. LDAP is not used for cluster peering authentication.

Administrators can verify the authentication and status of cluster peering relationships using thecluster peer showcommand, which displays peer state, availability, and authentication status.

Peering encryption can be enabled independently and does not require authentication to be completed first, making option C incorrect.

Therefore, the correct answers areA and D.