Nutanix NCP-DB Nutanix Certified Professional - Database Automation (NCP-DB v6.10) Exam Practice Test

When an administrator needs to scale the size of an Oracle database running on Nutanix NDB and originally configured using ASMLib (Automatic Storage Management Library), the most efficient approach is to use NDB’s built-in scaling ability to resize existing vDisks. NDB supports dynamic resizing of virtual disks (vDisks) associated with database VMs, allowing the administrator to increase storage capacity without disrupting the database or requiring complex migrations. This method leverages Nutanix’s storage integration, resizing the underlying vDisks and updating the ASMLib configuration to reflect the new size, ensuring seamless operation.

Option A (Leverage the scaling ability built into NDB to resize existing vDisks) is correct as it is the most efficient, native NDB feature for scaling storage.

Option B (Extend the size by adding new vDisks) is incorrect because adding new vDisks requires additional configuration (e.g., ASM disk group adjustments), making it less efficient than resizing.

Option C (Create a new, larger database and migrate) is incorrect because migration is time-consuming and unnecessary when resizing is supported.

Option D (Mount an iSCSI LUN and extend the database onto the new LUN) is incorrect because iSCSI LUNs are not the preferred method in NDB, and resizing vDisks is more integrated.

This approach minimizes downtime and complexity.

References

Nutanix Database Service (NDB) User Guide, Chapter 4: Managing Database Servers, Section: Scaling Storage for Databases

Nutanix Support & Insights, Knowledge Base Article: "Resizing vDisks for Oracle Databases in NDB"

Nutanix Certified Professional - Database Automation (NCP-DB) v6.5 Blueprint, Section 4: Manage Database Servers

An administrator can configure a custom SSL certificate for Era through the Era User Interface (UI)1. This can be done by logging into the Nutanix Console and selecting SSL Certificates from the drop-down list inside the gear icon23. In the SSL Certificate dialog box, the administrator can click Replace Certificate, then select the Import Key and Certificate radio button23. This process ensures secure communication within the Nutanix Era environment4.

A Network Profile is a collection of network settings that are used to provision database server VMs in NDB. A Network Profile can include one or more VLANs, IP ranges, and DNS servers. To make new VLANs available when provisioning an Oracle cluster database, you need to update the Network Profile to include the new VLANs. You can do this by editing the existing Network Profile or creating a new one with the new VLANs. You do not need to create or update the VLANs in Prism Element, as NDB can discover the VLANs configured in AHV1. References:

Nutanix Database Management & Automation (NDMA) course, Module 2, Lesson 2.4 - Network Profiles

Nutanix Support & Insights, Nutanix NDB User Guide v2.5, Network Profiles

Nutanix Certified Professional - Database Automation (NCP-DB), Section 2 - Deploy and Configure an NDB Solution

A "dark site" refers to an environment with no internet connectivity, requiring manual processes for software updates. For Nutanix Database Service (NDB) in such a setup, updates cannot be downloaded automatically from the internet. The correct procedure is to:

Download the upgrade bundle: Access the Nutanix Support Portal from a system with internet access and download the NDB upgrade bundle specific to the version (e.g., v6.10 or later).

Manually upload it to the NDB server: Transfer the bundle to the NDB server (e.g., via SCP or USB) and upload it through the NDB interface under the "Software Updates" or "Maintenance" section.

Other options are incorrect in a dark site context:

B: The "Administrator > Maintenance" section allows initiating updates, but it cannot download files without internet access.

C: Changing the network to access https://download.nutanix.com defeats the dark site’s isolation and is impractical.

D: Uploading to Prism Element > Images is for VM images or other Prism-specific content, not NDB software updates.

Thus, the verified answer is A, aligning with Nutanix’s documented process for dark site updates.

Official Nutanix Database Automation References

Nutanix Database Management & Automation (NDMA) course, Module 2: Deploying and Configuring an NDB Solution, Lesson 2.4: Updating NDB in Dark Sites.

Nutanix Certified Professional - Database Automation (NCP-DB) v6.5 Knowledge Objectives, Section 2: Deploy and Configure an NDB Solution, Objective 2.3: Perform NDB Updates (applicable to v6.10).

Nutanix NDB Administration Guide: "Updating NDB in a Dark Site Environment" section.

 In Nutanix Era, a Volume Group is the recommended storage provisioning method for a large I/O-intensive database that doesn’t support a multi-disk layout1. A Volume Group in Nutanix Era is a collection of disks that can be managed as a single entity, providing a way to aggregate the storage capacity of multiple disks into a larger storage unit1. This allows for better performance optimization as it enables the database to leverage the combined I/O capabilities of all the disks in the group1. It’s important to note that while other options like Load Balancing, Storage Spaces, and vDisk based provisioning can also be used in certain scenarios, a Volume Group is specifically designed for situations where a single, high-performance storage unit is required1.

Time Machine data access is a feature of Nutanix Database Service (NDB) that allows you to access a point-in-time snapshot of a database without restoring it. To use this feature, you need to create a Data Access Management (DAM) policy that defines the access mode, the source database, the destination cluster, and the storage container mapping. The storage container mapping is needed when the source database and the NDB Server containers are different, because NDB needs to know where to store the metadata and the clone of the source database. If the source database and the NDB Server containers are the same, then NDB will use the same container for both the metadata and the clone. References:

Nutanix Certified Professional - Database Automation (NCP-DB), Section 5 - Protect NDB-managed Databases Using Time Machine

Database (NCP-DB) Exam Blueprint Guide - Nutanix, Page 9, Objective 5.6

Nutanix Database Management & Automation (NDMA) course, Module 4, Lesson 4.2 - Data Access Management

When using the "Patch OS now" feature in NDB to apply updates to a Red Hat-based operating system, the administrator can limit updates to security patches only by leveraging the Advanced Options. Under the "Custom commands" section of the operating system patching command window, entering yum update --security instructs the package manager to install only security-related updates. This ensures the system remains secure without applying all available updates, which could introduce instability.

Other options are incorrect or incomplete:

A. Point the database VM to a custom patch repository and enter yum update --security command: This requires manual intervention outside NDB’s patching framework.

B. Check Advanced Options and under Pre-post commands, enter yum update security in the pre-operating system patching command window: Pre-post commands are for pre/post actions, not the main patching process, and the syntax lacks the --security flag.

C. Point the database VM to a custom patch repository before using the Patch OS now feature: This sets up a repository but doesn’t specify security-only updates within NDB’s interface.

Thus, the verified answer is D, aligning with NDB’s patching customization.

Official Nutanix Database Automation References

Nutanix Database Management & Automation (NDMA) course, Module 6: Maintenance and Patching, Lesson 6.3: Creating Maintenance Plans.

Nutanix Certified Professional - Database Automation (NCP-DB) v6.5 Knowledge Objectives, Section 6: Optimize NDB Solutions, Objective 6.3: Manage Maintenance Plans (applicable to v6.10).

Nutanix NDB Administration Guide: "Patch OS Now with Custom Commands" section.

In a high availability (HA) Nutanix Database Service (NDB) environment, custom SSL certificates are used to secure communication between clients (e.g., NDB GUI, API calls) and the NDB control plane. The HA Proxy VMs serve as the entry point for all external traffic, load balancing requests across the NDB API server VMs and providing secure SSL termination. When configuring custom SSL certificates, they must be updated on all HA Proxy VMs to ensure consistent and secure communication across the HA environment. Updating only a subset of servers or other components (like API or Repository VMs) would lead to inconsistencies or SSL handshake failures.

Option A (All API server VMs) is incorrect because the API servers do not directly handle external SSL termination; this is managed by the HA Proxy layer.

Option B (All HA Proxy VMs) is correct as these VMs are responsible for SSL termination and load balancing in an HA setup, requiring the custom certificates to be applied uniformly.

Option C (The API and Repository VMs running on the primary cluster) is incorrect because Repository VMs do not handle client-facing traffic, and the API servers rely on HA Proxy for SSL handling.

Option D (The primary API, Repository, and HA Proxy servers) is incorrect because it implies a single "primary" server focus, whereas in an HA setup, all HA Proxy VMs (not just a primary one) must be updated.

This aligns with NDB’s HA architecture, where HA Proxy VMs are the critical components for SSL certificate management.

References

Nutanix Database Service (NDB) User Guide, Chapter 3: Configuring an NDB Environment, Section: Configuring High Availability and SSL Certificates

Nutanix Support & Insights, Knowledge Base Article: "Configuring Custom SSL Certificates in NDB HA Environments"

Nutanix Certified Professional - Database Automation (NCP-DB) v6.5 Blueprint, Section 3: Configure an NDB Environment

The recovery plans policy defines the Time Machine data availability across multiple registered clusters in NDB. The recovery plans policy allows the database administrator to specify the source and target clusters, the frequency and retention of the cross-cluster snapshots, and the network and compute profiles for the recovery operations. The recovery plans policy helps to ensure the disaster recovery and business continuity of the NDB-managed databases in case of a cluster failure or outage.

The data access management policy defines the access permissions and roles for the NDB users and groups. The data access management policy allows the database administrator to grant or revoke access to the NDB instance, the database server VMs, the databases, and the database operations. The data access management policy helps to ensure the security and compliance of the NDB-managed databases and users.

The data protection policy defines the backup and restore settings for the NDB-managed databases. The data protection policy allows the database administrator to specify the frequency, retention, and compression of the database snapshots, and the backup location and encryption for the database backups. The data protection policy helps to ensure the backup and recovery of the NDB-managed databases within the same cluster.

The service level agreements policy defines the performance and availability metrics for the NDB-managed databases. The service level agreements policy allows the database administrator to monitor and enforce the database uptime, latency, throughput, and IOPS. The service level agreements policy helps to ensure the quality of service and performance of the NDB-managed databases.

References:

Nutanix Database Management & Automation Training Course, Module 4: Nutanix Era Configuration, Lesson 4.1: Nutanix Era Configuration, slide 9.

Nutanix Database Management & Automation Training Course, Module 5: Nutanix Era Operations, Lesson 5.1: Nutanix Era Operations, slides 8, 12, 16, 20.

Nutanix Database Management & Automation Training Course, Module 6: Nutanix Era Disaster Recovery, Lesson 6.1: Nutanix Era Disaster Recovery, slides 5-7.

When creating a clone on an existing database server but no Authorized database servers are defined to support the cloned database, the administrator must authorize the necessary Database Server VMs. Two valid methods exist within NDB: (1) Using the Time Machine interface, the administrator can navigate to the Actions menu and select "Authorize Database Server VMs" to designate specific VMs for clone support, providing a proactive authorization step. (2) During the Clone creation process, the wizard includes an option (e.g., a plus icon) to authorize one or more database server VMs on the fly, streamlining the process if authorization is needed mid-operation.

Option A (Within Time Machine, use the Actions menu and Authorize Database Server VMs to identify which database server VMs to authorize for clones) is correct as it is a dedicated authorization method in Time Machine.

Option B (Within the Database Server VM Summary window, update the database server to be authorized for supporting cloned databases) is incorrect because the Summary window is for viewing, not authorizing, clone support.

Option C (During the Clone creation process, click the plus icon to authorize one or more database server VMs) is correct as it allows real-time authorization during cloning.

Option D (During the database server provisioning process, flag the database server to be authorized for supporting cloned databases) is incorrect because authorization is not typically set during initial provisioning but rather during clone operations.

These methods ensure the clone can be created on authorized servers.

References

Nutanix Database Service (NDB) User Guide, Chapter 5: Configuring Time Machines, Section: Authorizing Database Servers for Clones

Nutanix Certified Professional - Database Automation (NCP-DB) v6.5 Blueprint, Section 5: Protect Databases Using Time Machine

NDB Agents handle log backups for database instances, but storing these backups locally can lead to bottlenecks (e.g., disk I/O, storage capacity). To alleviate this, integrating NDB with Nutanix Objects is the recommended solution. Nutanix Objects is an S3-compatible object storage service within the Nutanix ecosystem, ideal for offloading log backups from NDB Agents to a scalable, centralized storage platform. This reduces local storage pressure, improves performance, and ensures strict SLAs for database recovery by leveraging efficient backup retrieval.

Other options are less effective:

A: Integrating with AWS S3 or Azure Blob is possible but requires external connectivity and introduces latency, complexity, and cost compared to Nutanix Objects.

B: Adding NDB Agent VMs increases management overhead and doesn’t address the root storage bottleneck.

D: Increasing RAM/CPU on NDB Agents may help processing but doesn’t solve storage capacity or I/O issues for log backups.

Thus, C is the verified answer, aligning with Nutanix’s integrated ecosystem approach.

Official Nutanix Database Automation References

Nutanix Database Management & Automation (NDMA) course, Module 5: Data Protection and Recovery, Lesson 5.3: Configuring Log Backup Storage.

Nutanix Certified Professional - Database Automation (NCP-DB) v6.5 Knowledge Objectives, Section 5: Protect Databases Using NDB, Objective 5.3: Configure Backup Storage Options (applicable to v6.10).

Nutanix NDB Administration Guide: "Integrating NDB with Nutanix Objects for Log Backups" section.

To change the NDB GUI password via the CLI, the administrator should use the command era-server > security password reset. This command interacts with the NDB server (referred to as era-server in the CLI context) to reset the password for the GUI admin user. The process typically prompts for the new password and confirmation, ensuring secure password management. This is the supported method for CLI-based password changes in NDB.

Other options are incorrect:

A. sudo passwd era: The passwd command is for Linux user accounts, not NDB-specific GUI credentials.

B. sudo user name admin password: This is not a valid command syntax for NDB CLI.

C. era-server > username admin password: This lacks the correct subcommand (security password reset) and syntax.

Thus, the verified answer is D, aligning with NDB’s CLI security management.

Official Nutanix Database Automation References

Nutanix Database Management & Automation (NDMA) course, Module 2: Deploying and Configuring an NDB Solution, Lesson 2.6: Managing NDB via CLI.

Nutanix Certified Professional - Database Automation (NCP-DB) v6.5 Knowledge Objectives, Section 2: Deploy and Configure an NDB Solution, Objective 2.5: Manage NDB Security (applicable to v6.10).

Nutanix NDB Administration Guide: "Changing GUI Password via CLI" section, detailing era-server commands.

To assign the minimum permissions required for provisioning new databases in an NDB deployment, the IT manager should assign the Database Administrator role. This role provides the necessary privileges to provision, configure, and manage database instances within NDB, including creating new databases using software profiles and registering database servers. It is designed for database-specific tasks without granting broader infrastructure or administrative control, making it the least privileged role suited for this purpose.

Other options exceed the minimum requirements:

A. Infrastructure Administrator: Manages cluster infrastructure (e.g., storage, networking), which is more than needed for database provisioning.

B. Super Administrator: Grants full control over NDB, including user management and system configuration, far beyond provisioning.

C. Database Infrastructure Administrator: Includes infrastructure management in addition to database tasks, exceeding the minimum scope.

Thus, the verified answer is D, aligning with the principle of least privilege.

Official Nutanix Database Automation References

Nutanix Database Management & Automation (NDMA) course, Module 1: Introduction to NDB, Lesson 1.4: Managing Users and Roles.

Nutanix Certified Professional - Database Automation (NCP-DB) v6.5 Knowledge Objectives, Section 1: Understand NDB Basics, Objective 1.3: Manage User Permissions (applicable to v6.10).

Nutanix NDB Administration Guide: "Role-Based Access Control (RBAC)" section, detailing Database Administrator role.

 The correct answer is C because the NDB Database Agent service is responsible for scheduling and monitoring the NDB-related operations, such as provisioning, patching, cloning, and restoring databases. The NDB Database Agent service is deployed on the NDB server and on each of the database server VMs provisioned by NDB. It contains the tools required to perform each task and communicates with the NDB server through the NDB API. The other options are not correct because they describe different components or functions of the NDB solution. Option A is not correct because the transaction logs are not stored by the NDB Database Agent service, but by the NDB Time Machine service, which is a distributed file system that stores the database snapshots and logs. Option B is not correct because the source databases are not hosted by the NDB Database Agent service, but by the database server VMs, which are virtual machines that contain an instance of the database engine software and the database files. Option D is not correct because the NDB Database Agent service does not contain an instance of the database engine software, but only the tools required to perform the NDB-related operations. The database engine software is installed on the database server VMs, which are provisioned by NDB using the profiles defined by the administrator. References: Nutanix Database Management & Automation (NDMA) course, Nutanix Certified Professional - Database Automation (NCP-DB) certification, Nutanix NCP-DB Certification Exam Syllabus and Study Guide, Nutanix Support & Insights

NDB can leverage snapshots and transaction logs to refresh a database clone to the latest state of the source database. Snapshots are point-in-time copies of the database that are stored on the Nutanix cluster. Transaction logs are records of the changes made to the database after the snapshot was taken. NDB can use either snapshots or transaction logs, or a combination of both, to refresh a database clone. Cerebro logs and templates are not used for refreshing database clones. Cerebro logs are used for log catch-up operations, which are different from refresh operations. Templates are used for provisioning new databases, not for refreshing existing ones. References:

Nutanix Database Management & Automation (NDMA) course, Module 4, Lesson 4.3 - Refreshing Clones

Nutanix Support & Insights, Nutanix NDB User Guide v2.5, Clone Database Management

The minimum frequency configurable for the NDB Log Catch-up operation is 15 minutes. This setting determines how frequently the log catch-up process runs, which is crucial for maintaining data integrity and ensuring up-to-date database states.References: Nutanix Database Automation documentation, focusing on log management and catch-up operation settings.

In NDB, database groups are used to manage multiple Microsoft SQL Server databases collectively, enabling centralized administration and protection policies. The statement "Databases within a database group can share multiple Time Machine configurations" is true. A Time Machine in NDB manages snapshots and log backups for recovery, and a database group can be associated with multiple Time Machine configurations to support different retention policies or recovery point objectives (RPOs) for the databases within the group. This flexibility allows tailored data protection strategies.

Other options are incorrect:

A. Microsoft recommends 35 databases within a single database group: There is no specific Microsoft recommendation for this limit; NDB imposes its own constraints based on performance and resource usage.

C. NDB supports one database group per database server VM or database server cluster: NDB allows multiple database groups per server or cluster, depending on configuration.

D. Databases within a database group must be all of the same size: NDB does not enforce uniform database sizes within a group.

Thus, the verified answer is B, reflecting NDB’s Time Machine flexibility.

Official Nutanix Database Automation References

Nutanix Database Management & Automation (NDMA) course, Module 3: Managing Database Instances, Lesson 3.6: Managing Database Groups.

Nutanix Certified Professional - Database Automation (NCP-DB) v6.5 Knowledge Objectives, Section 3: Manage NDB Solutions, Objective 3.5: Configure Database Groups (applicable to v6.10).

Nutanix NDB Administration Guide: "Database Groups and Time Machine Configurations" section.

For a One-Click Upgrade of an NDB environment with internet access, the patch should be downloaded directly within the NDB interface. The "Administrator > Maintenance" section of NDB provides an option to connect to the Nutanix download repository (e.g., https://download.nutanix.com) and download the latest patch or upgrade bundle automatically. This streamlined process ensures compatibility and simplifies the upgrade workflow. The One-Click Upgrade feature then applies the downloaded patch to update NDB components efficiently.

Other options are incorrect:

A. Download the patch from the Nutanix Support Portal and upload via the NDB CLI: This is suitable for dark sites but unnecessary with internet access, as NDB can download directly.

C. Open Prism Central and deploy the current version of NDB from the Apps and Marketplace section: This is for initial deployment, not upgrading an existing NDB instance.

D. Open Prism Element and use LCM to update the software: Lifecycle Manager (LCM) is for Nutanix cluster updates, not NDB-specific upgrades.

Thus, the verified answer is B, leveraging NDB’s built-in maintenance capabilities.

Official Nutanix Database Automation References

Nutanix Database Management & Automation (NDMA) course, Module 2: Deploying and Configuring an NDB Solution, Lesson 2.4: Updating NDB with Internet Access.

Nutanix Certified Professional - Database Automation (NCP-DB) v6.5 Knowledge Objectives, Section 2: Deploy and Configure an NDB Solution, Objective 2.3: Perform NDB Updates (applicable to v6.10).

Nutanix NDB Administration Guide: "One-Click Upgrade Process" section.

When an administrator cannot proceed with the first step of the wizard to provision a new Oracle single instance database in NDB, the most likely reason is that a software profile for Oracle is missing. NDB requires a software profile (which defines the database version, patches, and configuration) to provision a database instance. Without a profile created from a reference VM or uploaded manually, the wizard cannot proceed, as it relies on this profile to configure the instance correctly.

Option A (Time Machine is not configured) is incorrect because Time Machine is optional for backups and not required for initial provisioning.

Option B (Software profile is missing) is correct as it is a mandatory prerequisite for provisioning any database instance.

Option C (No remote clusters are configured) is incorrect because remote clusters are relevant for multi-cluster setups, not single instance provisioning.

Option D (A snapshot must be taken on the original DB) is incorrect because snapshots are for protection, not a prerequisite for provisioning.

The administrator must create or import a software profile to resolve this issue.

References

Nutanix Database Service (NDB) User Guide, Chapter 4: Managing Software Profiles, Section: Provisioning Databases

Nutanix Support & Insights, Knowledge Base Article: "Troubleshooting Provisioning Failures in NDB"

Nutanix Certified Professional - Database Automation (NCP-DB) v6.5 Blueprint, Section 4: Manage Database Software Profiles

The correct answer is C because it follows the recommended procedure for applying a CU to a SQL Server Software Profile in NDB. By applying the patch to the profile VM, the administrator ensures that the CU is compatible with the existing Software Profile settings and configuration. By creating a new Software Profile version, the administrator preserves the previous version of the Software Profile for rollback purposes and allows the new version to be tested and published. Option A is incorrect because it deletes the existing Software Profile, which may cause data loss and prevent rollback. Option B is incorrect because it does not apply the patch to the profile VM, which may result in errors or inconsistencies in the Software Profile. Option D is incorrect because it creates a new Software Profile instead of a new version, which may cause confusion and duplication.

References: The following sources provide more information about the Software Profile management and patching in NDB:

Nutanix Database Management & Automation (NDMA) course, Module 5: Patching Databases Using NDB, Lesson 5.2: Creating and Modifying Software Profiles

Nutanix Certified Professional - Database Automation (NCP-DB) v6.5, Knowledge Objectives, Section 4 - Operate and Maintain an NDB Environment

Nutanix Database Service (NDB) User Guide, Chapter 5: Patching Databases Using NDB, Section 5.2: Creating and Modifying Software Profiles

Nutanix Database Service (NDB) User Guide, Chapter 5: Patching Databases Using NDB, Section 5.3: Testing and Publishing Database Patches

 Before patching a Linux OS on a database server VM provisioned using NDB, you must configure the repository for the OS updates. This can be done by creating a Repository Profile in NDB and specifying the URL, username, and password for the repository. The Repository Profile can be applied to one or more database server VMs during the provisioning process or later. By configuring the repository, you ensure that NDB can access and download the latest OS patches from a trusted source. References: Nutanix Database Automation (NCP-DB) Course Details, Nutanix Database Automation (NCP-DB) Certification Details, Nutanix Database Automation (NCP-DB) YouTube Playlist, Nutanix Database Automation User Guide.

NDB supports Linux OS patching for database server VMs. Linux OS patching is performed by using the yum or apt package managers, depending on the Linux distribution. To exclude Kernel patches for the Linux OS, the administrator can disable or exclude the appropriate repositories on the VM prior to patching. This can be done by editing the yum.conf or apt.conf files, or by using the --disablerepo or --exclude options in the yum or apt commands. This way, the administrator can control which patches are applied to the VM without affecting other VMs or requiring additional scripts or reboots.

References:

Nutanix Database Automation (NCP-DB) Course Details, Section 4.2: NDB Linux OS Patching

Nutanix Database Automation (NCP-DB) Certification Details, Objective 4.2: Perform Linux OS Patching

Nutanix Database Automation (NCP-DB) YouTube Playlist, Video 4.2: NDB Linux OS Patching

Nutanix Database Automation (NCP-DB) User Guide, Section 4.5: Patch Linux OS Software

To provision a PostgreSQL HA instance from a software profile created from a VM with services like etcd, HAProxy, Patroni, and keepalived installed, the administrator must ensure the instance aligns with NDB’s HA framework. These services (e.g., Patroni for PostgreSQL HA management, HAProxy for load balancing) may conflict with NDB’s built-in HA mechanisms. Provisioning an HA instance with these services disabled allows NDB to manage HA using its native replication and failover capabilities (e.g., streaming replication), avoiding duplication or interference from the VM’s pre-installed services.

Option A (Provision an HA instance with the services enabled) is incorrect because enabling these services may cause conflicts with NDB’s HA management.

Option B (Disable the services, create a software profile version, and provision an HA instance) is incorrect because disabling services and recreating a profile is unnecessary; the provisioning step can handle service configuration.

Option C (Provision an HA instance with the services disabled) is correct as it ensures NDB’s HA features take precedence without interference.

Option D (Enable the services, create a software profile version, and provision an HA instance) is incorrect due to potential conflicts with NDB’s HA implementation.

Note: The typo "PostqreSQL" is assumed to mean "PostgreSQL."

References

Nutanix Database Service (NDB) User Guide, Chapter 4: Managing Database Engines, Section: Provisioning HA Instances

Nutanix Certified Professional - Database Automation (NCP-DB) v6.5 Blueprint, Section 4: Manage Database Engines

Point in Time Recovery (PITR) is a feature of NDB that allows restoring a database to any point in time within the retention period of the SLA. To enable PITR, the SLA must support Continuous Log retention, which means that NDB captures and stores the database logs continuously. This allows NDB to replay the logs from the last snapshot to the desired point in time during the restore process. The other options do not enable PITR, but rather affect the frequency and timing of the snapshots and log catch up operations.

References: Nutanix Support & Insights, section “NDB Time Machine Point in Time Recovery”

When downloading a list of alerts from NDB, the available file format is csv (Comma-Separated Values). NDB provides this format to export alert data (e.g., alert ID, timestamp, severity, description) in a structured, machine-readable way that can be easily imported into spreadsheet applications like Microsoft Excel or analyzed programmatically. This aligns with NDB’s focus on operational efficiency and data portability.

Other options are not supported:

A. xlsx: Excel’s native format is not offered by NDB for alert exports.

C. xml: Not a supported format for alert downloads in NDB.

D. pdf: Used for reports, not alert list exports.

Thus, the verified answer is B, reflecting NDB’s export capabilities.

Official Nutanix Database Automation References

Nutanix Database Management & Automation (NDMA) course, Module 6: Monitoring and Alerts, Lesson 6.2: Managing Alerts.

Nutanix Certified Professional - Database Automation (NCP-DB) v6.5 Knowledge Objectives, Section 6: Optimize NDB Solutions, Objective 6.2: Manage Alerts (applicable to v6.10).

Nutanix NDB Administration Guide: "Exporting Alerts" section, specifying CSV format.

Nutanix Database Automation (NCP-DB) simplifies database provisioning using predefined profiles customized to your environment. Software profiles, which are templates of the OS and database engine, allow you to maintain consistent software versions1. You then use additional profiles to customize that deployment1.

The Nutanix Era platform provides a feature called Time Machine, which is designed to manage the lifecycle of database copies and clones1. When a new table is added to the source database, the administrator should perform a Log Catch-up using the source database’s Time Machine. This action ensures that the Time Machine captures the latest state of the source database, including the newly added table1. After performing the Log Catch-up, the administrator should refresh the clone database. The refresh operation updates the clone with the latest state captured by the Time Machine, thereby publishing the new table to the clone1.

Nutanix Era is a database management system that provides API endpoints for automation and integration with external applications. These API calls are typically made over HTTPS for security, and the standard ports for HTTPS are 443 and 94401. Please note that the actual ports used can depend on the specific configuration of the Nutanix Era system. It’s always a good idea to check the system’s documentation or consult with the system administrator for the most accurate information.

To deploy Microsoft SQL Servers in an Active Directory (AD) environment and select a specific service account to start up the database, the administrator must configure a Windows domain profile in NDB. A Windows domain profile defines the AD integration settings, including the service account credentials (e.g., username and password) that NDB uses to authenticate and manage the SQL Server instances. This configuration ensures the database starts and runs under the specified AD service account, aligning with enterprise security policies.

Option A (Compute profile) is incorrect because a compute profile defines VM resources (CPU, memory), not AD or service account settings.

Option B (Sysprep Windows image) is incorrect because Sysprep is for generalizing Windows images, not configuring AD service accounts.

Option C (Windows domain profile) is correct as it is the specific NDB feature for AD integration and service account management.

Option D (Database parameters) is incorrect because database parameters tune database settings, not AD authentication.

This configuration ensures secure and compliant SQL Server deployment.

References

Nutanix Database Service (NDB) User Guide, Chapter 2: Deploying and Configuring an NDB Solution, Section: Configuring Windows Domain Profiles

Nutanix Certified Professional - Database Automation (NCP-DB) v6.5 Blueprint, Section 2: Deploy and Configure an NDB Solution

The Nutanix Era API documentation is available on the Nutanix.dev API Reference page12. This documentation outlines the operations that are possible with the Era APIs2. In addition to the API reference, the NutanixDev code samples repo provides working code that implements the practices shown in the documentation1. The Era API Explorer is another resource that provides a comprehensive view of the available APIs, allowing users to interactively explore and test the APIs. However, there is no mention of a specific “Era GitHub API Repository” or the “Nutanix Support Portal” being used as a reference resource for Nutanix Era APIs in the provided resources. Therefore, the correct answers are B. Nutanix.dev API Reference and C. Era API Explorer.

Nutanix Era is a database management solution that automates and simplifies database administration tasks such as provisioning, patching, cloning, and backup. In the event of a database crash, the most effective way to minimize data loss and reduce restore time is to perform a restore of the source database by selecting the most recent point in time and including the Tail log Backup12.

The Tail log Backup includes all the transactions that have occurred since the last transaction log backup, which helps to minimize data loss. By selecting the most recent point in time for the restore, the administrator ensures that the database is restored to the state it was in just before the crash, thereby reducing the amount of data that needs to be reprocessed or reentered12. This approach aligns with the Nutanix Era’s capabilities and best practices for database recovery12.

The correct answer is D because it allows the administrator to make the profile available to all users without requiring any additional permissions or roles. A profile is a collection of settings that define how NDB manages a database server or a database. By default, a profile is only available to the user who created it and the Database Admin role. To make a profile available to all users, the administrator can update the profile and set the available state to All. This will enable all users to view and use the profile for their database operations. The other options are not correct because they either require additional steps or do not achieve the desired outcome. Option A is not correct because creating an Access Control role with the Create Profile right and assigning it to all users will only allow them to create their own profiles, not use the existing one. Option B is not correct because creating an Access Control group with the desired users and granting it the Database Admin role will only make the profile available to those users, not all users. Option C is not correct because updating the profile and setting the status to Published will not change the availability of the profile, only the state of the profile. A published profile is a profile that has been tested and verified by the administrator and is ready for use. A draft profile is a profile that is still under development or testing and is not ready for use. References: Nutanix Database Management & Automation (NDMA) course, Nutanix Certified Professional - Database Automation (NCP-DB) certification, Nutanix NCP-DB Certification Exam Syllabus and Study Guide, Nutanix Certified Professional - Database Automation (NCP-DB) datasheet

According to the NDB documentation, the NDB patching process for MongoDB Server Cluster follows these steps1:

NDB identifies the primary member of the MongoDB Server Cluster and patches it first.

NDB triggers a failover to elect a new primary member from the remaining secondary members.

NDB patches the former primary member, which becomes a secondary member after the failover.

NDB patches the remaining secondary members one by one.

NDB verifies the patching status and the cluster health.

This process ensures that the MongoDB Server Cluster always has a primary member available to handle write operations, while minimizing the downtime and the impact on the cluster performance.

References: Nutanix Support & Insights, section “Patching a MongoDB Server Cluster”

When consolidating Microsoft SQL Server instances on database server VMs managed by NDB using a medium compute profile, concerns about DB storage capacity can arise due to increased demand. In NDB, the appropriate task to address this is to "Update the Database Server VMs," which allows the administrator to adjust resource allocations, including storage capacity, for the VMs hosting the databases. This task can be performed within the NDB interface to expand disk space or reconfigure storage settings without altering the compute profile or requiring external tools.

Option A (Update the Database server VMs) is correct as it provides a direct method in NDB to modify VM resources, including storage.

Option B (Expand vDisk in Prism Element) is incorrect because NDB manages database VMs holistically, and storage expansion should be handled through NDB’s Update task rather than Prism Element directly.

Option C (Update the compute profile) is incorrect because compute profiles define CPU and memory, not storage capacity.

Option D (Scale the source database) is incorrect as scaling typically refers to database-level adjustments (e.g., adding nodes), not VM storage expansion.

This approach ensures seamless integration with NDB’s management framework.

References

Nutanix Database Service (NDB) User Guide, Chapter 4: Managing Database Servers, Section: Updating Database Server VMs

Nutanix Certified Professional - Database Automation (NCP-DB) v6.5 Blueprint, Section 4: Manage Database Servers

An administrator needs to provision multiple database clones from the same source database for different purposes (e.g., QA and Test/Development) while avoiding resource starvation by differentiating VM resources for each department. The most efficient way to achieve this is by creating multiple Compute profiles in NDB. Compute profiles define CPU, memory, and other resource allocations for VMs, allowing the administrator to tailor resource limits (e.g., higher resources for QA, lower for Development) and apply them during clone provisioning. This approach is built into NDB, ensuring consistent resource management without manual adjustments.

Option A (Create multiple Compute profiles) is correct as it provides a scalable and efficient way to allocate resources per department.

Option B (Leverage NCM Self Service to deploy database clones) is incorrect because Nutanix Cluster Management (NCM) Self Service is for end-user provisioning, not resource differentiation.

Option C (Use a VM Template for each department) is incorrect because VM templates are less flexible and not natively integrated with NDB clone provisioning.

Option D (Generate a playbook to resize database VMs when released) is incorrect because playbooks are for automation, not initial resource allocation, and resizing post-provisioning is less efficient.

This method optimizes resource use across departments.

References

Nutanix Database Service (NDB) User Guide, Chapter 4: Managing Database Servers, Section: Configuring Compute Profiles

Nutanix Certified Professional - Database Automation (NCP-DB) v6.5 Blueprint, Section 4: Manage Database Servers

When a vCenter instance managing multiple clusters, including a Nutanix cluster hosting the NDB service, crashes and a new dedicated vCenter server is deployed, the administrator must update the vCenter settings within NDB to re-establish connectivity and management. The correct action is to navigate to the NDB Administration page, where cluster and vCenter configurations can be updated. This page allows the administrator to re-register the new vCenter instance, ensuring NDB can continue to manage the clusters and database VMs effectively. This approach avoids unnecessary reconfiguration wizards or waiting for automatic syncs.

Option A (Click the Getting Started page and perform the configuration wizard) is incorrect because the Getting Started wizard is for initial setup, not post-crash vCenter updates.

Option B (Update cluster settings from the NDB administration page) is correct as it provides the specific interface to modify vCenter settings after a crash.

Option C (Open the maintenance page in NDB and configure the cluster settings) is incorrect because the maintenance page is for service operations, not vCenter reconfiguration.

Option D (Wait 60 minutes and Prism Central will automatically sync NDB) is incorrect because Prism Central does not automatically sync vCenter settings in NDB; manual updates are required.

This ensures seamless integration with the new vCenter instance.

References

Nutanix Database Service (NDB) User Guide, Chapter 6: Administering an NDB Environment, Section: Updating vCenter Settings

Nutanix Support & Insights, Knowledge Base Article: "Reconfiguring vCenter in NDB After Failure"

Nutanix Certified Professional - Database Automation (NCP-DB) v6.5 Blueprint, Section 6: Administer an NDB Environment

The Alerts dashboard in Nutanix displays alert messages with three severity levels: Critical, Warning, and Info1. These severity levels help users understand the importance and urgency of each alert, allowing them to prioritize their responses accordingly1.

In an NDB HA (High Availability) setup, when planning an electrical maintenance window requiring the clusters hosting NDB to be powered off, the administrator must follow a controlled shutdown sequence to preserve data integrity and minimize disruption. After shutting down the load balancer server (HAProxy), the next step is to shut down the API standby node. In an NDB HA configuration, the API leader node handles active operations, while the standby node provides redundancy. Shutting down the standby node first ensures the leader remains operational, allowing ongoing management tasks to continue until the final shutdown of the leader node.

Option A (In the sudo systemctl stop patroni command) is incorrect because Patroni is used for PostgreSQL HA, not NDB HA node management.

Option B (Shutdown the API standby node) is correct as it follows the recommended HA shutdown order, preserving active services.

Option C (Run the high-availability list command) is incorrect because this is a diagnostic command, not a shutdown step.

Option D (Shutdown the API leader node) is incorrect because the leader should be the last node shut down to maintain service availability.

This sequence ensures a graceful shutdown of the NDB HA environment.

References

Nutanix Database Service (NDB) User Guide, Chapter 3: Configuring an NDB Environment, Section: Managing HA Shutdown Procedures

Nutanix Support & Insights, Knowledge Base Article: "Shutting Down NDB HA During Maintenance"

Nutanix Certified Professional - Database Automation (NCP-DB) v6.5 Blueprint, Section 3: Configure an NDB Environment

To ensure an NDB server can send periodic telemetry data to the central Nutanix repository, the server must be able to communicate with the Nutanix Insights platform over port 443 (HTTPS). The insights.nutanix.com site is the designated endpoint for telemetry data, which includes usage statistics, health metrics, and other operational data sent to Nutanix for support and analytics purposes. This connectivity is a standard requirement for NDB to comply with Nutanix’s telemetry and support framework, and port 443 is used for secure transmission.

Option A (download.nutanix.com) is incorrect because this site is used for downloading software updates, not telemetry data.

Option B (developers.nutanix.com) is incorrect as it is a resource for developers, not a telemetry endpoint.

Option C (portal.nutanix.com) is incorrect because this is the Nutanix customer portal for account management, not telemetry submission.

Option D (insights.nutanix.com) is correct as it is the specific site for sending telemetry data.

The administrator should ensure network policies allow outbound traffic to this site on port 443.

References

Nutanix Database Service (NDB) User Guide, Chapter 6: Administering an NDB Environment, Section: Telemetry and Connectivity Requirements

Nutanix Support & Insights, Knowledge Base Article: "Configuring Telemetry for NDB"

Nutanix Certified Professional - Database Automation (NCP-DB) v6.5 Blueprint, Section 6: Administer an NDB Environment

According to the Nutanix Database Automation (NCP-DB) learning documents, to create a network profile in Era, the network must be added to Era1. This is because Era needs to have control over the network in order to manage the databases effectively1. Once the network is added to Era, it can be used for various operations such as provisioning new databases, managing existing databases, and more1.

 The optimal path to restore the table back with minimum data loss is to use the point in time restore feature of NDB, which allows the administrator to restore the database to a specific point in time based on the available snapshots and logs1. By restoring using point in time till 10:42pm, the administrator can recover the table just before it was dropped by the user, and minimize the data loss to the least possible amount1. The other options are not optimal, as they either involve restoring an older snapshot, which may result in more data loss, or restoring a non-existent snapshot, which is not possible. References:

1: Nutanix Database Automation (NCP-DB) course, Module 6: Database Recovery, Lesson 6.2: Point in Time Restore, slide 5

After a new NDB deployment, the administrator can test the provisioning capabilities using a database instance that is fully supported and readily configurable out of the box. PostgreSQL is the most suitable option because it is one of the core database engines supported by NDB from the initial deployment, with built-in provisioning templates and HA capabilities. NDB provides a streamlined process to provision PostgreSQL instances, making it an ideal choice for testing provisioning workflows, including VM creation, storage allocation, and network configuration.

Other options may require additional setup or licensing:

B. Oracle DB: Requires specific licensing and additional configuration, not typically available for initial testing.

C. MSSQL Server: Supported but may need Microsoft licensing and setup, less immediate than PostgreSQL.

D. MongoDB: Supported but less commonly used for initial testing due to its NoSQL nature and additional configuration needs.

Thus, the verified answer is A, reflecting PostgreSQL’s accessibility for testing.

Official Nutanix Database Automation References

Nutanix Database Management & Automation (NDMA) course, Module 3: Managing Database Instances, Lesson 3.1: Provisioning Databases.

Nutanix Certified Professional - Database Automation (NCP-DB) v6.5 Knowledge Objectives, Section 3: Manage NDB Solutions, Objective 3.1: Provision Database Instances (applicable to v6.10).

Nutanix NDB Administration Guide: "Supported Databases for Provisioning" section, noting PostgreSQL availability.

When an administrator enables NDB Multi-cluster functionality, certain components are deployed or reconfigured to support the distributed environment. HAProxy (High Availability Proxy) is a critical component that manages load balancing and secure communication across clusters. In a multi-cluster setup, HAProxy is deployed on a dedicated VM to ensure efficient traffic distribution and high availability for NDB services, such as API calls and GUI access, across the clusters. This dedicated deployment enhances scalability and resilience.

Option A (Agent VM) is incorrect because Agent VMs are typically deployed on managed database VMs, not as dedicated NDB service components in multi-cluster setups.

Option B (HAProxy) is correct as it is specifically deployed on a dedicated VM to handle load balancing in a multi-cluster NDB environment.

Option C (Repository DB) is incorrect because the Repository DB is part of the NDB control plane and not necessarily deployed on a separate VM for multi-cluster purposes.

Option D (APIVM) is incorrect because the API VM is part of the core NDB infrastructure but not specifically deployed as a dedicated VM for multi-cluster enablement.

References

Nutanix Database Service (NDB) User Guide, Chapter 3: Configuring an NDB Environment, Section: Multi-Cluster Configuration

Nutanix Certified Professional - Database Automation (NCP-DB) v6.5 Blueprint, Section 3: Configure an NDB Environment

 NDB SLAs are service level agreements that define the data protection and recovery objectives for NDB-managed databases. NDB SLAs consist of data retention policies that specify how long the snapshots and log backups of a database are kept in the Time Machine. Data retention policies can be customized to meet different business and compliance requirements, such as daily, weekly, monthly, or yearly retention periods. NDB SLAs also determine the frequency and schedule of the snapshots and log backups, as well as the storage location and replication options. An administrator who is tasked with auditing NDB SLAs will be reviewing the data retention policies of each database and Time Machine, as well as the snapshot and log backup history and status. The administrator will also be able to monitor the storage usage and performance of the NDB SLAs, and modify or delete the SLAs as needed. The other options are not part of the NDB SLAs, but rather separate features or concepts of NDB. Snapshot schedules are the intervals at which NDB takes snapshots of the databases, which are determined by the SLAs. Clone management is the process of creating, refreshing, or deleting database clones from the Time Machine. Recovery time objective (RTO) is the maximum acceptable time for restoring a database after a failure, which is influenced by the SLAs, but not defined by them. References:

Nutanix Certified Professional - Database Automation (NCP-DB) v6.5, Section 5 - Protect NDB-managed Databases Using Time Machine, Objective 5.1: Create, delete, and modify SLA retention policies

Nutanix Database Management & Automation (NDMA) Course, Module 4: Nutanix Database Service (NDB) Data Protection, Lesson 4.1: Data Protection Overview, Topic: SLA Concepts

Nutanix Database Service (NDB) User Guide, Chapter 6: SLAs, Section: SLA Overview

To register an Oracle Database Server VM to Era in Nutanix Database Automation (NCP-DB), certain dependencies must be met. One of these is that SUDO NOPASS access is required1. This allows the Era service to perform necessary operations on the Oracle Database Server VM. As for assigning a static IP address to the Era VM on ESXi, you can use the vSphere Client to configure static IP settings2. However, this is not directly related to the registration of an Oracle Database Server VM to Era. Please note that these answers are based on the information available as of my last update in 2021 and may need to be verified with the most recent Nutanix Database Automation (NCP-DB) documentation or resources.

If an SQL database clone deletion fails immediately in NDB, the most likely cause is that the clone has been marked as Immutable. An immutable clone is protected from deletion to prevent accidental data loss, often set for critical development or testing environments. This protection must be explicitly removed by the administrator (e.g., via the NDB GUI or CLI) before the deletion can proceed.

Option A (A refresh operation is in progress) is incorrect because a refresh operation would delay but not immediately fail the deletion.

Option B (The clone has been marked as Immutable) is correct as immutability blocks deletion until changed.

Option C (The database was not marked as Offline before the operation) is incorrect because the offline state is not a prerequisite for clone deletion.

Option D (The database data drives are shared with other applications) is incorrect because shared drives might cause issues, but immutability is a more direct cause of immediate failure.

References

Nutanix Database Service (NDB) User Guide, Chapter 5: Configuring Time Machines, Section: Managing Clones and Deletion

Nutanix Support & Insights, Knowledge Base Article: "Troubleshooting Clone Deletion Failures in NDB"

Nutanix Certified Professional - Database Automation (NCP-DB) v6.5 Blueprint, Section 5: Protect Databases Using Time Machine

When an administrator experiences issues with NDB and Nutanix Support requests a diagnostics bundle, it can be generated from two valid locations. The NDB GUI provides an option under the administration or support section to create and download the bundle, offering a user-friendly interface. Alternatively, the NDB CLI allows generation via specific commands (e.g., era diagnostics collect), providing a scriptable approach. Both methods are supported for troubleshooting and support purposes.

Option A (Prism Central GUI) is incorrect because diagnostics for NDB are managed within NDB interfaces, not Prism Central.

Option B (Prism Element GUI) is incorrect as Prism Element focuses on cluster management, not NDB-specific diagnostics.

Option C (NDB GUI) is correct as it supports bundle generation via the UI.

Option D (NDB CLI) is correct as it supports bundle generation via command-line tools.

References

Nutanix Database Service (NDB) User Guide, Chapter 6: Administering an NDB Environment, Section: Generating Diagnostics Bundle

Nutanix Support & Insights, Knowledge Base Article: "Collecting NDB Diagnostics for Support"

Nutanix Certified Professional - Database Automation (NCP-DB) v6.5 Blueprint, Section 6: Administer an NDB Environment

In NDB, a Time Machine manages snapshots and log catch-up operations for database protection and recovery. The scenario describes a Time Machine where automatic snapshot and log catch-up activities (both automatic and manual) are halted, and manual snapshots cannot be created. This indicates the Time Machine is in a PAUSED state.

In NDB, the Time Machine states are:

FROZEN: A temporary state during specific operations (e.g., cloning), but it doesn’t halt all activities permanently.

OFFLINE: Indicates the Time Machine is unavailable or not operational, often due to connectivity or configuration issues, but this typically prevents access rather than just halting operations.

PAUSED: Explicitly stops all scheduled and manual snapshot/log activities, often manually triggered by an administrator or due to an error condition (e.g., resource constraints). Operations resume when unpaused.

READY: The normal operational state where snapshots and log catch-ups occur as scheduled.

Given the inability to create manual snapshots alongside halted automatic operations, PAUSED is the most fitting status, as it reflects an intentional or enforced suspension of activities.

Official Nutanix Database Automation References

Nutanix Database Management & Automation (NDMA) course, Module 5: Data Protection and Recovery, Lesson 5.2: Managing Time Machines.

Nutanix Certified Professional - Database Automation (NCP-DB) v6.5 Knowledge Objectives, Section 5: Protect Databases Using NDB, Objective 5.2: Manage Time Machine States (applicable to v6.10).

Nutanix NDB Administration Guide: "Time Machine Statuses and Operations" section.

When running the Linux prerequisites script for NDB, the -t argument is a required parameter that specifies the timeout interval. This argument defines the maximum time (in seconds) the script will wait for certain operations (e.g., connectivity checks, package installations) to complete before timing out. This is critical during the preinstallation phase to ensure the environment is properly configured and responsive, avoiding indefinite hangs. Other options are not associated with -t:

A. Operating System type: This is not a typical argument for the prerequisites script.

C. NDB server IP: This would be specified separately (e.g., via -s or a similar flag).

D. Database engine: This is irrelevant to the prerequisites script, which focuses on system setup.

Thus, the verified answer is B, aligning with the script’s purpose of managing execution timeouts.

Official Nutanix Database Automation References

Nutanix Database Management & Automation (NDMA) course, Module 2: Deploying and Configuring an NDB Solution, Lesson 2.1: Running Prerequisites Scripts.

Nutanix Certified Professional - Database Automation (NCP-DB) v6.5 Knowledge Objectives, Section 2: Deploy and Configure an NDB Solution, Objective 2.1: Prepare Hosts (applicable to v6.10).

Nutanix NDB Installation Guide: "Running the Linux Prerequisites Script" section, detailing -t usage.

When an administrator creates a new SQL Server software profile version to apply the latest cumulative update, they should update the software profile version and set the status to Published1. This makes the new profile version available to all users. NDB will show available updates for any database server using the software profile as soon as the new profile version is published1.

When registering a new Nutanix Cluster with Era, the Era Agent is installed on the target Nutanix cluster via the Register Nutanix Cluster workflow1. This agent is crucial for the functioning of the Nutanix Database Service (NDB) as it helps in managing and optimizing database workloads2. It also enables the application of procedural concepts to add Nutanix clusters to NDB2.

When an administrator is creating a Windows Domain profile in Era, the SQL Service Startup Account is an optional field that can be skipped and provided during the provisioning process. This account is used to start the SQL Server service when the server starts up. If this field is not provided during the creation of the Windows Domain profile, it can be provided later during the provisioning process1.

NDB supports high availability (HA) across multiple Nutanix clusters, including those in separate data centers, by replicating data and ensuring failover capabilities. However, NDB imposes strict network latency requirements for HA. The official documentation specifies that the round-trip time (RTT) latency between clusters should not exceed 25ms for HA to function effectively. If the latency between two clusters exceeds this threshold (e.g., due to geographic distance or network issues), HA cannot be enabled, as the synchronization and failover mechanisms rely on low-latency communication to maintain consistency and performance.

Impact of other options:

A. HA will operate with increased delay: While latency might cause delays, exceeding 25ms RTT prevents HA setup entirely, not just delays its operation.

C. The clusters will not synchronize: Synchronization issues may occur as a symptom, but the primary impact is HA enablement failure.

D. There will be no impact on HA functionality: This is incorrect, as latency beyond 25ms RTT violates HA prerequisites.

Thus, the verified answer is B, reflecting NDB’s latency constraints for HA across clusters.

Official Nutanix Database Automation References

Nutanix Database Management & Automation (NDMA) course, Module 4: High Availability and Disaster Recovery, Lesson 4.2: Configuring Multi-Cluster HA.

Nutanix Certified Professional - Database Automation (NCP-DB) v6.5 Knowledge Objectives, Section 4: Troubleshoot NDB Solutions, Objective 4.3: Configure HA Across Clusters (applicable to v6.10).

Nutanix NDB Administration Guide: "High Availability Configuration Requirements" section, specifying latency limits.

To reset the NDB GUI password in Nutanix Database Service (NDB), an administrator must access the system through an SSH session and use the appropriate command-line interface (CLI) tools provided by NDB. The correct process involves entering the era-server CLI, which is the specific CLI environment for managing NDB-related configurations, including security settings like password resets. Once in the era-server CLI, the administrator executes the security password reset command to initiate the password reset process for the NDB GUI. This method ensures that the reset is performed within the NDB-managed environment securely and aligns with Nutanix’s recommended administrative procedures.

Option A is correct because it specifies the era-server CLI and the exact command security password reset, which are consistent with NDB’s administrative tools for managing GUI access credentials.

Option B (sudo passwd era) is incorrect because era is not a system user account in the context of NDB’s Linux-based control plane; this command pertains to standard Linux user management, not NDB-specific GUI password resets.

Option C (sudo passwd admin) is also incorrect as admin refers to a generic user that may not correspond to the NDB GUI account, and this approach bypasses NDB’s internal security mechanisms.

Option D is incorrect due to a typo (era CLI instead of era-server CLI), which renders it imprecise despite the intent being similar to Option A.

This process assumes the administrator has SSH access to the NDB control plane VM and the necessary privileges to execute these commands.

References

Nutanix Database Service (NDB) User Guide, Section: Administering an NDB Environment, Subsection: Managing Access Controls and Password Resets

Nutanix Support & Insights, Knowledge Base Article: "Resetting NDB GUI Password via CLI"

Nutanix Certified Professional - Database Automation (NCP-DB) v6.5 Blueprint, Section 6: Administer an NDB Environment

To release PostgreSQL HA instances using a dedicated subnet in Nutanix Database Service (NDB), the administrator must create a network profile that defines the subnet and its associated VLAN. Before creating this network profile, it is mandatory to add a VLAN to the NDB Networks configuration. This VLAN ensures that the dedicated subnet is recognized and manageable within NDB, allowing the HA instances to be provisioned with isolated network connectivity. The VLAN must be configured in the NDB Networks page to be available for selection during network profile creation.

Option A (The subnet in Prism Element must be IPAM configured) is incorrect because IP Address Management (IPAM) configuration in Prism Element is optional and not a mandatory prerequisite for creating a network profile in NDB.

Option B (The DB VMs must be registered first) is incorrect because VM registration is a subsequent step, not a prerequisite for network profile creation.

Option C (A VLAN must be added to NDB networks) is correct as it is a required step to define the network infrastructure before creating the profile.

Option D (Configure Network Segmentation) is incorrect because network segmentation is an advanced feature and not mandatory for basic network profile setup.

This ensures the dedicated subnet is properly integrated into NDB for HA provisioning.

References

Nutanix Database Service (NDB) User Guide, Chapter 3: Configuring an NDB Environment, Section: Configuring Network Profiles

Nutanix Certified Professional - Database Automation (NCP-DB) v6.5 Blueprint, Section 3: Configure an NDB Environment

The size of a database Time Machine in Nutanix Era is defined by the size of all snapshots and/or transaction logs maintained by Era1. The Time Machine leverages Nutanix’s efficient snapshot technology to capture the state of the database at different points in time1. These snapshots, along with transaction logs that record changes between snapshots, constitute the data maintained by the Time Machine1. Therefore, the size of the Time Machine is determined by the total size of these snapshots and transaction logs1.

To roll back an Oracle patch on a database server VM using NDB, the patch must have been applied using NDB in the first place. This is because NDB maintains a patch inventory and history for each database server VM and database that it manages. NDB uses this information to determine which patches can be rolled back and how to revert the changes made by the patch. If the patch was applied outside of NDB, NDB would not have the patch information and would not be able to roll back the patch. Therefore, the patch must have been applied using NDB for the rollback action to be successful. The other options are not required for the rollback action. The database does not need to be shut down or in read-only mode, as NDB can perform the rollback operation online. The patch does not need to be applied on Grid home only, as NDB can roll back patches applied on both Grid home and Database home. References:

Nutanix Certified Professional - Database Automation (NCP-DB) v6.5, Section 4 - Operate and Maintain an NDB Environment, Objective 4.4: Determine the correct method to apply Linux OS patches

Nutanix Database Management & Automation (NDMA) Course, Module 5: Nutanix Database Service (NDB) Patching, Lesson 5.1: Patching Overview, Topic: Patching Concepts

[Nutanix Database Service (NDB) User Guide], Chapter 7: Patching, Section: Rolling Back a Patch

To create a Microsoft SQL Server software profile for each of the three Nutanix clusters in an NDB environment, a key requirement is that each cluster must host at least one VM with the Microsoft SQL Server database engine installed. NDB uses these VMs to discover, validate, and generate software profiles tailored to the specific SQL Server versions and configurations present on each cluster. This ensures that the profiles are compatible with the cluster’s environment and can be used for provisioning or patching.

Option A (Compute profile must be created first on every cluster) is incorrect because compute profiles are optional and not a prerequisite for creating software profiles.

Option B (Enable Multi-cluster capabilities for NDB) is incorrect as multi-cluster support is already implied by the deployment across three clusters, but it’s not a specific requirement for profile creation.

Option C (Enable High Availability for the current NDB Service) is incorrect because HA is a separate configuration and not required to create software profiles.

Option D (Each cluster must host a VM with the DB engine) is correct as it aligns with NDB’s requirement to have a reference VM for profile generation.

This setup ensures accurate and cluster-specific software profile creation.

References

Nutanix Database Service (NDB) User Guide, Chapter 4: Managing Software Profiles, Section: Creating Software Profiles

Nutanix Certified Professional - Database Automation (NCP-DB) v6.5 Blueprint, Section 4: Manage Database Software Profiles

When an administrator encounters an error provisioning a new Oracle database VM in NDB, the best action to provide Nutanix support with the most complete picture is to select the failed job in the Operations menu and choose Generate Bundle from the lower right. The "Generate Bundle" option creates a comprehensive diagnostic package, including logs, configuration details, and error traces specific to the failed operation. This bundle is ideal for troubleshooting and can be uploaded to Nutanix Support for analysis.

Other options are less comprehensive:

A. From the Administration section of NDB, go to the Diagnostics section and choose Generate Bundle: This generates a general diagnostic bundle, not specific to the failed job.

B. Copy the error message from the Operations menu: This provides limited context compared to a full bundle.

D. Take a screenshot of the error in the Operations menu: A screenshot lacks detailed logs and system data needed for support.

Thus, the verified answer is C, ensuring detailed support data.

Official Nutanix Database Automation References

Nutanix Database Management & Automation (NDMA) course, Module 6: Monitoring and Alerts, Lesson 6.4: Troubleshooting and Support.

Nutanix Certified Professional - Database Automation (NCP-DB) v6.5 Knowledge Objectives, Section 6: Optimize NDB Solutions, Objective 6.4: Generate Support Bundles (applicable to v6.10).

Nutanix NDB Administration Guide: "Generating Support Bundles for Failed Operations" section.

Option A: On the Era Dashboard Database Summary Table under Source Database. The dashboard provides a summary of the databases, including their sizes1.

Option B: Under the Capacity widget on the Database Server VMS > List database summary page. While this might provide information about the capacity, it does not specifically provide the size of a Source Database.

Option C: On the Databases > Sources table. This table provides detailed information about the databases, including their sizes1.

Option D: On the Profiles > Database Parameters list for the assigned DB Parameter Profile. This list provides parameters for the database but does not provide the size of a Source Database.

NDB supports patching for PostgreSQL database instances. Patching for PostgreSQL is validated on VMs provisioned by NDB (greenfield deployments). To patch PostgreSQL database server VMs, you must create a software profile version by uploading the PostgreSQL update file in NDB. You can then use the PostgreSQL update to patch other database server VMs or provision a new database server VM with the updated software profile. The first step in the NDB patching workflow is to create a software profile version with the desired PostgreSQL version.

References:

Nutanix Database Automation (NCP-DB) Course Details, Section 4.1: NDB Patching Overview

Nutanix Database Automation (NCP-DB) Certification Details, Objective 4.1: Perform Database Patching

Nutanix Database Automation (NCP-DB) YouTube Playlist, Video 4.1: NDB Patching Overview

Nutanix Database Automation (NCP-DB) User Guide, Section 4.4: Patch PostgreSQL Database Software

For restoring a database provisioned on Storage Spaces, especially when virtual disks are shared among multiple databases, the supported method is a copy-based restore via the NDB GUI. This method allows for a precise and controlled restoration process suitable for shared storage environments.References: Nutanix Database Automation documentation, specifically in the section on database restoration methods and storage spaces.

Nutanix Era enables you to clone your source databases and refresh the database clones by using snapshots or transaction logs1. For an online retail application that requires data to be synchronized between multiple SQL Server databases, having all the databases present in the same Database Virtual Machine (DBVM) and registering them in Era with Multiple Databases as a Group with one Time Machine would be the most efficient way to fulfill this requirement1. This approach allows for clearer reporting from multiple databases at the same time for consistency at the end of each business day1.

 Nutanix Era provides a unified database operating model that delivers simplicity, performance, availability, and security across private and public clouds1. It standardizes your Oracle database ecosystem by mass patching the databases with one-click simplicity2. This includes the following features:

Automated Patching: Era patching can be automated using REST API/CLI for scheduled patching many Oracle servers in a fleet patching scenario1. This allows for the standardization of your Oracle database ecosystem by mass patching the databases with one-click simplicity2.

Automatic Rollback: Era patching for Oracle databases has automatic rollback if any of the steps in the patching workflow fails1. This ensures that your databases remain secure and functional even if an issue arises during the patching process1.

A Time Machine is a core construct of the copy data management service in NDB that captures and manages the data of a database to deliver a recovery point objective (RPO) SLA. A Time Machine can enter a Frozen state for various reasons, such as database de-registration, snapshot or log catchup failures, or manual intervention. When a Time Machine is in a Frozen state, it stops taking new snapshots and log backups, and cannot perform any clone, refresh, or restore operations. To resume the normal operation of a Time Machine, it must be thawed by resolving the root cause of the freeze. One of the common causes of a Time Machine freeze is when the database is de-registered from NDB without removing the Time Machine. This can happen when the administrator wants to move the database to a different NDB instance or cluster, or when the database is accidentally de-registered. In this case, the Time Machine becomes orphaned and frozen, and cannot be used for any operations. To complete the request to refresh a database clone from a new manual snapshot, the administrator must first re-register the database in NDB using the same database name and ID as before. This will automatically thaw the Time Machine and resume its operation. The administrator can then create a new manual snapshot from the Time Machine and use it to refresh the database clone. The other options are not correct, as they either require unnecessary steps or do not address the root cause of the freeze. References:

Nutanix Certified Professional - Database Automation (NCP-DB) v6.5, Section 5 - Protect NDB-managed Databases Using Time Machine, Objective 5.1: Create, delete, and modify SLA retention policies

Nutanix Database Management & Automation (NDMA) Course, Module 4: Nutanix Database Service (NDB) Data Protection, Lesson 4.1: Data Protection Overview, Topic: Time Machine Concepts

Nutanix Support & Insights, TN-2101: Nutanix Database Service Time Machine Under the Hood, Section: Time Machine States and Transitions

The Era One-Click Provisioning service in Nutanix Database Automation (NCP-DB) simplifies and automates database administration. It brings one-click simplicity to database provisioning and life-cycle management. This service enables database administrators to provision, clone, and refresh the database clones to any point in time1. Specifically, it enables the creation of space-efficient clones and zero-byte database clones1. This is part of Era’s copy data management service, which includes components like Time Machine, one-click cloning and refresh, and one-click backup21.

The NDB database agent is a service that runs on each database server VM and communicates with the NDB instance. It uses port 443 for HTTPS API calls and port 9440 for Nutanix cluster API calls. These ports are required to be open on the database server VMs for NDB to function properly. References: Nutanix Database Management & Automation (NDMA), page 9; Ports and Protocols Reference Chart | Nutanix Community, section “Nutanix Database Service (NDB)”

 Nutanix Database Automation (NCP-DB) introduces the concept of MS SQL Server database groups, which allows multiple databases running in the same database instance to be grouped as one Time Machine entity1. This applies to both single DB Server VM setups, standalone databases, as well as to Availability Group databases1. However, it does not support Point In Time Recovery (PITR)-based Service Level Agreements (SLAs) for database groups containing mixed Recovery Models. This means that if the databases within the group have different recovery models, PITR-based SLAs cannot be applied to the group as a whole.

Ports 3205 and 3260 are important when working with Era because they must be open on the Era server and all Controller VMs (CVMs) to facilitate iSCSI connections1. Specifically, port 3205 is used for iSCSI redirection2. Please be careful of routing iSCSI traffic, as it could impact performance2.

The provided exhibit shows the "Enable Multi-Cluster" configuration wizard in NDB, where the VLAN dropdown is empty with a "Nothing found" message, indicating that no VLANs are available for selection. This issue arises because NDB requires a network profile to be created before provisioning the NDB Agent VM and enabling multi-cluster support. A network profile defines the static VLANs managed by NDB, which are essential for network configuration during multi-cluster setup. The warning in the exhibit ("An NDB managed static vLAN is required to provision the NDB Agent VM. Add an NDB managed static vLAN using the Networks page to continue.") reinforces that the administrator must create a network profile via the Networks page to populate the VLAN dropdown.

Option A (A network profile must be created first) is correct as it addresses the root cause by ensuring VLANs are defined in a network profile.

Option B (Verify if subnet leverages advanced network control) is incorrect because advanced network control is not a prerequisite for VLAN selection in this context.

Option C (IP address pool must be managed in NDB) is incorrect because IP address pools are managed separately and not required for VLAN selection at this stage.

Option D (VLAN subnet must use IP address management) is incorrect because IP address management is not a direct requirement for enabling VLAN selection in the wizard.

After creating the network profile, the administrator can proceed with the multi-cluster enablement.

References

Nutanix Database Service (NDB) User Guide, Chapter 3: Configuring an NDB Environment, Section: Configuring Network Profiles for Multi-Cluster

Nutanix Support & Insights, Knowledge Base Article: "Troubleshooting VLAN Issues in NDB Multi-Cluster Setup"

Nutanix Certified Professional - Database Automation (NCP-DB) v6.5 Blueprint, Section 3: Configure an NDB Environment

In Nutanix Era, an administrator can modify the Alert Severity level by navigating to the Alerts Policies from the dropdown menu. Once there, they can select the Policy that needs to be modified and set the desired severity level1. This allows the administrator to customize the alerts according to their requirements, ensuring that they are notified of the most critical events in their environment21.

NDB Multi-Cluster is a feature that allows multiple Nutanix clusters to share a common NDB service for database management and automation. NDB service consists of two components: NDB Server and NDB Agent. NDB Server is the central component that provides the web UI, REST API, and database orchestration logic. NDB Agent is the component that runs on each Nutanix cluster and communicates with the NDB Server to perform database operations.

When NDB Multi-Cluster is enabled on Cluster A, it becomes the primary cluster that hosts the NDB Server VM. Cluster B, which is registered with NDB, becomes a secondary cluster that hosts only the NDB Agent VM. Therefore, Cluster A has both NDB Server and NDB Agent, while Cluster B has only NDB Agent. This configuration allows Cluster B to leverage the NDB service running on Cluster A for database management and automation.

References:

Nutanix Database Automation (NCP-DB) Course Details, Section 3.1: NDB Multi-Cluster Overview

Nutanix Database Automation (NCP-DB) Certification Details, Objective 3.1: Configure NDB Multi-Cluster

Nutanix Database Automation (NCP-DB) YouTube Playlist, Video 3.1: NDB Multi-Cluster Overview

When provisioning a PostgreSQL HA Instance using NDB, the minimum and maximum number of DB server VMs that can be deployed in a cluster are 2 and 4, respectively. A PostgreSQL HA Instance is a database instance that provides high availability and fault tolerance for PostgreSQL databases using the Patroni framework. Patroni is a Python-based tool that manages PostgreSQL configuration and performs automatic failover and switchover operations. Patroni relies on a distributed consensus store, such as etcd, Consul, or ZooKeeper, to store and synchronize the cluster state and leader information. NDB supports etcd as the consensus store for PostgreSQL HA Instances. NDB allows the administrator to provision PostgreSQL HA Instances with different sizes and configurations, such as small, medium, large, or custom. The size of the PostgreSQL HA Instance determines the number of DB server VMs, the number of etcd nodes, the CPU, memory, and disk resources, and the replication factor of the database. The minimum number of DB server VMs for a PostgreSQL HA Instance is 2, which corresponds to a small size instance. This configuration provides one leader and one follower DB server VM, and one etcd node. The maximum number of DB server VMs for a PostgreSQL HA Instance is 4, which corresponds to a large size instance. This configuration provides one leader and three follower DB server VMs, and three etcd nodes. The other options are not valid for a PostgreSQL HA Instance, as they either do not provide enough redundancy or exceed the supported limit of DB server VMs. References:

Nutanix Certified Professional - Database Automation (NCP-DB) v6.5, Section 2 - Deploy and Configure an NDB Solution, Objective 2.2: Configure an NDB Instance

Nutanix Database Management & Automation (NDMA) Course, Module 3: Nutanix Database Service (NDB) Installation and Configuration, Lesson 3.2: Configuring NDB, Topic: Provisioning PostgreSQL HA Instances

Nutanix Database Service (NDB) User Guide, Chapter 4: Provisioning Databases, Section: Provisioning PostgreSQL HA Instances

[PostgreSQL High Availability: Under the Hood – Nutanix.dev], Section: PostgreSQL HA Architecture and Components

Nutanix Era offers Role-Based Access Control capabilities by organically embedding them in the product. It provides the ability to add and remove users from Era, create and assign roles to users, and associate various privileges with a role1. The default roles available within Era for Role-Based Access Control are:

prism Admin

Era Super Admin

Era Database Admin

Era Infrastructure Admin1 These roles allow for the management of both physical resources like IP addresses and VLANs along with database entities like databases, time-machines, clones, and so on1.