VMware Certified Professional - Data Center Virtualization (VCP-DCV) Practice Exam

What is the most likely outcome when an ESXi Management IP address is changed to one that cannot communicate with the vCenter Server?

1. The host will disconnect from the vCenter Server and remain disconnected.

2. The host will automatically detect the communication issue and revert the change.

3. The host will stay connected with the change, but show an alert.

4. The host will disconnect and migrate the vDS portgroup to a standard switch.

The correct answer is: The host will disconnect from the vCenter Server and remain disconnected.

When the Management IP address of an ESXi host is changed to one that cannot communicate with the vCenter Server, the most likely outcome is that the host will disconnect from the vCenter Server and remain disconnected. This happens because the vCenter Server relies on network communication to manage and monitor the ESXi hosts. When the Management IP address is altered such that it falls outside the address space that allows for connectivity with the vCenter Server, the existing communication link is severed. Although the host continues to operate independently, it loses the orchestrated management features provided by the vCenter Server, leading to a disconnection status. This situation does not trigger an automatic rollback of the IP change or an alert, as the ESXi host does not have the capability to self-detect communication failures and revert any settings. It also does not maintain an active connection while providing alerts; rather, it becomes isolated from the vCenter. The potential migration of the vDS (vSphere Distributed Switch) portgroup to a standard switch isn’t a primary concern in this scenario either, since it pertains to network configurations and not the immediate consequence of an IP address change impacting management communication.