Pass the Netapp NCSIE ONTAP NS0-185 Questions and answers with ExamsMirror

After completing the initial configuration of a multi-node ONTAP cluster and its cluster interconnect switches, NetApp installation best practices require enabling proactive monitoring of the cluster network. TheCluster Switch Health Monitor (CSHM)is the ONTAP feature designed specifically for this purpose.

CSHM continuously monitors the health of supported cluster switches by collecting information such as switch configuration, port status, firmware versions, cabling, and error conditions. It validates this information against NetApp-supported configurations and best practices. When deviations or risks are detected, CSHM generates alerts and EMS messages that allow administrators to take corrective action before cluster communication is affected.

Cluster switch logging alone does not provide health analysis or proactive validation; it only records switch events. IPv6 is not required or recommended for cluster interconnect networks in standard ONTAP installations. Data Center Bridging (DCB) is used for specific Ethernet storage protocols and is not applicable to ONTAP cluster interconnect networks.

Therefore, enabling thecluster switch health monitoris the correct and required post-installation step.

In ONTAP SAN concepts, aLogical Interface (LIF)represents a logical network access point used by clients, hosts, or internal cluster services to communicate with storage. A LIF is not a physical port; rather, it is an abstraction that allows ONTAP to provide network resiliency and flexibility.

A LIF can be defined as either anIP address(used for NAS, management, and intercluster traffic) or aWorld Wide Port Name (WWPN)(used for SAN protocols such as FC and FCoE). Each LIF is associated with a physical port but can fail over to other ports based on defined policies, ensuring continuous access during failures or maintenance.

Broadcast domains define Layer 2 network groupings for ports, but they do not contain pools of IP addresses. IP address pools are defined insubnets, not broadcast domains. Physical ports provide connectivity, but they do not represent LIFs themselves. Separating network domains is handled byIPspaces, not LIFs.

Therefore, the correct description of a LIF is that it isan IP address or WWPN associated with a port, making optionCcorrect.

After cluster setup, NetApp best practices require validating hardware, cabling, HA configuration, and system settings.Active IQ Config Advisoris the primary tool used for post-installation validation. It checks cabling correctness, HA pathing, disk ownership, network configuration, firmware versions, and other critical installation parameters.

The other tools listed are used for planning, documentation, or upgrades, not configuration validation.

AutoSupport verification requires checking history and generating a test message. The history command confirms delivery, and invoke sends a test AutoSupport. Therefore,A and Dare correct.

Within the ONTAP SAN solution assessment domain, NetApp emphasizes the creation of accurate and reusable documentation immediately after system installation. One of the supported tools for this purpose is NetAppDocs, which is designed to collect system configuration data and generate standardized inventory and design documentation. According to NetApp Storage Installation concepts and objectives, inventory reports must be produced in formats that support both technical review and customer handoff, while remaining editable and auditable.

NetAppDocs is explicitly described in NetApp documentation as supporting Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, and PDF outputs for inventory-style reports. These formats align with operational best practices defined in installation and assessment workflows. Word (.docx) files are used to present structured design narratives and annotated configuration details. Excel (.xlsx) files are used to present tabular inventory data such as controllers, disk shelves, ports, adapters, WWPNs, and LIF assignments, which are critical for SAN assessment and future expansion planning. PDF (.pdf) files are used as finalized, non-editable deliverables suitable for compliance records, customer signoff, and archival purposes.

Formats such as HTML and PostScript (.ps) are not identified in NetApp Storage Installation objectives as supported NetAppDocs inventory outputs. These formats do not align with NetApp’s standardized documentation deliverables and are not referenced in official installation or assessment documentation. As a result, they are excluded.

From a SAN-focused assessment perspective, the ability to generate Word, Excel, and PDF reports ensures consistency across deployment teams, simplifies validation of ONTAP SAN configurations, and supports accurate lifecycle documentation. These formats are repeatedly reinforced in NetApp installation guidance as the approved and supported inventory report outputs.

Therefore, the correct answers are A (.docx), C (.pdf), and E (.xlsx), as they are the only formats verified and supported for NetAppDocs inventory reporting within NetApp Storage Installation concepts and domains provided by NetApp.

Within the ONTAP SAN implementation and configuration domain,automatic port placementis a key installation feature designed to simplify initial network setup during cluster deployment. In ONTAP 9.8, when controller data ports are discovered, ONTAP automatically analyzes physical port connectivity, speed, and role, and assigns those ports to appropriatebroadcast domainsandsubnets.

Broadcast domains define Layer 2 boundaries and group ports that share the same network reachability. During installation, ONTAP automatically creates and assigns broadcast domains based on detected network topology and intended port usage. This behavior is explicitly described in NetApp installation objectives as part of reducing manual network configuration during initial setup.

Subnets are also automatically created and associated when automatic port placement is enabled. ONTAP uses subnets to manage pools of IP addresses for data LIF creation. By automatically configuring subnets, ONTAP enables rapid deployment of NAS and SAN data LIFs without requiring administrators to manually define IP address ranges during installation.

By contrast,routesare not automatically configured by automatic port placement. Routes must be explicitly defined by the administrator to control Layer 3 traffic flow between networks. Similarly,IPspacesare logical network containers that must be deliberately designed and created based on multi-tenancy or isolation requirements. IPspaces are never automatically created by ONTAP during installation because they have architectural implications that require administrator intent.

Therefore, the two ONTAP network settings that are automatically configured by automatic port placement arebroadcast domainsandsubnets, makingC and Dthe correct answers.

NS224 shelves are Ethernet-attached and connect through supported Ethernet switches. Additional capacity can be added either by attaching new NS224 shelves to the existing Ethernet fabric or by scaling out the cluster with additional AFF A400 nodes. NS224 shelves cannot be daisy-chained directly to other NS224 shelves, and dedicated storage switches are not required.

AFF A250 systems use25GbE ports with breakout cablingfor cluster and HA traffic. When adding these nodes to switches running a standard Cluster-HA RCF, the switches must be updated to aCluster-HA-Breakout RCFto support breakout ports. The nodes must then be cabled to the breakout ports. Therefore,B and Dare correct.