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1. What is the minimum number of nodes required to form a new Cohesity cluster?
A) 1
B) 2
C) 3
D) 4
Answer: C
Explanation: A production Cohesity cluster requires a minimum of three nodes to
establish quorum and ensure high availability. While a single node can operate as a
"Starter Cluster" for non-production or evaluation purposes, a three-node cluster is the
smallest configuration that provides fault tolerance and distributed consensus. The Zeus
service, which manages cluster coordination, relies on quorum calculations that require
an odd number of nodes (3, 5, 7, etc.) to maintain proper operation during node
failures .
2. Which network interface on a Cohesity node is designated as the primary
management interface by default?
A) eth0
B) eth1
C) bond0
D) bond1
,Answer: A
Explanation: The eth0 interface serves as the primary management interface on
Cohesity nodes by factory default. This interface is used for initial IP address assignment,
GUI access, SSH management, and cluster communication. During the initial cluster
creation process, the IP address assigned to eth0 becomes the node's management IP.
The bonding interfaces (bond0, bond1) are typically created later during configuration
to aggregate multiple physical interfaces for increased throughput and redundancy .
3. Which Cohesity role is required to create a new cluster?
A) Viewer
B) Operator
C) ClusterAdmin
D) BackupAdmin
Answer: C
Explanation: Only users with the ClusterAdmin role possess the necessary permissions
to create a new Cohesity cluster. The implicit 'admin' user created during initial setup
also has these privileges. The ClusterAdmin role provides full administrative access to
cluster configuration, node management, and system settings. In contrast, the Operator
role can manage backups and restores but cannot modify cluster settings, while the
Viewer role is read-only. The BackupAdmin role is focused specifically on data
protection operations .
4. Which log file should be checked first when a Cohesity node fails to join an existing
cluster?
A) /var/log/messages
B) /cohesity/smash/log/smashd.log
C) /cohesity/iris/log/iris.log
D) /var/log/boot.log
Answer: C
Explanation: The iris.log file is the primary location for cluster join and discovery events
,on a Cohesity node. The Iris service handles node registration, cluster membership, and
communication with the cluster's leader node. When a node cannot join a cluster,
iris.log will contain error messages related to version mismatches, network connectivity
issues, authentication failures, or cluster state problems. While smashd.log is relevant for
storage operations and /var/log/messages for OS-level events, iris.log is the most direct
source for join-related issues .
5. What is the default VLAN ID assigned to the management network on a Cohesity
cluster?
A) 0
B) 1
C) 100
D) None (untagged)
Answer: D
Explanation: By default, the management network on a Cohesity cluster is untagged,
meaning no VLAN ID is assigned. This allows the cluster to operate on the native VLAN
of the connected switch ports. Customers can configure tagged VLANs for management
traffic during or after installation by creating VLAN subinterfaces. This flexibility allows
the management network to be isolated onto specific VLANs in environments that
require network segmentation for security or organizational purposes .
6. Which disk type is automatically used by Cohesity for metadata storage?
A) SATA SSD only
B) NVMe only
C) SAS HDD only
D) The fastest available disks in the node
Answer: D
Explanation: Cohesity automatically detects the available storage devices in a node and
designates the fastest disks for the metadata tier. In all-flash nodes, metadata resides on
the SSD or NVMe drives. In hybrid nodes, the system uses the first two HDDs or any
, dedicated SSDs present for metadata storage. This automatic tiering ensures that
metadata operations, which are critical for file system performance, benefit from the
lowest-latency storage available in the node configuration .
7. What is the prerequisite for using the "Quick Install" method when installing a 4-node
Cohesity cluster?
A) DHCP server on the management network
B) All nodes must have factory-default settings
C) A DNS A record for each node
D) A dedicated storage VLAN
Answer: B
Explanation: The Quick Install method requires all nodes to be in a factory-default state
with no prior cluster configuration. This method uses broadcast or multicast discovery to
locate nodes on the same Layer 2 network segment, eliminating the need for DHCP or
DNS configuration. Quick Install is designed for greenfield deployments where nodes
are fresh from the factory or have been factory-reset. Once nodes have been part of a
cluster or have had network settings manually configured, the Quick Install method will
not work .
8. After physically racking and cabling Cohesity nodes, you power them on but see no
LEDs on the BMC port. What is the most likely cause?
A) Faulty power supply
B) BMC requires a separate power connection
C) The node is in standby mode
D) Network cable is CAT5 instead of CAT6
Answer: C
Explanation: Cohesity nodes have a standby power mode feature where the BMC
(Baseboard Management Controller) remains inactive until the node is fully powered on
via the front panel power button or through IPMI commands. This standby mode
conserves power while the node is physically installed but not yet in operation. Pressing