NCP-DB Sample Questions Answers

An NDB compute profile defines the CPU and memory resources for the database server VMs that are provisioned using NDB. It does not include any information about the network, domain, or software of the database server VMs. Those are specified in separate profiles, such as network profile, domain profile, and software profile.

References: Nutanix Support & Insights, section “NDB Compute”

To add Time Machine data access to a Nutanix cluster, the first step is to register the cluster in NDB. This will allow NDB to discover and manage the databases and snapshots on the cluster. You can register multiple Nutanix clusters in NDB using the Add Cluster option in the NDB settings page. You can also specify the cluster role, such as source, target, or both, depending on the data access and replication needs. Enabling or disabling multi-cluster in NDB is not the first step, as this is a global setting that affects the entire NDB instance. Deleting the TM data from the source database is not the first step, as this will remove the data protection and availability of the database. References:

• Nutanix Database Management & Automation Training Course, Module 6: Managing NDB Multi-Cluster, Lesson 1: NDB Multi-Cluster Overview, Slide 5: Registering Nutanix Clusters
• Nutanix Certified Professional - Database Automation (NCP-DB) 5 Exam, Section 6: Administer an NDB Environment, Objective 6.4: Apply procedural concepts to add Nutanix clusters to NDB

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.

 The database parameters profile is used to define the initialization variables for different types of database engines and workloads, such as OLTP and DW. The database parameters profile allows the database administrator to customize the configuration settings for each database engine, such as Oracle, SQL Server, PostgreSQL, and MySQL. The database parameters profile can also be applied to different database operations, such as provisioning, cloning, and patching. The database parameters profile helps to optimize the performance and functionality of the databases according to the specific requirements and best practices of each database engine and workload.

The software profile version is used to define the software version and edition for each database engine, such as Oracle 19c Enterprise Edition or SQL Server 2019 Standard Edition. The software profile version is required for provisioning new databases and patching existing databases. The software profile version helps to ensure the compatibility and compliance of the databases with the supported software versions and editions.

The network profile is used to define the network configuration and security settings for the database server VMs and the databases, such as the IP address, subnet mask, gateway, DNS, firewall rules, and SSL certificates. The network profile is required for registering new database server VMs and provisioning new databases. The network profile helps to ensure the connectivity and protection of the database server VMs and the databases within the network environment.

The compute profile is used to define the compute resources and storage policies for the database server VMs and the databases, such as the CPU, memory, disk size, disk type, compression, deduplication, and replication factor. The compute profile is required for provisioning new databases and cloning existing databases. The compute profile helps to ensure the availability and efficiency of the database server VMs and the databases within the Nutanix cluster.

References:

• Nutanix Database Management & Automation Training Course, Module 4: Nutanix Era Configuration, Lesson 4.1: Nutanix Era Configuration, slides 6-9.
• Nutanix Database Management & Automation Training Course, Module 5: Nutanix Era Operations, Lesson 5.1: Nutanix Era Operations, slides 5-8, 11-12, 15-16.

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)”

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.

NDB sends notifications when alerts are generated via email. The email notifications can be configured to send to one or more recipients, and can be customized to include the alert severity, category, description, and resolution steps. The email notifications help to inform the database administrator and other stakeholders about the status and issues of the NDB-managed databases and operations.

NDB does not send notifications via SNMP, APIs, or Pulse. SNMP is a protocol for collecting and organizing information about managed devices on a network. APIs are interfaces for communicating and exchanging data between different applications or systems. Pulse is a feature of the Nutanix cluster that collects and sends diagnostic and usage data to Nutanix for analysis and support.

References:

• Nutanix Database Management & Automation Training Course, Module 3: Nutanix Era Deployment, Lesson 3.2: Nutanix Era Deployment, slide 11.
• Nutanix Database Management & Automation Training Course, Module 5: Nutanix Era Operations, Lesson 5.1: Nutanix Era Operations, slide 6.
• Nutanix Database Management & Automation Training Course, Module 5: Nutanix Era Operations, Lesson 5.2: Nutanix Era Alerts and Notifications, slides 5-7.

In Nutanix Database Automation (NCP-DB), the Time Machine feature is used for protecting databases and creating database clones. To create a database clone using the Era Interface, an administrator should select Time Machines, select a source database, and then choose Create Clone12. This process allows the administrator to create a copy of the source database at a specific point in time1.

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.

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.

The Era copy data management service includes several components, one of which is the Time Machine. The Time Machine is responsible for collecting logs and snapshots from the database123. This functionality allows for granular clone and refresh operations, making it a crucial part of the Nutanix Era’s database as a service (DBaaS) solution1.

The correct answer is B and D because these are the two status values that can be set within the Alerts Dashboard in NDB. Resolved means that the alert has been fixed and no longer requires attention. Acknowledged means that the alert has been seen and is being worked on. Option A is incorrect because Auto is not a status value, but a mode that automatically resolves alerts based on predefined rules. Option C is incorrect because Data Resiliency is not a status value, but a feature that ensures the availability and integrity of the data in NDB.

References: The following sources provide more information about the Alerts Dashboard and its status values in NDB:

• Nutanix Database Management & Automation (NDMA) course, Module 3: Monitoring Alerts and Storage Usage Within an NDB Implementation, Lesson 3.1: Monitoring Alerts
• Nutanix Certified Professional - Database Automation (NCP-DB) v6.5, Knowledge Objectives, Section 3 - Monitor Alerts and Storage Usage Within an NDB Implementation
• Nutanix Database Service (NDB) User Guide, Chapter 3: Monitoring Alerts and Storage Usage Within an NDB Implementation, Section 3.1: Monitoring Alerts
• [Nutanix Support & Insights], Resolving All Alerts Related to a Database or Database Server VM in NDB

When patching an Oracle Database Server VM, it's important to ensure that there is sufficient storage space allocated for the Grid home. A minimum of 10GB space is required for this purpose to accommodate the patching process without storage constraints.References: Nutanix Database Automation documentation, particularly in the sections discussing Oracle database server VM management and patching requirements.

 Data Access Management (DAM) policies are a feature of NDB Multi-Cluster that allows you to control the access and availability of time machine data across different Nutanix clusters. You can use DAM policies to specify which clusters can access the time machine data of a source database, and which clusters can replicate the time machine data for backup or disaster recovery purposes. DAM policies help you to optimize the storage and network resources, as well as ensure the security and compliance of your database workloads. The purpose of DAM policies is not to register multiple Nutanix clusters in NDB, as this is done by using the Add Cluster option in the NDB settings page. The purpose of DAM policies is also not to perform snapshot operations on a single Nutanix cluster, as this is done by using the Time Machine feature in the NDB dashboard. The purpose of DAM policies is also not to remove data accessibility of a time machine across all registered Nutanix clusters in NDB, as this is done by using the Delete option in the Time Machine page. References:

• Nutanix Database Management & Automation Training Course, Module 6: Managing NDB Multi-Cluster, Lesson 2: Data Access Management Policies, Slide 3: Data Access Management Policies
• Nutanix Certified Professional - Database Automation (NCP-DB) 5 Exam, Section 6: Administer an NDB Environment, Objective 6.5: Apply procedural concepts to create Data Access Management (DAM) policies

 An Infrastructure Administrator is a role in NDB that has the permission to manage network and storage resources, such as VLANs, IP Pools, and Storage Containers. This role is suitable for the engineer who needs to add new VLANs or IP Pools in NDB. The other roles have either more or less privileges than required for this task. A Database Administrator can manage databases and database server VMs, but not network and storage resources. A Super Administrator can manage all aspects of NDB, but this is more than the least-privilege access needed. A Database Infrastructure Administrator can manage both databases and network and storage resources, but this is also more than the least-privilege access needed.

References: Nutanix Support & Insights, section “NDB Roles and Permissions”

The Removal schedule is a feature of Nutanix Era that allows you to specify when a database clone will be automatically deleted. You can modify the Removal schedule of an existing clone by selecting the clone from the Clones page, clicking on the Update button, and changing the Removal schedule option to the desired date. This way, you can extend or shorten the lifespan of a clone as per your requirements. You do not need to remove the existing Removal schedule and add a new one, as this would be an unnecessary step. You also do not need to update the Removal schedule to the end of the month, as this would not meet the request of keeping the clone for an additional 14 days. References:

• Nutanix Database Management & Automation Training Course, Module 4: Protecting Databases Using Time Machine, Lesson 3: Cloning Databases, Slide 10: Clone Removal Schedule
• Nutanix Certified Professional - Database Automation (NCP-DB) 5 Exam, Section 5: Protect NDB-managed Databases Using Time Machine, Objective 5.3: Given business requirements, perform a database clone

Nutanix Era allows custom metadata to be assigned to entities (clones, time machines, databases, and database servers) by using Tags. Tags are a component of Nutanix Era that allows users to assign custom metadata to various entities, enhancing the ability to organize, search, and manage these entities within the Era platform1.

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

 According to the Nutanix Database Automation (NCP-DB) learning documents, to refresh an existing DB Clone, a developer with RBAC privileges in Era needs to navigate to Databases > Clones. From there, they select the appropriate clone from the table, click Refresh, select the desired Point In Time or Snapshot, and then click Refresh12. This process allows the developer to update the cloned database3.

The NDB user interface supports multiple languages, including English, Chinese, and Japanese. You can change the language preference in the NDB settings page. The NDB user interface does not support Korean, French, or German languages at this time. References:

• Nutanix Database Management & Automation Training Course, Module 1: Introduction to Nutanix Era, Lesson 1: Nutanix Era Overview, Slide 7: NDB User Interface
• Nutanix Certified Professional - Database Automation (NCP-DB) 5 Exam, Section 1: Describe NDB Concepts, Objective 1.6: Languages

Nutanix Database Automation (NCP-DB) allows administrators to manage Service Level Agreements (SLAs) for databases. These SLAs define the data protection policies for databases. In this case, to minimize storage usage for a test database, the administrator should select the built-in NONE SLA. This SLA is configured for no snapshot or log backup, thus minimizing storage usage1.

 NDB supports two modes of log backup management for Microsoft SQL databases: NDB-managed and 3rd-party managed. In the NDB-managed mode, NDB takes full control of the log backups and stores them in the Cerebro log location. In the 3rd-party managed mode, NDB allows the use of external backup tools to backup the logs from the database log destination. However, NDB still needs to capture the logs for its own operations, such as point-in-time recovery, clone refresh, and log catch-up. Therefore, NDB will periodically scan the database log destination and copy the logs to the Cerebro log location. This process requires that the log catch-up begins before the logs get backed up by the 3rd-party tool, otherwise NDB will miss some logs and the operations will fail. If the 3rd-party tool grants exclusive access to the logs, then NDB will not be able to capture them at all, and the operations will not be supported. References:

• Nutanix Database Management & Automation (NDMA) course, Module 5, Lesson 5.2 - Log Backup Management
• Nutanix Support & Insights, Nutanix NDB User Guide v2.5, Log Backup Management

The correct answer is B because setting VM-Host affinity ensures that the DB Server VMs are not migrated to another host during the LCM upgrade process. This way, the DB Server VMs can continue to serve the database requests without interruption. Option A is incorrect because updating the Nutanix cluster does not prevent the DB Server VMs from being moved to another host. Option C is incorrect because removing the Nutanix cluster from NDB will make the DB Server VMs unmanaged by NDB and lose the benefits of NDB features. Option D is incorrect because unsetting VM-Host affinity will allow the DB Server VMs to be migrated to another host during the LCM upgrade process, which may cause downtime or performance degradation.

References: The following sources provide more information about the LCM upgrades and VM-Host affinity in NDB:

• Nutanix Database Management & Automation (NDMA) course, Module 6: Administering an NDB Environment, Lesson 6.3: Performing NDB Software Upgrades
• Nutanix Certified Professional - Database Automation (NCP-DB) v6.5, Knowledge Objectives, Section 6 - Administer an NDB Environment
• Nutanix Database Service (NDB) User Guide, Chapter 8: Administering an NDB Environment, Section 8.3: Performing NDB Software Upgrades
• Nutanix Support & Insights, Your guide to the Upgrades, LCM Design
• Nutanix Life Cycle Manager Guide, Chapter 3: Upgrading Software and Firmware, Section 3.2: Preparing for an Upgrade, VM-Host Affinity

According to the Nutanix Database Automation (NCP-DB) course, the Pre-Post Commands section allows the administrator to specify custom scripts that can be executed before or after the clone operation1. The masking script can be created on any of the VMs that have access to the source database, such as the source DB VM, the Dev VM, or the SW Profile VM2. The script should contain the commands to mask the sensitive data in the Finance database, such as replacing the real values with dummy values or encrypting the data2. The administrator can then create the clone from the Time Machine and define the post-clone option with the full path and name of the masking script1. This will ensure that the script is executed after the clone is created, and the data is masked before it is available for the development team1. The other options are not correct, as they either use the wrong field (pre-clone instead of post-clone), or do not specify where to create or store the masking script. References:

• 1: Nutanix Database Automation (NCP-DB) course, Module 4: Database Cloning, Lesson 4.4: Pre-Post Commands, slide 5
• 2: Nutanix Database Automation (NCP-DB) course, Module 4: Database Cloning, Lesson 4.4: Pre-Post Commands, slide 7

The administrator should perform a rolling upgrade, applying the patch to the secondary members first, followed by the primary member, to accomplish the task of patching a MongoDB server cluster within an NDB environment. A rolling upgrade is a method of applying patches or updates to a cluster without downtime or interruption of service. The administrator can use the NDB patching feature to perform a rolling upgrade on a MongoDB server cluster, which consists of a primary member and one or more secondary members that form a replica set. The NDB patching feature allows the administrator to select the software profile version, the database parameters profile, and the network profile for the patching operation. The NDB patching feature also automates the steps of the rolling upgrade, such as:

• Step 1: The administrator initiates the patching operation on the NDB instance, and selects the MongoDB server cluster to be patched.
• Step 2: The NDB instance verifies the prerequisites and compatibility of the patching operation, and creates a pre-patch snapshot of the MongoDB server cluster.
• Step 3: The NDB instance applies the patch to the first secondary member of the MongoDB server cluster, and waits for the patching to complete successfully.
• Step 4: The NDB instance verifies the status and functionality of the patched secondary member, and repeats the patching process for the remaining secondary members of the MongoDB server cluster, one at a time.
• Step 5: The NDB instance performs a failover of the primary member to one of the patched secondary members, and applies the patch to the original primary member.
• Step 6: The NDB instance verifies the status and functionality of the patched primary member, and performs a failback of the primary member to the original primary member, if desired.
• Step 7: The NDB instance creates a post-patch snapshot of the MongoDB server cluster, and completes the patching operation.

Performing a rolling upgrade, applying the patch to the secondary members first, followed by the primary member, is the recommended and best practice method of patching a MongoDB server cluster within an NDB environment, as it ensures the high availability, consistency, and performance of the MongoDB server cluster and the databases.

Performing a rolling upgrade, applying the patch to the primary member first, followed by the secondary members, is not a valid or feasible method of patching a MongoDB server cluster within an NDB environment, as it would cause downtime, data loss, and inconsistency of the MongoDB server cluster and the databases. Applying the patch to the primary member first would disrupt the replication and synchronization of the MongoDB server cluster, and would require manual intervention and recovery steps to restore the MongoDB server cluster to a functional state.

Applying the patch to all nodes at once is not a valid or feasible method of patching a MongoDB server cluster within an NDB environment, as it would cause downtime, data loss, and inconsistency of the MongoDB server cluster and the databases. Applying the patch to all nodes at once would require shutting down the entire MongoDB server cluster, and would expose the MongoDB server cluster and the databases to potential errors, failures, and corruption during the patching process.

Disabling the replica set while patching is not a valid or feasible method of patching a MongoDB server cluster within an NDB environment, as it would cause downtime, data loss, and inconsistency of the MongoDB server cluster and the databases. Disabling the replica set while patching would break the replication and synchronization of the MongoDB server cluster, and would require manual intervention and recovery steps to re-enable the replica set and restore the MongoDB server cluster to a functional state.

References:

• Nutanix Database Management & Automation Training Course, Module 5: Nutanix Era Operations, Lesson 5.1: Nutanix Era Operations, slides 11-12, 15-16.
• Nutanix Database Management & Automation Training Course, Module 5: Nutanix Era Operations, Lesson 5.3: Nutanix Era Patching, slides 5-9.
• Nutanix Database Management & Automation Training Course, Module 5: Nutanix Era Operations, Lesson 5.4: Nutanix Era Patching Lab, slides 5-10.
• Nutanix Database Management & Automation Training Course, Module 7: Nutanix Era Troubleshooting, Lesson 7.1: Nutanix Era Troubleshooting, slide 6.

In the Nutanix Database Automation (NCP-DB) framework, provisioning a new Oracle database through Era requires the configuration of both a Compute and a Storage profile1. The Compute profile is used to define the resources allocated to the database, such as CPU and memory, while the Storage profile is used to specify the storage configuration for the database. These profiles are essential in ensuring that the database is provisioned with the necessary resources and storage configurations for optimal performance23.

To create an NDB Software Profile Version for PostgreSQL, it is required to have an installer package for the database software. This package forms the basis of the software profile, enabling the deployment and management of PostgreSQL instances.References: Nutanix Database Automation documentation, particularly in the area of software profile creation and management for PostgreSQL.

According to the Nutanix Database Automation (NCP-DB) course, a Software Profile is a template that defines the configuration of the database engine, such as the version, edition, features, and parameters1. It also specifies the disk layout for the database installation, such as the size, type, and mount point of each disk1. However, the System Page File disk is omitted from the Software Profile, as it is automatically created by the NDB service based on the memory size of the database server VM1. The other options are included in the Software Profile, as they are essential for the database operation and performance1. References:

• 1: Nutanix Database Automation (NCP-DB) course, Module 2: Database Provisioning, Lesson 2.3: Software Profiles, slide 5

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

In Nutanix Database Automation (NCP-DB), when an administrator logs into Era and sees a message “Update Available” on the Status of the Software Profile Version, it indicates that a newer version of the software profile is available1. The administrator should manually update the software profile to the latest version12. This process ensures that the database VM is running the most recent and compatible version of the software12.

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.

According to the Nutanix Database Automation (NCP-DB) learning documents, when doing an Era software upgrade for a Multi-Cluster enabled installation, the Era Cluster Agent is upgraded first1. This is the first component in a Nutanix Environment Upgrade cycle2. The Era Cluster Agent is crucial for managing and monitoring the health of the Nutanix clusters1. Please refer to the official Nutanix documentation and training materials for more detailed information1.

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.

 In the context of Nutanix Database Automation (NCP-DB), a Super Admin has the authority to apply patch profiles. However, if a patch is marked as deprecated, even if it’s published, it cannot be applied. This is because deprecation is a status that indicates the patch is outdated or has been superseded by a newer version, and thus should not be used1. This behavior ensures that only the most up-to-date and secure patches are applied to the system, maintaining the integrity and security of the database environment1.

A Time Machine frozen status indicates that the database that was associated with the Time Machine has been de-registered from NDB, but the Time Machine itself has not been deleted. This means that the Time Machine still contains the snapshots and logs of the de-registered database, but it cannot perform any further operations on it. To resume the normal functioning of the Time Machine, the administrator can either re-register the database with NDB, or delete the Time Machine and free up the storage space.

References: Nutanix Support & Insights, section “Resolving All Alerts for a Time Machine”

Page files are temporary files that Windows uses to store data that does not fit in the physical memory. Page files can interfere with the registration of a database server VM with NDB, as they can cause errors or performance issues. Therefore, page files should be located in a separate drive or partition from the C:\ drive, where the NDB agent and other files are installed. System, database, and backup files do not prevent the registration of a database server VM with NDB, as long as they are not corrupted or incompatible with the NDB requirements. References:

• Nutanix Database Management & Automation Training Course, Module 2: Deploying and Configuring an NDB Solution, Lesson 2: Configuring an NDB Instance, Slide 13: Registering Database Server VMs
• Nutanix Certified Professional - Database Automation (NCP-DB) 5 Exam, Section 4: Operate and Maintain an NDB Environment, Objective 4.1: Apply procedural concepts to register database server VMs and databases

A stretched VLAN is a virtual network that spans across multiple Nutanix clusters and allows the communication between VMs on different clusters using the same subnet. A stretched VLAN can be used to provide high availability and load balancing for NDB components, such as HAProxy VMs, that require a virtual IP address (VIP) to be accessible from any cluster. To add a stretched VLAN across two clusters in NDB, the administrator needs to meet two prerequisites: the VLAN must be static and both clusters must be registered in NDB. A static VLAN is a VLAN that is manually created and configured by the administrator, as opposed to an IPAM VLAN that is automatically created and managed by NDB. A static VLAN can be added to a stretched VLAN in NDB, while an IPAM VLAN cannot. Both clusters must be registered in NDB before adding a stretched VLAN, as NDB needs to have the information and access to the clusters and their networks. The administrator can register the clusters in NDB using the Prism Element details, agent network configuration, and storage container information. The other option, Nutanix Cluster Management, is not a prerequisite for adding a stretched VLAN in NDB. Nutanix Cluster Management is a feature that allows the administrator to manage multiple Nutanix clusters from a single NDB UI, such as creating or deleting clusters, adding or removing nodes, or performing cluster operations. Nutanix Cluster Management is not required for adding a stretched VLAN, as the VLANs are created and configured in Prism Element, not in NDB. References:

• Nutanix Certified Professional - Database Automation (NCP-DB) v6.5, Section 2 - Deploy and Configure an NDB Solution, Objective 2.3: Configure NDB High Availability
• Nutanix Database Management & Automation (NDMA) Course, Module 3: Nutanix Database Service (NDB) Installation and Configuration, Lesson 3.3: Configuring NDB High Availability, Topic: NDB HA Architecture and Components
• Nutanix Database Service High Availability Deployment Overview, Section: HAProxy VMs and Stretched VLANs
• [Configuring a Virtual NIC to Operate in Access or Trunk Mode - Nutanix], Section: Creating a vNIC in Access or Trunk Mode

Before updating Oracle Database software, you need to download the Patch Set Update (PSU) from Oracle support. A PSU is a collection of critical and security patches for Oracle products. You need to have a valid Oracle account and access to the My Oracle Support portal to download the PSU. You also need to check the compatibility and prerequisites of the PSU before applying it to your Oracle Database software. NDB uses out-of-place patching for Oracle, which means you need to create a new software profile version with the patched Oracle software and use it to update your existing databases. References:

• Patch Oracle Database Software, Nutanix Support & Insights
• Nutanix Certified Professional - Database Automation (NCP-DB), Section 4 - Operate and Maintain an NDB Environment
• Nutanix Database Management & Automation (NDMA) course, Module 4, Lesson 4.4 - Patching Databases

The administrator can remediate the issue of critical storage alerts by scaling up the storage directly from the Database Summary page for that specific DBA database. This action allows for an increase in storage capacity to alleviate space constraints and prevent future critical alerts related to storage space1. The other options are not correct, as they either involve scaling the entire database group, which may not be necessary or desired, or require additional steps outside of NDB, which may not be feasible or efficient. References:

• 1: Nutanix Database Automation (NCP-DB) course, Module 2: Database Provisioning, Lesson 2.4: Database Scaling, slide 5

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.