Nutanix Updated NCP-DB Exam Questions and Answers by iqra

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.

To enable iSCSI connections between the Nutanix Database Service (NDB) server, Controller VMs (CVMs), and Prism Element, a Data Services IP must be configured in Prism Element. The Data Services IP acts as a cluster-wide address that facilitates iSCSI target discovery and connectivity. It is used by Nutanix Volumes (a block storage service) to present storage to external clients or services, such as the NDB server, via the iSCSI protocol. This IP ensures that iSCSI traffic is routed correctly and remains available even if a CVM fails, as ownership of the Data Services IP can move to another CVM in the cluster.

Configuring the Data Services IP is a prerequisite for integrating NDB with a Nutanix cluster, as NDB relies on iSCSI to manage database storage operations like provisioning and cloning. Without this configuration, the NDB server cannot establish the necessary connections to the CVMs for database-related tasks. Options like Virtual IP, Secondary DNS IP, and Backplane IP are not relevant in this context:

Virtual IP: This is typically associated with high-availability setups for applications, not iSCSI connectivity.

Secondary DNS IP: This pertains to network resolution, not storage connectivity.

Backplane IP: This is an internal network IP for cluster communication, not for external iSCSI access.

Thus, the correct and verified answer is the Data Services IP.

Official Nutanix Database Automation References

Nutanix Database Management & Automation (NDMA) course, Module 2: Deploying and Configuring an NDB Solution, Lesson 2.2: Configuring NDB Prerequisites.

Nutanix Certified Professional - Database Automation (NCP-DB) v6.5 Knowledge Objectives, Section 2: Deploy and Configure an NDB Solution (applicable to v6.10 as foundational concepts remain consistent).

Nutanix Support & Insights Portal: "Configuring iSCSI Data Services IP for Nutanix Volumes" (general Volumes configuration applicable to NDB).

 In the Nutanix Database Automation (NCP-DB) framework, the role that allows an administrator to work with databases and time machines, but not database parameter profiles, is the Database Administrator (DBA)123. This role provides the necessary permissions to manage databases and time machines, which are essential components of the Nutanix Era solution. However, it does not grant access to database parameter profiles, which are typically managed by other roles45.

To leverage the Oracle restore feature within Nutanix Database Service (NDB) for a Real Application Clusters (RAC) database, the administrator must ensure that the database is registered with NDB prior to initiating the restoration operation. Registration allows NDB to recognize the RAC database, manage its metadata, and perform operations like restore using Time Machine snapshots or backups. Without registration, NDB cannot access the necessary configuration details or protection data, rendering the restore feature unavailable.

Option A (Ensure the database is in a Down state) is incorrect because the database state (Up or Down) is not a prerequisite for initiating a restore; the process handles state transitions.

Option B (Ensure the database is registered with NDB) is correct as registration is the foundational requirement for NDB to manage and restore the RAC database.

Option C (Ensure the database is in an Up state) is incorrect because an Up state is not required; restore can proceed regardless of the current state.

Option D (Ensure more than one node of the RAC is reachable) is incorrect because while RAC node availability is important for HA, it is not a mandatory prerequisite for the restore operation itself.

This ensures the restore process can proceed with the necessary NDB oversight.

References

Nutanix Database Service (NDB) User Guide, Chapter 5: Configuring Time Machines, Section: Restoring RAC Databases

Nutanix Support & Insights, Knowledge Base Article: "Preparing Oracle RAC for Restore in NDB"

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