NPS study plan

Diagram the Controller VM (CVM) and hypervisor placement model on a single node from memory, labeling storage, network, and management paths

Explain how a Nutanix cluster elects a Cassandra-style ring leader and a Zookeeper-style leader, and describe what happens when either node fails

List the metadata components (Stargate, Curator, Prism, Genesis, Chronos, Cassandra, Zookeeper) and state each service's single responsibility in one sentence

Identify which cluster component owns I/O path decisions versus background disk balancing, and justify each assignment

Sequence the read and write I/O path from guest VM through the hypervisor, CVM, and storage tier, naming each hop

Explain the role of the vDisk, extent group, and component in mapping a VM disk onto physical media

Describe how replication factor and failure domains determine where data copies land on a multi-node cluster

Distinguish block awareness, rack awareness, and fault tolerance in terms of what failure each tolerates

Compare RF2 and RF3 for usable capacity, rebuild behavior, and failure tolerance with concrete node counts

Explain how snapshots and clones differ in space consumption and when each is the correct tool

Describe how replication to a remote site works and what the prerequisites are for protecting a VM

Walk through a node-failure rebuild: what triggers it, what data moves, and how long it can reasonably take on a given cluster size

Diagram the Open vSwitch (OVS) bridge layout on an AHV host, including br0, the internal bridge, and how VMs attach

Differentiate the network types available at cluster creation and state the traffic each carries

Explain VLAN tagging behavior for guest VMs versus the CVM and host management interfaces

Trace a VM-to-VM packet on the same host versus on different hosts and note where each is switched

Compare Prism Element and Prism Central scope: which objects, tasks, and settings live in each

Navigate the health, alert, task, and analysis screens in Prism Element and state what each is used for

Explain what categories and projects in Prism Central are for and apply them to a multi-cluster scenario

Use Prism Central to describe how a VM is deployed through a self-service blueprint or template workflow at a conceptual level

List the AHV VM lifecycle states and the operations allowed from each state (create, power on, clone, migrate, delete)

Explain how live migration works on AHV and what conditions can block it

Describe the steps to expand a VM's vCPU, memory, and disk, and note which changes require a power cycle

Differentiate AHV from ESXi in terms of CVM placement, management, and controller communication

Interpret the most common cluster health alerts and map each to a likely root cause and first diagnostic step

Explain what NCC (Nutanix Cluster Check) validates and how to read a failed-check report

Locate and use log bundles and the logbay collection process for support cases

Diagnose a simulated capacity or performance problem by naming the metrics you would check and in what order

Re-score every missed question from prior weeks and close each gap with a written correction

Complete a full-length timed practice exam under test-like conditions

Rank all six domains by your practice-exam accuracy and re-read notes for the two weakest

Summarize each domain in five bullet points to confirm retention before exam day