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100+ Free VCAP-DCV Design Practice Questions

Pass your VMware Certified Advanced Professional - Data Center Virtualization Design (3V0-21.23) exam on the first try — instant access, no signup required.

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An architect must design ESXi host sizing for a workload of 800 VMs averaging 4 vCPU and 16 GB RAM with 30% sustained CPU utilization. Which factor most directly influences the per-host vCPU-to-pCPU consolidation ratio chosen?

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2026 Statistics

Key Facts: VCAP-DCV Design Exam

60

Exam Items

Broadcom 3V0-21.23

145 min

Time Limit

Broadcom 3V0-21.23

300

Passing Score (scaled)

Broadcom

$250

Exam Fee

Broadcom 2026

5

Blueprint Sections

Broadcom 3V0-21.23

Pearson VUE

Testing Provider

Broadcom

The VCAP-DCV Design exam (current code 3V0-21.23) contains 60 scenario-based multiple-choice items in 145 minutes with a scaled passing score of 300. The blueprint covers IT architectures and standards, the VMware solution, plan and design the VMware solution, install/configure/administrate, and troubleshoot/optimize. Candidates typically hold an active VCP-DCV and have hands-on vSphere/VCF design experience.

Sample VCAP-DCV Design Practice Questions

Try these sample questions to test your VCAP-DCV Design exam readiness. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.

1A customer engagement begins with discovery workshops. Which artifact best represents the output of the conceptual design phase for a vSphere environment?
A.A bill of materials listing ESXi server SKUs and NIC models
B.A high-level diagram of stakeholder goals, business outcomes, and use cases without technology selections
C.A vDS port-group worksheet with VLAN IDs assigned
D.A vSAN cluster sizing spreadsheet with IOPS targets
Explanation: The conceptual design captures business goals, stakeholder use cases, and high-level scope without prescribing specific products or configurations. Logical and physical designs translate those goals into technologies and then into specific configurations.
2During requirements gathering, a customer states that the new platform must achieve 99.95% application availability. The architect should classify this statement as which design factor?
A.Constraint
B.Assumption
C.Requirement
D.Risk
Explanation: A measurable, customer-mandated outcome such as a target SLA is a requirement. Requirements drive design choices and are validated against the final architecture.
3A customer mandates that the new vSphere environment must reuse existing 10 GbE top-of-rack switches that lack support for jumbo frames. How should the architect document this?
A.As a requirement that drives the network design
B.As a constraint that limits design options for vSAN and vMotion
C.As an assumption pending validation
D.As a risk to project schedule
Explanation: A mandated reuse of hardware that limits design choices is a constraint. The lack of jumbo frame support directly constrains MTU options for vSAN and vMotion traffic.
4Which statement best describes the relationship between Availability, Manageability, Performance, Recoverability, and Security (AMPRS) in a vSphere design?
A.They are mutually exclusive: improving one always degrades another
B.They are non-functional qualities every design decision should be evaluated against
C.They are deliverables produced only during the operational verification phase
D.They replace requirements gathering when the customer is unsure of needs
Explanation: AMPRS represents the non-functional design qualities (sometimes shown as a wheel) used to evaluate every design decision and document trade-offs.
5An assumption documented as 'sufficient power and cooling exist in the colocation cage' is later found to be false during physical install. What design quality is most directly impacted?
A.Performance
B.Security
C.Recoverability
D.Availability
Explanation: Insufficient power or cooling will trigger thermal shutdowns or unplanned outages, directly impacting Availability. This is why assumptions must be validated before physical design is committed.
6A logical design for vSphere must include which of the following?
A.Specific server vendor model numbers and firmware versions
B.Functional groupings such as cluster purposes, datastore tiers, and network segments without product-specific implementation
C.Port-group VLAN IDs and physical NIC pinning
D.ESXi build numbers and patch baselines
Explanation: The logical design defines functional structures (clusters by workload, storage tiers, network segments) without selecting specific vendors, models, or low-level configuration values.
7The customer requires that any single-component failure in the management cluster not impact production workloads. The architect documents this as a requirement and selects a design with a separate management workload domain. Which VMware Cloud Foundation concept best aligns with this decision?
A.Edge cluster separation
B.Workload domain segregation between Management Domain and VI Workload Domains
C.NSX Edge node placement on collapsed clusters
D.vSAN ESA stretched cluster
Explanation: VCF separates the Management Domain (hosting SDDC Manager, vCenter, NSX Manager appliances) from VI Workload Domains, isolating management failures from production workloads and supporting independent lifecycle.
8An architect must justify the use of Enhanced Linked Mode (ELM) across two vCenter Server instances. Which functional benefit best supports the recommendation?
A.Shared single-pane inventory, roles, and licenses across vCenter instances within the same SSO domain
B.Synchronous replication of VM disks between vCenter instances
C.Automatic vMotion of workloads to balance load between sites
D.Centralized backup of vCenter databases
Explanation: ELM links multiple vCenter Server systems in a single SSO domain so administrators see a unified inventory and share roles, permissions, tags, categories, and licenses.
9A customer requires that a single ESXi host failure must not reduce cluster compute capacity below the running workload demand. The cluster has 8 hosts. Which vSphere HA admission control policy and value best satisfies this requirement?
A.Cluster resource percentage with 12.5% CPU and memory reserved
B.Slot policy with default slot size
C.Disable admission control to allow elasticity
D.Dedicated failover hosts with 2 hosts reserved
Explanation: With 8 hosts, reserving 1/8 (12.5%) of CPU and memory ensures one host worth of capacity is held for failover and matches the 'tolerate one host failure' requirement precisely.
10Given a vSAN OSA cluster with 6 hosts and a requirement to tolerate two simultaneous host failures with no data loss, which storage policy setting should the architect select?
A.FTT=1 with RAID-1 mirroring
B.FTT=2 with RAID-1 mirroring (3 copies)
C.FTT=1 with RAID-5 erasure coding
D.FTT=2 with RAID-6 erasure coding
Explanation: FTT=2 with RAID-6 (4+2) tolerates two failures and is supported on clusters with at least 6 fault domains/hosts in vSAN OSA. RAID-6 also provides better usable capacity than FTT=2 mirroring.

About the VCAP-DCV Design Exam

VCAP-DCV Design is an Advanced-level Broadcom/VMware credential that validates a candidate's ability to translate customer requirements into a defensible vSphere and VMware Cloud Foundation (VCF) design across conceptual, logical, and physical phases.

Questions

60 scored questions

Time Limit

145 minutes

Passing Score

300 (scaled, 100-500)

Exam Fee

$250 USD (Broadcom (VMware Certification))

VCAP-DCV Design Exam Content Outline

Section 1

IT Architectures, Technologies, Standards

Design process artifacts (conceptual, logical, physical), RACE framework (requirements, assumptions, constraints, risks), AMPRS qualities, and decision matrices.

Section 2

VMware Solution

vSphere, vSAN, NSX, and VCF components and how each maps to customer outcomes including workload domains and lifecycle ownership.

Section 3

Plan and Design the VMware Solution

Sizing for compute/memory/storage/network, vSAN OSA and ESA design, NSX overlay and edge, security (Trust Authority, Native Key Provider, encryption), HA/DR (HA, DRS, FT, vSphere Replication, SRM, VCDR), and capacity planning.

Section 4

Install, Configure, Administrate the VMware Solution

Lifecycle management with vSphere Lifecycle Manager (vLCM) and SDDC Manager, certificate management, identity federation, and automation via PowerCLI and Terraform.

Section 5

Troubleshoot and Optimize the VMware Solution

Monitoring and capacity analytics with Aria Operations, performance baselining, drift detection, and structured troubleshooting of vSphere/VCF designs.

How to Pass the VCAP-DCV Design Exam

What You Need to Know

  • Passing score: 300 (scaled, 100-500)
  • Exam length: 60 questions
  • Time limit: 145 minutes
  • Exam fee: $250 USD

Keys to Passing

  • Complete 500+ practice questions
  • Score 80%+ consistently before scheduling
  • Focus on highest-weighted sections
  • Use our AI tutor for tough concepts

VCAP-DCV Design Study Tips from Top Performers

1Master the RACE framework (Requirements, Assumptions, Constraints, Risks) and AMPRS design qualities; nearly every scenario hinges on classifying these correctly
2Practice translating customer outcomes into conceptual, logical, and physical artifacts; know which artifact contains BOMs, VLAN IDs, and tier definitions
3Drill vSAN OSA vs. ESA trade-offs (slack space, FTT/FTM, dedup/compression overhead, ESA single-tier) and stretched cluster patterns with witness placement
4Understand VCF Management Domain vs. VI Workload Domain separation and SDDC Manager's role in lifecycle orchestration
5Memorize security design building blocks: vSphere Trust Authority, Native Key Provider, Encrypted vMotion, vTPM, lockdown mode, and identity federation

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the current exam code for VCAP-DCV Design in 2026?

The current exam code is 3V0-21.23 (vSphere 8.x Advanced Design), leading to the VMware Certified Advanced Professional - Data Center Virtualization Design 2024 credential. Always verify on the Broadcom certification page before scheduling.

How many questions are on the VCAP-DCV Design exam and how long is it?

The exam contains 60 scenario-based multiple-choice items (single and multiple selection) and the appointment time is 145 minutes, which includes accommodation for non-native English speakers.

What is the passing score for VCAP-DCV Design?

The passing score is 300 on a scaled scoring system that ranges from 100 to 500. The scaled method normalizes results across exam forms.

How much does the VCAP-DCV Design exam cost?

The standard fee is $250 USD per attempt, paid to Pearson VUE at scheduling. Pricing is set by Broadcom and may vary by region; confirm before purchasing.

What are the prerequisites for VCAP-DCV Design?

Candidates traditionally need an active VCP-DCV credential before sitting the VCAP-DCV Design exam. Broadcom periodically updates prerequisite policies; verify the current path on the certification page.

How should I study for VCAP-DCV Design?

Focus on design methodology (RACE, AMPRS), then drill scenario-based decisions across vSphere, vSAN (OSA and ESA), NSX, and VCF. Practice writing conceptual, logical, and physical artifacts and run timed scenario sets.

What is the difference between VCAP-DCV Design and VCAP-DCV Deploy?

Design tests architectural decision-making across requirements, constraints, and trade-offs. Deploy tests live, hands-on lab implementation. Passing both leads to the VCIX-DCV credential.