Pass NS0-185 Exam Guide

The cluster ping-cluster command is specifically designed to testinter-node cluster network connectivity, includinglatency, packet loss, and throughputbetween cluster nodes. This command generates synthetic traffic over the cluster interconnect and measures performance characteristics that directly affect cluster health and stability.

The command is commonly used duringpost-installation validation, cluster expansion, and troubleshooting scenarios involving cluster network performance. It provides insight into whether the cluster interconnect is operating within expected parameters.

Other commands listed do not provide this functionality. QoS workload statistics focus on application-level performance, network test-path validates reachability for LIF failover paths, and statistics node show reports internal node counters rather than inter-node network performance.

Therefore, the correct answer isB.

AFF systems are all-flash platforms that rely heavily onsoftware-based efficiency technologiesbuilt into ONTAP. Two such technologies areFlexClone volumesandthin provisioning.

FlexCloneenables instant, space-efficient copies of volumes or files without duplicating data blocks. This is especially useful for testing, development, backups, and rapid provisioning scenarios. On AFF systems, FlexClone operations are nearly instantaneous and incur minimal overhead.

Thin provisioningallows logical storage to be allocated without immediately consuming physical capacity. This ensures maximum utilization of flash storage and prevents over-provisioning, which is critical in all-flash environments.

Flash Pool and FlashCache are hybrid-storage technologies and are not applicable to AFF A400 systems, which do not use HDDs or PCIe read-cache modules.

Therefore, the correct answers areB and D.

The root aggregate hosts system volumes such as vol0. Adding data volumes can negatively impact system operations, causing performance and stability issues.

The question asks formanualmethods a customer can use to open anew technical support casewith NetApp Global Support. In NetApp operational/support concepts, there are multiple engagement paths, but only some are “manual case creation” mechanisms.

A web-basedsupport siteworkflow is a standard manual case-creation path for customers. In NetApp support processes (including guidance in NetApp-managed support tooling for storage services), web ticketing/case creation is explicitly described as a supported way to open a case.

A second supported manual method is bytelephone(“Call Us” / phone support), which is also described as a direct support option alongside web case creation. This matches optionD.

A third manual method commonly provided for customers is amobile applicationthat supports support engagement (including case workflows). In contrast,AutoSupportis primarily an automated telemetry/notification mechanism; while AutoSupport can triggerautomatedcase creation under certain conditions, it is not a customer-driven “manual open a new case” method. ONTAP documentation even discusses suppressing or resuming AutoSupport case generation, reinforcing that AutoSupport case behavior is automated and policy-driven rather than a manual “open a case” action. Thus optionEdoes not meet the “manually open” requirement.

OptionB (NetApp Field Portal)is generally a field/partner/internal operational portal used by NetApp personnel and partners rather than a standard customer manual case creation channel. From an installation knowledge-transfer perspective, the customer-facing paths that satisfy the requirement are the support website and phone, and the mobile app where available for case workflows.

Therefore, the three correct choices areA, C, and D.