Exam MCCQE Topic 1 Question 200 Discussion
Actual exam question for Medical Council of Canada's MCCQE exam
Question #: 200
Topic #: 1
Question #: 200
Topic #: 1
A system administrator needs to install a GPU/DPU in a server. The server has a free PCI-e slot, there are enough free PCI-e lanes, and there is enough room for the card. Which procedure should be followed?
Suggested Answer: D Vote an answer
Comprehensive and Detailed Explanation:
The physical installation of high-performance NVIDIA components, such as H100 PCIe GPUs or BlueField DPUs, requires strict adherence to data center safety and hardware preservation standards. Option D is the only " 100% verified " procedure because it covers three critical pillars: Power, Compatibility, and Safety.
First, high-end GPUs can draw up to 300W-450W individually; verifying the server ' s PDU and internal PSU capacity is essential to prevent over-current shutdowns. Second, verifying cable compatibility (such as
12VHPWR or specific PCIe power 8-pin layouts) is vital to avoid electrical damage. Third, " Cold Service " (ensuring the server is powered down and cables are removed) is the standard for non-hot-plug PCIe components to prevent short circuits. Finally, wearing an ESD (Electrostatic Discharge) bracelet is non- negotiable when handling NVIDIA hardware, as static charges can destroy the sensitive HBM (High Bandwidth Memory) or the GPU die itself. Skipping ESD protection (as suggested in Option A) or performing the install while the system is " up and running " (as suggested in Option C) are leading causes of hardware infant mortality in AI infrastructure.
The physical installation of high-performance NVIDIA components, such as H100 PCIe GPUs or BlueField DPUs, requires strict adherence to data center safety and hardware preservation standards. Option D is the only " 100% verified " procedure because it covers three critical pillars: Power, Compatibility, and Safety.
First, high-end GPUs can draw up to 300W-450W individually; verifying the server ' s PDU and internal PSU capacity is essential to prevent over-current shutdowns. Second, verifying cable compatibility (such as
12VHPWR or specific PCIe power 8-pin layouts) is vital to avoid electrical damage. Third, " Cold Service " (ensuring the server is powered down and cables are removed) is the standard for non-hot-plug PCIe components to prevent short circuits. Finally, wearing an ESD (Electrostatic Discharge) bracelet is non- negotiable when handling NVIDIA hardware, as static charges can destroy the sensitive HBM (High Bandwidth Memory) or the GPU die itself. Skipping ESD protection (as suggested in Option A) or performing the install while the system is " up and running " (as suggested in Option C) are leading causes of hardware infant mortality in AI infrastructure.
by Jonas at Aug 08, 2026, 08:16 AM
0
0
0
10
Comments
Upvoting a comment with a selected answer will also increase the vote count towards that answer by one. So if you see a comment that you already agree with, you can upvote it instead of posting a new comment.
Report Comment
Commenting
You can sign-up / login (it's free).