Exam NCA-7.5 Topic 1 Question 41 Discussion

The Nutanix Compatibility and Interoperability Matrix must be consulted before upgrading AOS or the ESXi hypervisor in a vSphere-based Nutanix cluster. The matrix identifies supported combinations of AOS releases, ESXi versions, Prism components, hardware platforms and related software. This prevents the administrator from introducing a hypervisor release that the installed AOS version does not support.
Upgrade planning must consider the current and target versions together. If the target AOS version requires a different supported hypervisor level, the administrator must follow the prescribed upgrade order. Nutanix Lifecycle Manager and one-click upgrade workflows perform compatibility checks, but the matrix remains the authoritative planning resource for confirming the intended version combination.
Nutanix Validated Designs provide architectural and deployment guidance rather than an exhaustive version- compatibility decision. Hardware replacement documentation governs component service procedures. Partner Software Validation may establish support for particular third-party products, but it does not replace Nutanix' s platform compatibility matrix for AOS and ESXi.
NHCF/NCA reference: Life Cycle Management-inventory, software updates, upgrade planning and compatibility validation; NCA Section 3, "Identify software maintenance tasks." Official references: AOS
7.5-ESXi Host Upgrade , LCM-Recommended Upgrade Order .