If link aggregation is failing to pass traffic and is only showing a status of "configured," the most likely cause is a failed negotiation due to a misconfiguration on the Top-of-Rack (ToR) switches. This typically occurs when the aggregation protocols (like LACP) or the settings on the ToR switches do not match the configuration on the hosts. Ensuring that both ends of the aggregated links are configured identically and properly for the expected protocols is critical for successful link aggregation.References: Nutanix Network Configuration Guide, Best Practices for Network Aggregation.

Given that the customer is using a Cisco Nexus 9k switch and wants to deploy ESXi with a vSphere Distributed Switch while using LACP, the consultant should ensure that the customer configures:
* D. no lacp suspend-individual: This command ensures that LACP doesn't suspend the individual port if it does not receive LACP PDUs from the other side, which is crucial in environments where continuous connectivity is required for all member links of the port-channel to maintain uninterrupted network services.
References:
* Nutanix Bible (https://www.nutanixbible.com), where it discusses ESXi configurations and switch settings.
* Cisco Nexus configuration guides, referred through Nutanix's training materials, which recommend settings for optimal integration with Nutanix environments.

After deploying a Nutanix cluster with AOS and ESXi managed by a vCenter server, the consultant should ensure that both CVM eth0 and eth2 interfaces are connected to the assigned portgroups on the standard or distributed switch. This setup allows for network segmentation and proper traffic isolation, which is crucial for maintaining network security and efficiency in a virtualized environment.References: Nutanix Bible, Nutanix University NCS-Core 6.8 learning materials