NSE4 System and Network Administration Practice Question
A network administrator is configuring SNMP on a FortiGate for monitoring. Which three pieces of information are required to complete the SNMPv2c configuration? (Choose THREE.)
⚠ Common exam trap
Many exam-takers confuse SNMPv2c requirements with SNMPv3 requirements, selecting authentication protocols (Option A) which are irrelevant for v2c, or they assume trap configuration is mandatory for basic monitoring, when it is actually optional.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
SNMP manager IP address (allowed hosts)
SNMPv2c uses community-based security, so the SNMP community string (Option D) is required for authentication. The SNMP manager IP address (Option B) is needed to define which hosts are allowed to query the FortiGate. The SNMP interface (Option E) specifies which network interface will listen for and respond to SNMP queries. These three pieces are mandatory for SNMPv2c configuration on a FortiGate.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
SNMPv3 authentication protocol (MD5/SHA)
Why it's wrong here
SNMPv3 authentication protocols like MD5 and SHA are features of SNMPv3's User-based Security Model (USM), not SNMPv2c. SNMPv2c relies exclusively on plaintext community strings for authentication, so these hashing algorithms are not applicable to a basic v2c configuration. Selecting them would be invalid for the SNMP version you are configuring, and they are not a required parameter.
- ✓
SNMP manager IP address (allowed hosts)
Why this is correct
The SNMP manager IP address (allowed hosts) is a mandatory access-control parameter in FortiGate's SNMP configuration. Without it, the SNMP agent will not accept queries from any network management station, effectively disabling polling. Specifying the NMS IP restricts SNMP access to authorized management systems, ensuring that only the intended server can read the device's MIB data.
- ✗
SNMP trap receiver IP and community
Why it's wrong here
Configuring a trap receiver and its community is purely optional for basic SNMP operation, as traps are unsolicited notifications sent by the agent, not polled requests. A management station relies on queries (get/set) for monitoring, which do not require any trap settings. FortiGate supports traps for proactive alerts, but they are not a prerequisite for enabling SNMP polling on the interface.
- ✓
SNMP community string
Why this is correct
The SNMP community string acts as the effective password for SNMPv2c, and defining one is essential when enabling SNMP on a FortiGate. It is transmitted in plaintext in every request, so it functions as a weak authentication token. Without a configured community, the agent will reject all requests, making it a required component of even the most basic SNMPv2c setup.
- ✓
SNMP interface (the interface that will respond to SNMP queries)
Why this is correct
Specifying the SNMP interface is required because the FortiGate SNMP agent must know which IP address and logical interface will listen for management queries. A FortiGate typically has multiple interfaces, and binding SNMP to the correct one ensures the agent responds on the expected network segment. Omitting this setting would leave SNMP unavailable on reachable interfaces, so it is a mandatory part of the configuration.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This NSE4 practice question is part of Courseiva's free Fortinet certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the NSE4 exam.