- A
The log disk is full
Why wrong: Full disk would cause logs to be overwritten or dropped, but not necessarily explain why no logs at all.
- B
The traffic is denied by a local-in policy
Why wrong: If denied, it might still be logged if logging is enabled on the local-in policy; but the stem implies policy has logging enabled.
- C
The log device (FortiAnalyzer or syslog) is not reachable and the FortiGate is configured to drop logs when the remote server is unavailable
If the log destination is unreachable, the FortiGate may discard logs if configured to do so.
- D
The traffic is hardware-accelerated and not sent to the CPU for logging
Offloaded traffic may not generate logs unless specific settings are enabled.
- E
The FortiGate is experiencing high session rate and logging is rate-limited
High session rates can cause logging to be throttled or dropped.
Quick Answer
The answer is that the FortiGate is dropping logs locally when the remote logging server is unreachable, which is the most common reason for traffic not logging despite policy enabled. This occurs because the FortiGate’s logging behavior is controlled by the ‘log-drop-packet’ setting or the choice between ‘reliable’ and ‘unreliable’ logging modes; when the remote server (FortiAnalyzer or syslog) is down, logs are discarded rather than queued, so they never leave the device. On the Fortinet NSE 7 Advanced Security NSE7 exam, this tests your understanding of log flow architecture and the distinction between local and remote logging, often appearing as a trap where candidates assume enabling logging on the policy is sufficient. A common memory tip is to think of “unreliable” as “unreachable equals unlogged”—if the server is down and logging is set to unreliable, the logs vanish without a trace.
NSE7 Enterprise Firewall and VDOMs Practice Question
This NSE7 practice question tests your understanding of enterprise firewall and vdoms. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
A FortiGate administrator is troubleshooting an issue where certain traffic is not being logged despite having a firewall policy with logging enabled. The administrator checks the policy and confirms logging is set to 'All Sessions'. Which THREE reasons could explain why the traffic is not being logged?
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
The log device (FortiAnalyzer or syslog) is not reachable and the FortiGate is configured to drop logs when the remote server is unavailable
Option C is correct because when a FortiGate is configured to drop logs when the remote logging server (FortiAnalyzer or syslog) is unreachable, the logs are discarded locally rather than queued or buffered. This behavior is controlled by the 'log-drop-packet' setting or the 'reliable' vs 'unreliable' logging mode, and if the remote server is down, the logs never leave the FortiGate, resulting in no logging despite the policy being set to log all sessions.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
The log disk is full
Why it's wrong here
Full disk would cause logs to be overwritten or dropped, but not necessarily explain why no logs at all.
- ✗
The traffic is denied by a local-in policy
Why it's wrong here
If denied, it might still be logged if logging is enabled on the local-in policy; but the stem implies policy has logging enabled.
- ✓
The log device (FortiAnalyzer or syslog) is not reachable and the FortiGate is configured to drop logs when the remote server is unavailable
Why this is correct
If the log destination is unreachable, the FortiGate may discard logs if configured to do so.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✓
The traffic is hardware-accelerated and not sent to the CPU for logging
Why this is correct
Offloaded traffic may not generate logs unless specific settings are enabled.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✓
The FortiGate is experiencing high session rate and logging is rate-limited
Why this is correct
High session rates can cause logging to be throttled or dropped.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often assume a full disk or unreachable log server will always cause log loss, but FortiGate's behavior depends on specific configuration settings like log rotation and reliable logging mode, which are explicitly tested in the NSE7 exam.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Hardware acceleration (NP6/NP7 processors) offloads session processing from the CPU, and by default, logging for accelerated sessions is not sent to the CPU unless 'log-traffic-acceleration' is enabled under config system npu or config system session-helper. Rate-limiting of logs occurs via the 'log-rate-limit' setting in config log setting, which can drop excess logs when the session rate exceeds the configured threshold, typically to prevent CPU overload during high traffic volumes.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
- Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
TExam Day Tips
- Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
- Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A practitioner preparing for the NSE7 exam encounters this exact type of scenario on the job. The correct answer here is not the most general option — it is the best answer for the specific constraint described. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Real exam questions reward reading the full scenario before eliminating options, because the constraint defines which answer fits.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
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Enterprise Firewall and VDOMs — study guide chapter
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this NSE7 question test?
Enterprise Firewall and VDOMs — This question tests Enterprise Firewall and VDOMs — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: The log device (FortiAnalyzer or syslog) is not reachable and the FortiGate is configured to drop logs when the remote server is unavailable — Option C is correct because when a FortiGate is configured to drop logs when the remote logging server (FortiAnalyzer or syslog) is unreachable, the logs are discarded locally rather than queued or buffered. This behavior is controlled by the 'log-drop-packet' setting or the 'reliable' vs 'unreliable' logging mode, and if the remote server is down, the logs never leave the FortiGate, resulting in no logging despite the policy being set to log all sessions.
What should I do if I get this NSE7 question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
About these practice questions
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Last reviewed: Jun 24, 2026
This NSE7 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 NSE7 exam.
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