NSE7 Troubleshooting and Diagnostics Practice Question
A FortiGate is configured with SD-WAN and multiple members. The administrator notices that traffic to a critical application is consistently routed over a low-quality link, even though a better link is available. The SD-WAN rule uses the 'Best Quality' strategy with a performance SLA. What is the most likely reason?
⚠ Common exam trap
It's easy for candidates to assume 'Best Quality' always picks the link with the highest bandwidth or lowest cost, when in fact it strictly selects based on SLA compliance, not raw capacity or administrative preference.
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 better link is failing its SLA probes
When an SD-WAN rule uses the 'Best Quality' strategy with a performance SLA, the FortiGate selects the member link that best meets the SLA targets (e.g., jitter, latency, packet loss). If the better link is failing its SLA probes, it is considered out of compliance and will not be selected, even if it is physically available and has higher bandwidth. This causes traffic to be routed over the lower-quality link that still passes the SLA.
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 better link is failing its SLA probes
Why this is correct
Correct. If a link fails SLA, it is considered out of compliance and not selected by 'Best Quality'.
- ✗
The better link is in 'standby' mode
Why it's wrong here
If in standby, it would not be considered at all, but the question states it is available.
- ✗
The SD-WAN rule is using source-based routing
Why it's wrong here
Source-based routing is a different strategy; 'Best Quality' is based on SLA.
- ✗
The application traffic is not matching the SD-WAN rule
Why it's wrong here
If not matching, traffic would go via default route, not the low-quality link.
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JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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.