NSE7 Advanced Networking and SD-WAN Practice Question
A FortiGate is deployed with two ISPs and SD-WAN. The organization uses OSPF to exchange routes with a remote branch. The administrator notices that the FortiGate is not installing OSPF-learned routes into the routing table. The OSPF configuration is verified to be correct, and neighbors are established. Which configuration could be causing the issue?
⚠ Common exam trap
Test-takers frequently assume OSPF neighbors being up and routes appearing in the OSPF database guarantee route installation, but a distribute-list can silently block installation without affecting neighbor adjacency or the LSDB.
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
✓
A distribute-list configured under OSPF is filtering the routes from being installed.
A distribute-list applied under OSPF can filter routes from being installed into the routing table even when OSPF neighbors are fully established and the OSPF database contains the routes. This is a common cause of routes being learned but not installed, as the filter operates after the SPF calculation and before route insertion.
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 SD-WAN health-check is configured with 'update-static-route' and is overriding OSPF routes.
Why it's wrong here
Health-check updates static routes, not OSPF routes.
- ✗
The administrative distance of OSPF is set to 200, which is higher than the default 110.
Why it's wrong here
Even if distance is 200, OSPF routes would still be installed unless there is a conflict with another route of lower distance. Since no other route exists, they should be installed.
- ✓
A distribute-list configured under OSPF is filtering the routes from being installed.
Why this is correct
A distribute-list in OSPF can filter which routes are installed into the routing table, even if neighbors are up.
- ✗
The OSPF interface is configured as 'passive', which prevents route exchange.
Why it's wrong here
A passive interface does not send or receive OSPF packets; neighbors would not form, but the question states neighbors are established.
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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.