NSE7 Advanced Networking and SD-WAN Practice Question
A FortiGate is running OSPF with multiple areas. The admin wants to redistribute a static route for 192.168.100.0/24 into OSPF. After configuring 'config router ospf' with 'redistribute static' enabled, the route appears in the OSPF database but is not being advertised to other areas. What is the most likely cause?
⚠ Common exam trap
The trap here is that candidates often overlook the impact of stub area restrictions on Type 5 LSAs and mistakenly focus on redistribution syntax or administrative distance, rather than understanding that ABR behavior in stub areas blocks external routes by default.
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 router is an ABR and the static route is being redistributed as a type 5 LSA, which is not flooded into stub areas.
An ABR does not flood Type 5 LSAs (which are generated by redistribution) into stub areas or NSSAs. Since the route appears in the OSPF database on the ABR but is not advertised to other areas, the most likely cause is that the receiving area is a stub area, which by design blocks Type 5 LSAs. The redistribution of a static route into OSPF creates a Type 5 LSA, which is only flooded throughout the AS except into stub areas and NSSAs.
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 'redistribute static' command needs a route map to filter the route correctly.
Why it's wrong here
A route map is optional for redistribution; without one, all static routes are redistributed. The route already appears in the OSPF database, so filtering is not blocking it. A route map would be correct when you need to control which specific routes are redistributed or set metrics and tags.
- ✗
The static route's administrative distance is too high for OSPF.
Why it's wrong here
Administrative distance governs which route a router prefers locally; it does not stop OSPF from redistributing a static route into the OSPF database. The route already appears there, so distance is irrelevant. Distance would matter when choosing between competing routes to the same prefix.
- ✓
The router is an ABR and the static route is being redistributed as a type 5 LSA, which is not flooded into stub areas.
Why this is correct
Type 5 LSAs are not flooded into stub areas, so a static route redistributed by an ABR never reaches routers inside those areas even though it appears in the OSPF database. This matches the stem's symptom of no advertisement beyond the originating area.
- ✗
OSPF must be configured with 'default-information originate' to allow redistribution.
Why it's wrong here
'Default-information originate' injects a default route (0.0.0.0/0) into OSPF; it does not govern redistribution of ordinary static routes such as 192.168.100.0/24. It would be correct when you want OSPF neighbours to learn a default route from this FortiGate.
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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.