Quick Answer
The answer is that a few large-volume sessions dominating traffic and misconfigured interface bandwidth are the two factors causing uneven SD-WAN volume load balancing distribution. The volume algorithm distributes traffic based on session-level decisions using configured weights and bandwidth, not per-packet; when a handful of sessions carry most of the data, the percentage of traffic per interface can skew wildly from the intended ratio, even with correct weights. On the Fortinet NSE 7 Advanced Security NSE7 exam, this question tests your understanding that volume load balancing is session-aware, not byte-aware—a common trap is assuming the algorithm rebalances mid-session or works like per-packet round-robin. Remember the key distinction: volume balances sessions by weight, but large sessions break the math. Memory tip: “Big sessions throw off the percentage—think elephant flows, not equal shares.”
This NSE7 practice question tests your understanding of advanced networking and sd-wan. 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 running FortiOS 7.2 has multiple WAN interfaces. The administrator is configuring SD-WAN load balancing with the 'volume' algorithm. The requirement is that each interface carries a percentage of total traffic based on its bandwidth capacity. The administrator sets the 'weight' of each interface accordingly. However, traffic distribution is not as expected. Which TWO factors could cause this discrepancy?
The weight values are not in the range 1-100
Why wrong: Weight can be any integer; the range is not limited to 1-100.
The load balancing algorithm is set to 'per-packet' instead of 'volume'
Why wrong: Per-packet is not an algorithm option.
The performance SLA is set to 'disable' on some interfaces, causing them to be excluded
Why wrong: SLA should be enabled for health, but not directly affect volume distribution.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
The interface bandwidth settings (speed) do not reflect actual link capacity
The volume algorithm uses weight and interface bandwidth to distribute traffic. If the interface bandwidth is misconfigured (option B), the distribution will be wrong. Also, per-packet load balancing is not used; the algorithm works on sessions. However, if the traffic consists of few large sessions, the volume distribution may not be even. Option D is correct because the algorithm works at session level, not per-packet, so volume imbalance can occur if sessions vary greatly in size. Option A is irrelevant. Option C is incorrect because the algorithm does not use per-packet. Option E is a possible issue with health checks if traffic is diverted.
Key principle: NAT direction and interface roles matter as much as the IP address mapping. Inside/outside designation controls which traffic is translated.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
The weight values are not in the range 1-100
Why it's wrong here
Weight can be any integer; the range is not limited to 1-100.
The load balancing algorithm is set to 'per-packet' instead of 'volume'
Why it's wrong here
Per-packet is not an algorithm option.
The performance SLA is set to 'disable' on some interfaces, causing them to be excluded
Why it's wrong here
SLA should be enabled for health, but not directly affect volume distribution.
Common exam traps
NAT is not only about the public address. The inside/outside interface roles and the ACL or rule that matches traffic are just as important.
Detailed technical explanation
NAT questions usually test address translation, overload/PAT behaviour, static mappings and whether the right traffic is being translated. Read the interface direction and address terms carefully.
Key takeaway
NAT direction and interface roles matter as much as the IP address mapping. Inside/outside designation controls which traffic is translated.
Real-world example
A small business has 20 workstations on the 192.168.1.0/24 network and one public IP from its ISP. The router uses PAT (NAT overload) so all 20 devices share one public address using different source ports. NAT questions test whether you understand the four address terms and which direction each translation applies.
What to study next
Review the four NAT address types (inside local, inside global, outside local, outside global), PAT port overload, and static vs dynamic NAT use cases. Then practise related NSE7 NAT questions on configuration and troubleshooting.
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FAQ
Advanced Networking and SD-WAN — This question tests Advanced Networking and SD-WAN — Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address..
The correct answer is: The interface bandwidth settings (speed) do not reflect actual link capacity — The volume algorithm uses weight and interface bandwidth to distribute traffic. If the interface bandwidth is misconfigured (option B), the distribution will be wrong. Also, per-packet load balancing is not used; the algorithm works on sessions. However, if the traffic consists of few large sessions, the volume distribution may not be even. Option D is correct because the algorithm works at session level, not per-packet, so volume imbalance can occur if sessions vary greatly in size. Option A is irrelevant. Option C is incorrect because the algorithm does not use per-packet. Option E is a possible issue with health checks if traffic is diverted.
Review the four NAT address types (inside local, inside global, outside local, outside global), PAT port overload, and static vs dynamic NAT use cases. Then practise related NSE7 NAT questions on configuration and troubleshooting.
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
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Last reviewed: Jun 21, 2026
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