Quick Answer
The answer is that the hub’s phase 1 interface must have both set auto-discovery-sender enable and set add-route enable configured. The auto-discovery-sender setting allows the hub to initiate and coordinate dynamic tunnel setup between spokes, while add-route enables the hub to install the shortcut routes that direct spoke-to-spoke traffic through the newly formed direct tunnels rather than forcing it through the hub. On the Fortinet NSE 7 Advanced Security NSE7 exam, this question tests your understanding of ADVPN hub settings for spoke-to-spoke shortcuts, a common scenario where candidates mistakenly enable only the sender or receiver role without realizing that the hub must also inject the shortcut routes. A frequent trap is forgetting that add-route is required on the hub to make the shortcut functional; without it, the hub will discover peers but never install the necessary routing entries. Remember the mnemonic “HAS to add routes” — Hub Auto-discovery Sender plus Add-route.
This NSE7 practice question tests your understanding of advanced vpn and zero trust. This is a configuration task: choose the command set that satisfies every stated requirement. Small differences — like 'secret' vs 'password' or 'transport input ssh' vs 'all' — change whether the answer is correct. 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 network administrator is configuring an ADVPN hub-and-spoke topology. The hub is FortiGate-A and the spokes are FortiGate-B and FortiGate-C. The administrator wants spoke-to-spoke traffic to dynamically establish direct tunnels when needed. Which two settings must be enabled on the hub's phase 1 interface to support this?
set mode aggressive
Why wrong: Aggressive mode is not required for ADVPN.
set auto-discovery-shortcut-mode both
Why wrong: This is a spoke setting (set on each spoke's phase1 to allow shortcut initiation).
set auto-discovery-sender enable
The hub must be an auto-discovery sender to advertise routes to spokes.
set add-route enable
Add-route on the hub installs the shortcut route for direct spoke-to-spoke tunnels.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
set auto-discovery-sender enable
Option B (set auto-discovery-sender enable) on the hub and Option C (set auto-discovery-receiver enable) on each spoke are required. However, since the question asks for the hub's settings, the correct answer is the hub must be configured as sender and also set add-route to enable shortcut tunnels.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
set mode aggressive
Why it's wrong here
Aggressive mode is not required for ADVPN.
set auto-discovery-shortcut-mode both
Why it's wrong here
This is a spoke setting (set on each spoke's phase1 to allow shortcut initiation).
set auto-discovery-sender enable
Why this is correct
The hub must be an auto-discovery sender to advertise routes to spokes.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
set add-route enable
Why this is correct
Add-route on the hub installs the shortcut route for direct spoke-to-spoke tunnels.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Many certification questions include familiar terms but test a specific constraint. Read the exact wording before choosing an answer that is generally true but wrong for this case.
Detailed technical explanation
This question should be treated as a scenario, not a definition check. Identify the problem, the constraint and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
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
Identify which NSE7 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
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FAQ
Advanced VPN and Zero Trust — This question tests Advanced VPN and Zero Trust — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: set auto-discovery-sender enable — Option B (set auto-discovery-sender enable) on the hub and Option C (set auto-discovery-receiver enable) on each spoke are required. However, since the question asks for the hub's settings, the correct answer is the hub must be configured as sender and also set add-route to enable shortcut tunnels.
Identify which NSE7 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Same concept, more angles
These questions test the same concept from different angles. Work through them to make sure you can recognise it however the exam phrases it.
Variation 1. An administrator is configuring a hub-and-spoke ADVPN with IBGP as the overlay routing protocol. The hub is configured as a route reflector. Which two conditions must be met for a shortcut tunnel to be established between two spokes? (Choose TWO)
hardWhy A: For shortcut tunnels to establish, the hub must send a shortcut offer to the spokes. This requires that the hub learns the route from one spoke via IBGP and reflects it to the other spoke. The spoke must also have auto-discovery-shortcut-mode enabled to accept the shortcut. Additionally, the spokes must be able to communicate directly (no NAT between them).
Variation 2. A network administrator is configuring a hub-and-spoke ADVPN with BGP over the VPN tunnels. Which TWO conditions are necessary for the spokes to establish direct shortcut tunnels between each other?
mediumWhy B: Shortcut tunnels require that the hub propagates routes without setting itself as next-hop (next-hop-self disabled), and that spokes have overlapping routing information so they know the other spoke's subnet via BGP. Option A and D are correct: BGP must be configured on all spokes to exchange routes, and the hub must not set next-hop-self so that the next-hop remains the remote spoke's tunnel IP.
Variation 3. An administrator is deploying a hub-and-spoke ADVPN with three spoke sites. The spokes have dynamic IP addresses. The hub has a static IP. The administrator wants the spokes to establish direct shortcut tunnels when they communicate with each other. Which THREE conditions must be met for shortcut tunnels to be established? (Choose three.)
hardWhy A: For ADVPN shortcuts, auto-discovery must be enabled on phase1 (B), the hub must have routes to spoke subnets (D), and the spoke must have a tunnel interface with an IP in the same subnet as other spokes (E). The shortcuthub is not required if the hub is the central point.
Last reviewed: Jun 21, 2026
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