NSE7 Advanced Networking and SD-WAN Practice Question
A network administrator wants to configure SD-WAN on a FortiGate with two internet connections (port1 and port2). The requirement is to use the link with the lowest cost as the primary path for all traffic, unless it exceeds a threshold. Which SD-WAN load balancing algorithm should the administrator choose?
⚠ Common exam trap
It's easy for candidates to confuse the 'Lowest-cost' algorithm with the 'Spillover' algorithm, mistakenly thinking Spillover uses cost thresholds when it actually uses volume-based thresholds, leading them to select option A instead of C.
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
✓
Lowest-cost
The 'Lowest-cost' algorithm (option C) is correct because it allows the administrator to assign a cost metric to each SD-WAN link and designate the link with the lowest cost as the primary path. Traffic will use this primary link until its cost exceeds a defined threshold, at which point the FortiGate will spill over traffic to the next lowest-cost link. This directly matches the requirement of using the lowest-cost link as primary unless a threshold is exceeded.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Spillover
Why it's wrong here
Spillover sends traffic to a member until its bandwidth threshold is exceeded, then spills to the next. Not based on cost.
- ✗
Sessions
Why it's wrong here
Sessions distributes sessions round-robin or by other criteria, not cost.
- ✓
Lowest-cost
Why this is correct
Lowest-cost selects the member with the lowest cost. If the cost exceeds a threshold, the next best member is used.
- ✗
Volume
Why it's wrong here
Volume distributes traffic based on the volume of data sent per member, not cost.
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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.