NSE7 Advanced Networking and SD-WAN Practice Question
An administrator has configured an SD-WAN zone named 'virtual-wan-link' with two members: port1 (WAN1) and port2 (WAN2). A performance SLA named 'SLA1' is created and assigned to the zone. The administrator wants to ensure that SD-WAN rules use the SLA results to select the best member. Which statement correctly describes how the FortiGate uses the performance SLA results in SD-WAN rule selection?
⚠ Common exam trap
The trap here is assuming that SLA results are only for monitoring and do not influence traffic steering, when in fact they directly affect member selection in SD-WAN rules.
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 FortiGate uses the SLA status to mark members as 'alive' or 'dead' and only selects members that are 'alive' when the rule's strategy is 'SLA' or when the rule is configured to use SLA information.
When a performance SLA is assigned to an SD-WAN zone, the FortiGate actively probes the members. If a member fails to meet the SLA thresholds, it is marked as dead. SD-WAN rules that are configured to use SLA information will then avoid that member, ensuring traffic is sent over a link that meets the required performance criteria. This is a core feature of Fortinet SD-WAN.
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 performance SLA results are used only for monitoring and logging; SD-WAN rules do not consider them.
Why it's wrong here
Performance SLA results are actively used by SD-WAN rules to determine member selection when the rule's strategy is set to 'lowest-cost' or 'maximize-bandwidth' etc. Ignoring them would defeat the purpose of SLA monitoring. The FortiGate continuously probes and uses the results to steer traffic, so this statement is incorrect.
- ✓
The FortiGate uses the SLA status to mark members as 'alive' or 'dead' and only selects members that are 'alive' when the rule's strategy is 'SLA' or when the rule is configured to use SLA information.
Why this is correct
SD-WAN rules can be configured with a strategy that considers SLA status. When a member fails the SLA, it is marked as dead and not used for traffic that requires the SLA. This ensures traffic is steered to a member that meets the configured latency, jitter, and packet loss thresholds.
- ✗
The FortiGate uses the SLA results to automatically adjust the link cost of each member, which then influences routing decisions.
Why it's wrong here
While SD-WAN can influence routing, it does not automatically adjust link costs based on SLA results. The SLA status is used within SD-WAN rules to select members; it does not modify routing metrics like OSPF cost or BGP local preference. Routing decisions are separate from SD-WAN member selection.
- ✗
The performance SLA results are used only for load balancing algorithms like 'source-ip-based' and 'session-based'.
Why it's wrong here
Load balancing algorithms such as source-ip-based and session-based do not consider SLA results; they distribute traffic based on the algorithm's logic regardless of member health. SLA results are used for strategies like 'lowest-cost' and 'SLA', not for those load balancing methods.
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Written and reviewed by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
Last reviewed September 2026 · checked against the official Fortinet exam blueprint
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.