NSE7 Advanced Networking and SD-WAN Practice Question
An administrator is configuring an SD-WAN rule to load balance traffic across two WAN links. The administrator wants to distribute traffic based on the source IP address to ensure that each source uses a consistent path. Which load balancing algorithm should be used?
⚠ Common exam trap
A common mix-up: candidates confuse source-based load balancing with other algorithms that distribute traffic evenly but do not provide source-based persistence, such as weighted round robin or volume.
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
✓
Source IP
The 'source-ip' load balancing algorithm uses a hash of the source IP address to select an SD-WAN member. This ensures that all traffic from a specific source IP consistently uses the same WAN link, providing session persistence. This meets the administrator's requirement to distribute traffic based on source IP and maintain consistent paths.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Weighted round robin
Why it's wrong here
Weighted round robin distributes traffic based on assigned weights, not source IP. It does not guarantee that a specific source will always use the same link. This algorithm is used to distribute load proportionally, but it does not provide source-based persistence.
- ✗
Lowest cost (SLA)
Why it's wrong here
Lowest cost (SLA) selects the member with the lowest cost that meets the SLA. It does not consider source IP. While it can provide load balancing, it does not ensure that a given source consistently uses the same path. It is more focused on link quality and cost.
- ✗
Volume
Why it's wrong here
Volume-based load balancing distributes traffic based on the volume of data sent, aiming to balance the total bytes across links. It does not consider source IP and does not guarantee path consistency for a given source. This is not suitable for the requirement.
- ✓
Source IP
Why this is correct
The 'source-ip' algorithm distributes traffic based on the source IP address, ensuring that all sessions from a given source use the same WAN link. This provides session persistence and is ideal for scenarios where consistent path selection is required. It directly matches the administrator's goal.
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JA
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.