NSE7 Enterprise Firewall and VDOMs Practice Question
An administrator needs to ensure that traffic between two VDOMs (VDOM_A and VDOM_B) is inspected by an IPS profile. Which TWO configuration elements are required? (Choose TWO.)
⚠ Common exam trap
Many candidates assume an IPsec VPN or NAT is needed for inter-VDOM communication, but FortiGate uses inter-VDOM links with same-subnet IPs and firewall policies to enable direct, inspectable traffic flow.
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
✓
An inter-VDOM link with IP addresses in the same subnet
An inter-VDOM link is required to route traffic between VDOMs, and placing IP addresses in the same subnet on both ends ensures direct Layer 2 connectivity without routing overhead. This allows the firewall policies in each VDOM to control traffic flow, and applying an IPS profile on the policy in VDOM_A (with the inter-VDOM link as the destination interface) ensures that all traffic leaving VDOM_A toward VDOM_B is inspected by IPS.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
An inter-VDOM link with IP addresses in the same subnet
Why this is correct
Inter-VDOM links are necessary to route traffic between VDOMs.
- ✗
NAT enabled on the inter-VDOM link
Why it's wrong here
NAT is optional and not required for IPS inspection.
- ✗
A firewall policy on VDOM_B with the source as the inter-VDOM link
Why it's wrong here
Only one policy is needed on the source VDOM for inter-VDOM traffic.
- ✗
An IPsec VPN between the VDOMs
Why it's wrong here
VPN is not required for inter-VDOM communication.
- ✓
A firewall policy on VDOM_A with the inter-VDOM link as the destination interface and an IPS profile applied
Why this is correct
The policy allows traffic and applies the IPS profile.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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