NSE7 Troubleshooting and Diagnostics Practice Question
An HA cluster of two FortiGates is experiencing split-brain. Which command should the administrator use to check the current HA status and identify which unit is the primary?
⚠ Common exam trap
Candidates often confuse FortiGate CLI syntax with Cisco IOS, where 'show' is used for operational status, but FortiGate uses 'get' for such queries, and they may also mistake debug commands (like 'diagnose debug application had 0') for status-checking commands.
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
✓
get system ha status
The correct command to check the current HA status and identify the primary unit is 'get system ha status'. This command displays the HA mode, cluster state, role (primary/secondary), and peer status in a clear, human-readable format. In a split-brain scenario, the administrator needs to quickly confirm which unit believes it is the primary, and this command provides that information directly without debug-level verbosity.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
diagnose debug application had 0
Why it's wrong here
This enables debug output, not a simple status check.
- ✗
diagnose sys ha dump
Why it's wrong here
This command dumps HA memory but is not the primary command to check status.
- ✓
get system ha status
Why this is correct
Standard command to show HA status and role.
- ✗
show system ha
Why it's wrong here
'show' is for configuration, not status.
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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.