The answer is enabling `set auto-discovery-sender` on the hub’s phase1 interface and advertising spoke routes to other spokes via BGP. The `auto-discovery-sender` command marks the hub as the central discovery point, allowing it to forward shortcut tunnel requests between spokes, while BGP route advertisement ensures each spoke learns the remote networks of its peers—without this, spokes have no destination to trigger a shortcut. On the Fortinet NSE 7 Advanced Security NSE7 exam, this question tests your understanding that ADVPN shortcut tunnels require both a control-plane trigger (route exchange) and a data-plane enabler (auto-discovery), and a common trap is assuming only one of these steps is needed. Remember the mnemonic “Send and Tell”—the hub must send discovery messages and tell spokes about each other’s routes for shortcuts to form.
NSE7 Advanced VPN and Zero Trust Practice Question
This NSE7 practice question tests your understanding of advanced vpn and zero trust. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
A FortiGate administrator is configuring a hub-and-spoke ADVPN with BGP. The hub has multiple spokes. Which TWO configuration steps are REQUIRED on the hub FortiGate for shortcut tunnels to be established between spokes?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Configure BGP to redistribute connected or static routes to the spokes
For ADVPN shortcut tunnels, the hub must enable auto-discovery sender and must also advertise the spoke routes to other spokes. Without route advertisement, spokes cannot know about each other's networks.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
✓
Configure BGP to redistribute connected or static routes to the spokes
Why this is correct
Without route redistribution, spokes will not learn about other spoke subnets, so shortcut tunnels would have no traffic to trigger.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Enable 'set auto-discovery-receiver' on the hub's phase1 interface
Why it's wrong here
Receiver is for spokes, not the hub.
✓
Enable 'set auto-discovery-sender' on the hub's phase1 interface
Why this is correct
This enables the hub to send route advertisements to spokes so they can initiate shortcut tunnels.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Disable DPD on the hub's phase1 interface
Why it's wrong here
DPD is unrelated to shortcut tunnels; disabling it could cause connectivity issues.
✗
Set the IKE version to IKEv1 on the hub
Why it's wrong here
ADVPN works with both IKEv1 and IKEv2; IKE version is not a requirement.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Many certification questions include familiar terms but test a specific constraint. Read the exact wording before choosing an answer that is generally true but wrong for this case.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
This question should be treated as a scenario, not a definition check. Identify the problem, the constraint and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.
KKey Concepts to Remember
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
Use explanations to understand the rule behind the answer.
TExam Day Tips
→Underline the problem statement mentally.
→Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
→Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A practitioner preparing for the NSE7 exam encounters this exact type of scenario on the job. The correct answer here is not the most general option — it is the best answer for the specific constraint described. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Real exam questions reward reading the full scenario before eliminating options, because the constraint defines which answer fits.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which NSE7 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
Advanced VPN and Zero Trust — This question tests Advanced VPN and Zero Trust — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Configure BGP to redistribute connected or static routes to the spokes — For ADVPN shortcut tunnels, the hub must enable auto-discovery sender and must also advertise the spoke routes to other spokes. Without route advertisement, spokes cannot know about each other's networks.
What should I do if I get this NSE7 question wrong?
Identify which NSE7 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Question Discussion
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