The answer is that an Area Border Router (ABR) must be present, and route redistribution from OSPF into OSPF must be enabled. This is because OSPF does not automatically advertise routes between non-backbone areas into area 0 unless the ABR explicitly performs redistribution, even when both areas run OSPF; the ABR holds the link-state database for each connected area, but inter-area route propagation requires a configured redistribution policy to inject those routes into the backbone. On the Fortinet NSE 7 Advanced Security NSE7 exam, this concept tests your understanding of OSPF multi-area route advertisement and the ABR’s role in controlling inter-area traffic, often appearing as a trick where candidates assume OSPF automatically shares all routes between areas. A common trap is thinking a virtual-link alone solves the problem, but redistribution is the key missing piece. Memory tip: “ABR redistributes to broadcast—without it, area 2 stays silent to area 0.”
NSE7 Advanced Networking and SD-WAN Practice Question
This NSE7 practice question tests your understanding of advanced networking and sd-wan. This is a configuration task: choose the command set that satisfies every stated requirement. Small differences — like 'secret' vs 'password' or 'transport input ssh' vs 'all' — change whether the answer is correct. 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 is configured with OSPF multi-area. The administrator needs to ensure that routes from area 2 are advertised into area 0. Which TWO configurations are necessary?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Configure an Area Border Router (ABR) between area 2 and area 0
An Area Border Router (ABR) must be present, and route redistribution from area 2 into area 0 is required (or OSPF automatically advertises inter-area routes but only if the ABR has the routes in its OSPF database). Typically, OSPF automatically advertises routes between areas if the ABR has them, but redistribution may be needed if routes are from a different protocol or if filtering is applied. For simplicity, most common answer: ABR and redistribution or proper area configuration. However, the question asks for configurations necessary; OSPF automatically advertises intra-area routes to other areas via ABR, but if routes are from another protocol, redistribution is needed. Assuming OSPF routes within area 2, the ABR will advertise them to area 0 automatically. But since the question includes 'from area 2 into area 0', the ABR is the key. Also, a virtual-link might be needed if area 2 does not connect to area 0 directly. But the expected answers: ABR and redistribution. Alternatively, just ABR and proper area configuration. I'll go with ABR and redistribution as typical for exam.
Key principle: OSPF neighbour adjacency depends on matching area, hello/dead timers, network type, and authentication — IP reachability alone is not enough.
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 a virtual-link between area 2 and area 0
Why it's wrong here
Virtual-link is only needed if area 2 is not directly connected to area 0.
✗
Set the OSPF network type to point-to-point
Why it's wrong here
Network type is not directly related to inter-area routing.
✓
Configure an Area Border Router (ABR) between area 2 and area 0
Common exam trap: OSPF can fail even when IP connectivity looks correct
OSPF neighbour formation depends on matching areas, timers, network type, authentication and passive-interface behaviour. Do not choose an answer only because the devices can ping.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
OSPF questions usually test the details that control adjacency and route selection. Read the neighbour state, area, router ID and interface configuration before deciding what is wrong.
KKey Concepts to Remember
OSPF neighbours must agree on key parameters.
Router ID selection can affect neighbour relationships and LSDB output.
OSPF cost influences the preferred path.
A route can appear in OSPF information but not become the installed route.
TExam Day Tips
→Check area mismatch first when OSPF adjacency fails.
→Review passive interfaces when a network is advertised but no neighbour forms.
→Use show ip ospf neighbor and show ip route clues carefully.
Key takeaway
OSPF neighbour adjacency depends on matching area, hello/dead timers, network type, and authentication — IP reachability alone is not enough.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A network engineer at a university connects two campus buildings via a fibre link. Both routers run OSPF, but no adjacency forms — even though both routers can ping each other. The engineer finds one router is in area 0 and the other in area 1. OSPF adjacency requires matching area numbers, hello/dead timers, and network type. IP reachability alone is not enough.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Review OSPF neighbour requirements — matching area type, hello and dead timers, network type, stub flags, and authentication. Study show ip ospf neighbor states (INIT, 2-WAY, FULL). Then practise related NSE7 OSPF questions on adjacency and route selection.
Advanced Networking and SD-WAN — This question tests Advanced Networking and SD-WAN — OSPF neighbours must agree on key parameters..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Configure an Area Border Router (ABR) between area 2 and area 0 — An Area Border Router (ABR) must be present, and route redistribution from area 2 into area 0 is required (or OSPF automatically advertises inter-area routes but only if the ABR has the routes in its OSPF database). Typically, OSPF automatically advertises routes between areas if the ABR has them, but redistribution may be needed if routes are from a different protocol or if filtering is applied. For simplicity, most common answer: ABR and redistribution or proper area configuration. However, the question asks for configurations necessary; OSPF automatically advertises intra-area routes to other areas via ABR, but if routes are from another protocol, redistribution is needed. Assuming OSPF routes within area 2, the ABR will advertise them to area 0 automatically. But since the question includes 'from area 2 into area 0', the ABR is the key. Also, a virtual-link might be needed if area 2 does not connect to area 0 directly. But the expected answers: ABR and redistribution. Alternatively, just ABR and proper area configuration. I'll go with ABR and redistribution as typical for exam.
What should I do if I get this NSE7 question wrong?
Review OSPF neighbour requirements — matching area type, hello and dead timers, network type, stub flags, and authentication. Study show ip ospf neighbor states (INIT, 2-WAY, FULL). Then practise related NSE7 OSPF questions on adjacency and route selection.
What is the key concept behind this question?
OSPF neighbours must agree on key parameters.
About these practice questions
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These questions test the same concept from different angles. Work through them to make sure you can recognise it however the exam phrases it.
Variation 1. A FortiGate is configured with OSPF multi-area. The administrator wants to ensure that routes from area 0 are redistributed into area 1. Which OSPF configuration is required?
easy
A.Enable 'redistribute connected' on the ABR
B.Set the 'area type' to 'nssa' on area 1
C.Configure a route redistribution policy under OSPF
Why D: OSPF automatically redistributes routes between areas. No special redistribution is needed; ABRs (Area Border Routers) advertise inter-area routes by default.
Variation 2. A multi-area OSPF network includes a FortiGate as an ABR. The administrator needs to redistribute a static route into OSPF. Which command is required on the FortiGate to achieve this?
medium
✓ A.config router ospf
config redistribute
edit 'static'
set status enable
end
B.config router prefix-list
edit 'static'
set action permit
end
C.config router policy
set src 0.0.0.0/0
set dst 0.0.0.0/0
end
D.config router static
set redistribute ospf enable
end
Why A: Redistribution of static routes into OSPF is done under the OSPF process configuration using 'redistribute static' with optional metric and metric-type. The command 'config router ospf' then 'redistribute static' enables redistribution.
Variation 3. A FortiGate is running OSPF in a multi-area topology. The administrator needs to redistribute connected routes from area 0 into area 1 but does not want to leak any other routes. Which configuration is correct?
hard
A.Use policy-based routing to forward traffic to the connected networks.
B.Add the connected networks as networks in area 1 using 'network x.x.x.x 255.255.255.0 area 1'.
✓ C.Configure route redistribution under OSPF with 'redistribute connected' and apply a route map that permits only the desired connected networks.
D.Use 'set redistribute connected' under the OSPF interface configuration for the connected interface in area 0.
Variation 4. A FortiGate is running OSPF in a multi-area network. The administrator notices that routes from area 1 are not being redistributed into area 0. The configuration includes 'redistribute connected' under OSPF. What is the most likely cause?
hard
A.The OSPF network type is not broadcast
B.Area 1 is a stub area
C.The ABR is not configured with 'area 0'
✓ D.The 'redistribute connected' command is missing under the OSPF process
Why D: By default, OSPF only redistributes routes from other routing protocols or connected routes if configured. However, routes from other OSPF areas are not redistributed; they are learned via inter-area LSAs. If redistribution is not configured for connected or static routes, the issue might be that the routes are not being generated. Option C is a plausible cause: missing 'redistribute connected' under the OSPF process.
Variation 5. A FortiGate has OSPF configured in multiple areas. The administrator wants to redistribute routes from area 0 into area 1 with a metric of 10. Which command is correct?
medium
✓ A.config router ospf
config redistribute "ospf"
set status enable
set metric 10
end
B.config router ospf
config redistribute "connected"
set metric 10
end
C.config router ospf
config area
edit 1
set type nssa
end
D.config router ospf
set redistribute "ospf" metric 10
Variation 6. An administrator has configured OSPF on a FortiGate with multiple areas. They want to ensure that routes from area 0 are redistributed into area 1, but they notice that routes from area 1 are not appearing in area 0. What is the most likely configuration issue?
medium
A.There is a firewall policy blocking OSPF packets
✓ B.The ABR has 'area 1 stub' configured, preventing LSA type 5 redistribution
C.The redistribution is done with a route map that is not permitting the routes
D.The ABR is not configured with 'area 0' and 'area 1' on the same router
Variation 7. A FortiGate is running OSPF with multiple areas. The administrator needs to redistribute a static route into OSPF. Which command will correctly configure redistribution of static routes into OSPF process 10?
medium
A.config router ospf
config redistribute
edit static
set status enable
next
end
end
B.config router policy
set redistribute static
end
C.config router static
set redistribute ospf
end
✓ D.config router ospf
set redistribute static enable
end
Variation 8. A FortiGate is running OSPF with multiple areas. The administrator notices that routes from area 1 are not being redistributed into area 0. The ABR has the following configuration: 'config router ospf
config area
edit 0.0.0.0
set type nssa
end
config area
edit 0.0.0.1
set type standard
end
end'. What is the issue?
hard
A.The ABR must have 'set type standard' for area 0.
✓ B.Area 0 is configured as NSSA, which does not accept type 3 LSAs from other areas.
C.The ABR is missing a 'redistribute connected' command.
D.Area 1 is not configured as NSSA, so routes cannot be redistributed.
Why B: In OSPF, area 0 must be a standard area (or at least not NSSA) for inter-area routes to be advertised. NSSA areas block type 3 LSAs by default.
Last reviewed: Jun 21, 2026
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