NSE7 Troubleshooting and Diagnostics Practice Question
Two FortiGate units in an HA cluster are experiencing synchronization issues. The administrator runs 'diagnose sys ha checksum cluster' and sees different checksum values for the 'system' and 'router' objects. What is the FIRST step to resolve the mismatch?
⚠ Common exam trap
A common mix-up: candidates assume a checksum mismatch requires a disruptive action like a reboot or HA restart, when in fact FortiGate provides a non-disruptive manual sync command that is the correct first step in the troubleshooting process.
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
✓
Execute 'execute ha synchronize start' from the primary unit
The 'diagnose sys ha checksum cluster' command reveals checksum mismatches for 'system' and 'router' objects, indicating that the HA cluster's configuration synchronization is incomplete or out of sync. The first step is to initiate a manual synchronization using 'execute ha synchronize start' from the primary unit, which forces the primary to push its full configuration database to the secondary unit, resolving the mismatch without disrupting services. This command is designed to trigger a full sync of all configuration objects, including system and router settings, without requiring a reboot or HA restart.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Execute 'execute ha synchronize start' from the primary unit
Why this is correct
This command forces configuration synchronization from primary to secondary.
- ✗
Upgrade the firmware on both units to the same version
Why it's wrong here
If firmware versions were different, HA would not form. The mismatch is in configuration, not firmware.
- ✗
Reboot both units to force a full sync
Why it's wrong here
Rebooting is disruptive and not the first step; manual sync should be attempted first.
- ✗
Disable and re-enable HA on both units
Why it's wrong here
This would cause downtime; manual sync is less disruptive.
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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.