NSE7 Advanced Networking and SD-WAN Practice Question
Which SD-WAN load balancing algorithm distributes new sessions based on the number of active sessions on each link?
⚠ Common exam trap
Candidates often confuse 'Sessions' with 'Volume' because both involve load balancing, but Sessions counts active connections while Volume measures data throughput, leading to incorrect selection of Volume when the question explicitly mentions 'number of active sessions'.
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
✓
Sessions
The Sessions algorithm distributes new sessions based on the current number of active sessions on each SD-WAN link. When a new session is initiated, the SD-WAN controller selects the link with the fewest active sessions, ensuring a balanced load across all available transport interfaces. This is distinct from algorithms that consider source/destination IP pairs, traffic volume, or bandwidth thresholds.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Source-dest IP
Why it's wrong here
Source-dest IP uses a hash of source and destination IPs.
- ✗
Spillover
Why it's wrong here
Spillover uses links until a threshold is reached, then uses the next.
- ✗
Volume
Why it's wrong here
Volume algorithm distributes based on bandwidth usage.
- ✓
Sessions
Why this is correct
Sessions algorithm distributes based on the number of active sessions.
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JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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