PCNSA Device Management and Services Practice Question
A company requires automatic daily backups of the firewall configuration. Which method should be used?
⚠ Common exam trap
The trap here is that candidates often overcomplicate the solution by choosing API scripting or manual export, failing to recognize that PAN-OS includes a native, straightforward scheduling mechanism for configuration backups that meets the requirement without additional complexity.
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
✓
Schedule a configuration backup under Device > Setup > Operations
The PAN-OS web interface provides a built-in scheduler under Device > Setup > Operations that allows administrators to automate daily configuration backups without external scripts or manual intervention. This method is the simplest and most reliable way to ensure consistent backups, as it leverages the firewall's native scheduling capability.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Backup the config using TFTP from the CLI
Why it's wrong here
TFTP from the CLI transfers the configuration only when an administrator runs the command, so no daily automation occurs. It is tempting because TFTP export is a genuine PAN-OS backup mechanism, but it suits scripted or manual transfers, not the built-in scheduled export the scenario requires.
- ✓
Schedule a configuration backup under Device > Setup > Operations
Why this is correct
Scheduling a configuration backup under Device > Setup > Operations uses the firewall's built-in export mechanism to write configuration exports to a defined location on a recurring daily schedule, satisfying the automatic backup requirement without external scripting.
- ✗
Write a script using the PAN-OS API to copy the running config
Why it's wrong here
A custom API script copies the running config but must be hosted, scheduled and maintained externally, and the stem asks for the firewall's own automatic daily backup method. It is tempting because the PAN-OS API enables automation, which suits bespoke integration rather than native scheduled configuration exports.
- ✗
Use the 'Export Device State' feature manually
Why it's wrong here
Export Device State is a manual, on-demand operation, so it cannot satisfy a daily automatic schedule without human intervention. It is tempting because it produces a complete configuration and state archive, which suits one-off migrations or support cases rather than recurring scheduled backups.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This PCNSA practice question is part of Courseiva's free Palo Alto Networks 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 PCNSA exam.