PCNSA App-ID and Content-ID Practice Question
Exhibit
show system state | match appid appid status: init appid version: 8400-XXXX appid last update: 2023-01-01
Refer to the exhibit. An administrator sees this output and notices that App-ID is not identifying applications. What is the most likely cause?
⚠ Common exam trap
Many exam-takers assume App-ID requires a separate license or that it can be disabled globally, when in fact the most common cause of App-ID not identifying applications after a reboot is the application database not yet being loaded.
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
✓
The application database is not yet loaded.
The output shows that App-ID is not identifying applications, which typically occurs when the application database has not finished loading after a reboot or initial startup. During this period, the firewall cannot perform application-based classification, so all traffic is treated as unknown until the database is fully loaded. This is a known behavior in PAN-OS, where the application database loads asynchronously after the system boots.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
The security rules are misconfigured.
Why it's wrong here
Security rules do not affect App-ID initialization.
- ✗
The firewall needs a license for App-ID.
Why it's wrong here
App-ID is included with the base firewall license.
- ✗
App-ID is disabled.
Why it's wrong here
The status 'init' means it is initializing, not disabled.
- ✓
The application database is not yet loaded.
Why this is correct
'init' indicates the database is loading; until complete, applications won't be identified.
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JA
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.