hardMultiple ChoiceObjective-mapped
PCNSA Practice Question: Two PA-3220 firewalls are configured in an…
Two PA-3220 firewalls are configured in an active/passive HA pair. The passive firewall's configuration becomes out of sync with the active firewall after a software upgrade. What is the most efficient way to resynchronize the configuration?
⚠ Common exam trap
Candidates often think a reboot or factory reset is necessary to fix sync issues, but Palo Alto's HA design allows a simple suspend/resuspend to trigger a full config sync without data loss or downtime.
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
✓
Suspend the passive firewall, then re-suspend it to trigger a full configuration synchronization.
Suspending and then re-suspending the passive firewall forces a full configuration synchronization from the active to the passive node. This is the most efficient method to resync after a software upgrade, as it triggers a complete config push without requiring a reboot or factory reset, preserving the HA state and minimizing disruption.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Restart both firewalls to automatically trigger a configuration sync.
Why it's wrong here
Restarting does not guarantee a full config sync; it may just reboot.
- ✗
Perform a factory reset on the passive firewall and re-join it to the HA pair.
Why it's wrong here
Unnecessary and disruptive.
- ✓
Suspend the passive firewall, then re-suspend it to trigger a full configuration synchronization.
Why this is correct
This is the standard procedure to force a full config sync.
- ✗
Suspend the active firewall to make the passive take over, then restore the config.
Why it's wrong here
This causes downtime and may not sync correctly.
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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.