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PCNSA Practice Question: Is a best practice when configuring an HA (High…
Which of the following is a best practice when configuring an HA (High Availability) pair of Palo Alto Networks firewalls?
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
✓
Use a dedicated physical interface or VLAN for HA heartbeat communication
The best practice is to use a dedicated physical interface or VLAN for HA heartbeat communication (Option B). This isolates heartbeat traffic from data traffic, ensuring reliable and fast detection of peer failure. Options A, C, and D are incorrect: A) Setting both firewalls' HA election delay to 0 is not recommended because it can cause flapping if both firewalls have equal priority; a small delay helps prevent unnecessary failovers. C) Enabling preemptive mode is generally not recommended as it can cause unnecessary failovers when the primary comes back online. D) Active/active mode is available on some models but is more complex to configure and not typically recommended for most HA deployments; active/passive is simpler and more reliable.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Set both firewall's HA election delay to '0' for fast failover
Why it's wrong here
Setting delay to 0 can cause unnecessary failovers; a small delay is recommended to avoid flapping.
- ✓
Use a dedicated physical interface or VLAN for HA heartbeat communication
Why this is correct
A dedicated interface ensures HA heartbeat packets are not impacted by traffic loads or routing changes.
- ✗
Enable preemptive mode to ensure the primary firewall always resumes control
Why it's wrong here
Preemptive mode can cause flapping if the primary firewall goes down and comes back; often disabled in stable environments.
- ✗
Configure both firewalls in active/active mode to maximize throughput
Why it's wrong here
Active/active mode adds complexity and is not generally recommended without specific requirements.
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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.