- A
The GlobalProtect client's keepalive interval is set to 60 minutes
If the keepalive interval exceeds the gateway's idle timeout, the session is dropped.
- B
The portal's authentication timeout is set to 120 minutes
Why wrong: A longer timeout would not cause disconnections.
- C
The IP pool for the gateway is exhausted
Why wrong: Exhaustion would affect new connections, not existing ones.
- D
The internal gateway hostname cannot be resolved by the client
Why wrong: DNS issues would prevent initial connection, not cause 5-minute drops.
Question 67 of 516
PCNSE Secure Access and VPN Practice Question
This PCNSE practice question tests your understanding of secure access and vpn. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
A large organization uses GlobalProtect for remote access. Recently, users in the APAC region have been reporting frequent disconnections from the VPN. They can connect and authenticate, but after about 5 minutes the session drops and they must reconnect. The firewall logs show 'GlobalProtect gateway timeout' for these users. The gateway's tunnel timeout is set to 30 minutes. What is the most likely cause?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue:
"most likely"Why it matters: Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
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 GlobalProtect client's keepalive interval is set to 60 minutes
The GlobalProtect client uses keepalive messages to maintain the tunnel with the gateway. If the keepalive interval (default 60 minutes) exceeds the gateway's tunnel timeout (30 minutes), the gateway will tear down the idle tunnel before the client sends its next keepalive, causing a 'GlobalProtect gateway timeout' and disconnection after approximately 5 minutes (the gateway's idle timeout for the tunnel). The client must reconnect because the gateway considers the session expired.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
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 GlobalProtect client's keepalive interval is set to 60 minutes
Why this is correct
If the keepalive interval exceeds the gateway's idle timeout, the session is dropped.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "most likely" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
The portal's authentication timeout is set to 120 minutes
Why it's wrong here
A longer timeout would not cause disconnections.
- ✗
The IP pool for the gateway is exhausted
Why it's wrong here
Exhaustion would affect new connections, not existing ones.
- ✗
The internal gateway hostname cannot be resolved by the client
Why it's wrong here
DNS issues would prevent initial connection, not cause 5-minute drops.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often focus on the tunnel timeout value (30 minutes) and assume it is the cause, but the real issue is the mismatch between the client's keepalive interval (60 minutes) and the gateway's idle timeout, which is typically much shorter than the tunnel timeout.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
The GlobalProtect gateway's tunnel timeout (default 30 minutes) is the maximum idle time before the gateway terminates the tunnel. The client's keepalive interval (default 60 minutes) must be shorter than the gateway's timeout to prevent premature teardown. In this scenario, the client sends no traffic for 5 minutes, the gateway's idle timer (often shorter than the tunnel timeout, e.g., 5 minutes) expires, and the session drops. This is a common misconfiguration where the keepalive interval is set too high relative to the gateway's timeout values.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
- Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
TExam Day Tips
- Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
- Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A practitioner preparing for the PCNSE exam encounters this exact type of scenario on the job. The correct answer here is not the most general option — it is the best answer for the specific constraint described. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Real exam questions reward reading the full scenario before eliminating options, because the constraint defines which answer fits.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this PCNSE question test?
Secure Access and VPN — This question tests Secure Access and VPN — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: The GlobalProtect client's keepalive interval is set to 60 minutes — The GlobalProtect client uses keepalive messages to maintain the tunnel with the gateway. If the keepalive interval (default 60 minutes) exceeds the gateway's tunnel timeout (30 minutes), the gateway will tear down the idle tunnel before the client sends its next keepalive, causing a 'GlobalProtect gateway timeout' and disconnection after approximately 5 minutes (the gateway's idle timeout for the tunnel). The client must reconnect because the gateway considers the session expired.
What should I do if I get this PCNSE question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "most likely". Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
About these practice questions
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Last reviewed: Jul 4, 2026
This PCNSE 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 PCNSE exam.
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