- A
Run 'request high-availability sync-to-remote' from the active firewall
This synchronizes the active configuration to the passive without downtime.
- B
Restart the HA process on the passive firewall with 'debug software restart high-availability'
Why wrong: Restart does not fix config mismatch.
- C
Failover the active firewall to force re-sync
Why wrong: Failover would cause traffic disruption.
- D
Upgrade both firewalls to the same PAN-OS version
Why wrong: Versions are likely same; mismatch is config, not version.
Question 243 of 516
Resolving Configuration Mismatch in Palo Alto HA Pair
This PCNSE practice question tests your understanding of managing troubleshooting and high availability. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. 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.
In an Active/Passive HA pair, the passive firewall reports 'non-functional' state. The 'show high-availability state' output on the passive shows 'state: non-functional' and 'reason: configuration mismatch'. The active firewall shows 'state: active' and 'reason: no reason'. Which action should be taken to resolve the issue without disrupting traffic?
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
✓
Run 'request high-availability sync-to-remote' from the active firewall
The 'configuration mismatch' error indicates that the configuration databases on the active and passive firewalls are out of sync. Running 'request high-availability sync-to-remote' from the active firewall pushes the active configuration to the passive firewall without disrupting traffic, as it only updates the passive unit's configuration and does not trigger a failover or restart.
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.
- ✓
Run 'request high-availability sync-to-remote' from the active firewall
Why this is correct
This synchronizes the active configuration to the passive without downtime.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Restart the HA process on the passive firewall with 'debug software restart high-availability'
Why it's wrong here
Restart does not fix config mismatch.
- ✗
Failover the active firewall to force re-sync
Why it's wrong here
Failover would cause traffic disruption.
- ✗
Upgrade both firewalls to the same PAN-OS version
Why it's wrong here
Versions are likely same; mismatch is config, not version.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often assume a 'non-functional' state requires a restart or failover, but the specific 'configuration mismatch' reason points to a sync issue that can be resolved non-disruptively with a configuration push from the active firewall.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
In an Active/Passive HA pair, configuration synchronization is managed by the HA configuration sync mechanism, which uses TCP port 2920 for data transfer. The 'configuration mismatch' state occurs when the configuration checksums differ between the peers, often due to manual changes on one unit without syncing. The 'request high-availability sync-to-remote' command forces a full configuration push from the active to the passive, updating the passive's running configuration and clearing the mismatch without requiring a reboot or failover.
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.
Visual reference
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.
- →
Managing Troubleshooting and High Availability — study guide chapter
Learn the concepts, then practise the questions
- →
Managing Troubleshooting and High Availability practice questions
Targeted practice on this topic area only
- →
All PCNSE questions
516 questions across all exam domains
- →
Palo Alto Networks Certified Network Security Engineer PCNSE study guide
Full concept coverage aligned to exam objectives
- →
PCNSE practice test guide
How to use practice tests most effectively before exam day
Related practice questions
Related PCNSE practice-question pages
Use these pages to review the topic behind this question. This is how one missed question becomes focused revision.
Manage, Monitor and Operate practice questions
Practise PCNSE questions linked to Manage, Monitor and Operate.
Securing Traffic and App-ID practice questions
Practise PCNSE questions linked to Securing Traffic and App-ID.
Securing Users and Applications with Authentication practice questions
Practise PCNSE questions linked to Securing Users and Applications with Authentication.
Decryption and SSL Inspection practice questions
Practise PCNSE questions linked to Decryption and SSL Inspection.
Managing Troubleshooting and High Availability practice questions
Practise PCNSE questions linked to Managing Troubleshooting and High Availability.
Deploy and Configure Firewalls practice questions
Practise PCNSE questions linked to Deploy and Configure Firewalls.
Core Concepts and Architecture practice questions
Practise PCNSE questions linked to Core Concepts and Architecture.
Secure Access and VPN practice questions
Practise PCNSE questions linked to Secure Access and VPN.
Troubleshoot practice questions
Practise PCNSE questions linked to Troubleshoot.
PCNSE fundamentals practice questions
Practise PCNSE questions linked to PCNSE fundamentals.
PCNSE scenario practice questions
Practise PCNSE questions linked to PCNSE scenario.
PCNSE troubleshooting practice questions
Practise PCNSE questions linked to PCNSE troubleshooting.
Practice this exam
Start a free PCNSE practice session
Short sessions build daily habit. Longer sessions build exam-day stamina. Try a timed session to simulate real conditions.
FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this PCNSE question test?
Managing Troubleshooting and High Availability — This question tests Managing Troubleshooting and High Availability — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Run 'request high-availability sync-to-remote' from the active firewall — The 'configuration mismatch' error indicates that the configuration databases on the active and passive firewalls are out of sync. Running 'request high-availability sync-to-remote' from the active firewall pushes the active configuration to the passive firewall without disrupting traffic, as it only updates the passive unit's configuration and does not trigger a failover or restart.
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.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
About these practice questions
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
Same concept, more angles
1 more ways this is tested on PCNSE
These questions test the same concept from different angles. Work through them to make sure you can recognise it however the exam phrases it.
Variation 1. A company has two Palo Alto Networks firewalls configured in active/passive HA. During a failover test, the passive firewall becomes active but traffic is not passing. The active firewall shows the correct configuration and licenses. Which action is most likely to resolve the issue?
medium- A.Enable preemption on the HA configuration.
- B.Re-apply the licenses on the newly active firewall.
- ✓ C.Perform a configuration synchronization from the original active firewall.
- D.Disable the HA2 link to force stateful failover.
Why C: Option C is correct because the most likely cause of traffic failure after a failover is that the configuration on the newly active firewall is out of sync with the original active firewall. In active/passive HA, configuration synchronization (config sync) is typically enabled, but if it was not performed before the failover or if the passive device had a stale configuration, critical settings such as interface IPs, security policies, or routing entries may be missing or incorrect. Performing a configuration synchronization from the original active firewall ensures the new active device has the exact same configuration, restoring traffic flow.
Keep practising
More PCNSE practice questions
- Arrange the steps to enable and configure GlobalProtect on a Palo Alto Networks firewall.
- Order the steps to upgrade the PAN-OS software on a standalone firewall.
- An administrator notices that traffic from zone A to zone B is being dropped silently. Security rules are in place. Trou…
- Which component of the PAN-OS architecture is responsible for processing security policies and performing packet inspect…
- A company has configured a security policy that allows HTTP traffic from the internal network 10.0.0.0/8 to the internet…
- An organization wants to map user identity from Active Directory for traffic coming from internal LAN users without inst…
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.
Question Discussion
Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.
Sign in to join the discussion.