PCNSE Practice Question: Managing Troubleshooting and High Availability
In an HA active/passive setup, the engineer wants to ensure that during a failover, existing FTP data sessions are not interrupted. What additional configuration is required beyond default session synchronization?
⚠ Common exam trap
A common mix-up: candidates assume session synchronization alone is sufficient for all TCP sessions, overlooking that FTP's dynamic port negotiation requires application-layer inspection to create and sync the data channel sessions.
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
✓
Configure an application layer gateway (ALG) for FTP
FTP uses separate control and data channels, and the data channel port is dynamically negotiated via the PORT or PASV command. Without an application layer gateway (ALG) for FTP, the firewall cannot track these dynamic ports, so session synchronization would only replicate the control session, causing data sessions to drop after a failover. Enabling the FTP ALG ensures the firewall inspects FTP commands and creates the necessary pinholes for data sessions, which are then synchronized to the passive peer.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Use HA3 link for session synchronization
Why it's wrong here
HA3 is for packet forwarding, not session sync.
- ✗
Enable asymmetric routing support
Why it's wrong here
Asymmetric routing support helps with routing, not FTP session continuity.
- ✗
Enable UDP session synchronization
Why it's wrong here
FTP uses TCP, not UDP.
- ✓
Configure an application layer gateway (ALG) for FTP
Why this is correct
ALG ensures FTP control and data sessions remain intact.
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JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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.