- A
Configure asymmetric path bypass on the high-availability settings.
Asymmetric path bypass allows the new active firewall to forward packets even if the return path is not synchronized immediately, reducing the window of traffic loss.
- B
Increase the packet buffer size on the firewall to handle burst traffic.
Why wrong: Increasing packet buffer size does not address the delay in traffic forwarding after failover.
- C
Reduce the hold timer for path monitoring to the next-hop gateway.
Why wrong: Reducing the hold timer may cause false positive failovers and does not address the initial 30-second delay after failover.
- D
Enable preemptive mode for the active/passive HA pair.
Why wrong: Preemptive mode causes the original active firewall to resume control when it recovers, leading to another failover and additional disruption.
Quick Answer
The answer is to configure asymmetric path bypass on the high-availability settings. This feature directly addresses HA failover traffic disruption by allowing the new active firewall to forward packets for existing sessions even before the session table is fully synchronized or routing converges. Without it, the firewall drops packets arriving for flows originally handled by the previous active unit, creating the 30-second blackout described. On the PCNSA exam, this scenario tests your understanding of how asymmetric path bypass solves the problem of traffic arriving on a different interface than the original session—a common trap where candidates mistakenly focus on session synchronization or link monitoring. Remember the memory tip: “Bypass the path, not the session”—asymmetric path bypass temporarily skips session lookup to keep traffic flowing during failover, preventing the need for users to re-establish connections.
PCNSA Palo Alto Networks Platforms and Architecture Practice Question
This PCNSA practice question tests your understanding of palo alto networks platforms and architecture. This is a configuration task: choose the command set that satisfies every stated requirement. Small differences — like 'secret' vs 'password' or 'transport input ssh' vs 'all' — change whether the answer is correct. 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 medium-sized enterprise recently deployed a pair of PA-5250 firewalls in an active/passive high-availability configuration. The network team notices that after a failover event, the new active firewall does not pass any traffic for about 30 seconds, even though the session table is synchronized. Users report that existing connections break and need to be re-established. The firewall is configured to use session state synchronization and failover triggers based on link state and ping to the next-hop gateway. Which action should the administrator take to minimize traffic disruption during failover?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue:
"minimum / minimize"Why it matters: Asks for the least resource use — fewest addresses, smallest subnet, lowest overhead. Eliminate over-provisioned options even if they would technically work.
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 asymmetric path bypass on the high-availability settings.
Option A is correct because asymmetric path bypass allows the new active firewall to accept and forward packets for existing sessions even before the session table is fully synchronized or the routing converges. In an active/passive HA pair, after failover, the new active firewall may receive packets for flows that were originally processed by the previous active unit; without asymmetric path bypass, these packets are dropped because the firewall does not recognize them as part of an existing session. Enabling this feature ensures that the firewall temporarily bypasses session lookup for such packets, reducing the 30-second traffic blackout.
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.
- ✓
Configure asymmetric path bypass on the high-availability settings.
Why this is correct
Asymmetric path bypass allows the new active firewall to forward packets even if the return path is not synchronized immediately, reducing the window of traffic loss.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "minimum / minimize" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Increase the packet buffer size on the firewall to handle burst traffic.
Why it's wrong here
Increasing packet buffer size does not address the delay in traffic forwarding after failover.
- ✗
Reduce the hold timer for path monitoring to the next-hop gateway.
Why it's wrong here
Reducing the hold timer may cause false positive failovers and does not address the initial 30-second delay after failover.
- ✗
Enable preemptive mode for the active/passive HA pair.
Why it's wrong here
Preemptive mode causes the original active firewall to resume control when it recovers, leading to another failover and additional disruption.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse the cause of traffic disruption after failover with detection speed (path monitoring timers) or resource exhaustion (buffer size), rather than recognizing it as a session lookup issue that asymmetric path bypass directly addresses.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Asymmetric path bypass works by allowing the firewall to forward packets that do not match an existing session entry if the packet arrives on an interface that is part of an HA pair and the session was originally created on the peer. This is controlled via the 'asymmetric-path-bypass' setting under device high-availability, and it relies on the firewall's ability to detect that the packet is part of a flow that was previously processed. In real-world deployments, this is critical when routing asymmetries exist or when failover occurs before session synchronization completes, as it prevents the need for clients to re-establish connections.
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 small business has 20 workstations on the 192.168.1.0/24 network and one public IP from its ISP. The router uses PAT (NAT overload) so all 20 devices share one public address using different source ports. NAT questions test whether you understand the four address terms and which direction each translation applies.
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 PCNSA question test?
Palo Alto Networks Platforms and Architecture — This question tests Palo Alto Networks Platforms and Architecture — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Configure asymmetric path bypass on the high-availability settings. — Option A is correct because asymmetric path bypass allows the new active firewall to accept and forward packets for existing sessions even before the session table is fully synchronized or the routing converges. In an active/passive HA pair, after failover, the new active firewall may receive packets for flows that were originally processed by the previous active unit; without asymmetric path bypass, these packets are dropped because the firewall does not recognize them as part of an existing session. Enabling this feature ensures that the firewall temporarily bypasses session lookup for such packets, reducing the 30-second traffic blackout.
What should I do if I get this PCNSA 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: "minimum / minimize". Asks for the least resource use — fewest addresses, smallest subnet, lowest overhead. Eliminate over-provisioned options even if they would technically work.
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: Jun 25, 2026
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.
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