PCNSE Practice Question: Managing Troubleshooting and High Availability
This PCNSE practice question tests your understanding of managing troubleshooting and high availability. Examine the command output carefully: the correct answer depends on what the output actually shows, not on general recall alone. 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.
Exhibit
Refer to the exhibit.
admin@PA-220> show high-availability state
High-Availability State: non-functional
State: non-functional
Reason: configuration mismatch
Local: functional, sync-pending
Peer: running, sync-pending
Active: 10.1.1.1
Passive: 10.1.1.2
Last failure reason: configuration mismatch
Refer to the exhibit. What is the primary cause of the 'non-functional' state?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "primary"
Why it matters: Asks for the main purpose or function, not a secondary benefit. Eliminate answers that describe side-effects or partial functions.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
The configuration on the two firewalls is not identical
Option B is correct because the reason is 'configuration mismatch'. Option A is wrong because HA1 is up (communication between IPs works). Option C is wrong because the output shows both are running. Option D is wrong because no sync failure is indicated, just mismatch.
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 configuration sync operation has failed
Why it's wrong here
No sync failure is shown; the state is mismatch, not sync failure.
The clue word "primary" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Many certification questions include familiar terms but test a specific constraint. Read the exact wording before choosing an answer that is generally true but wrong for this case.
Trap categories for this question
Command / output trap
No sync failure is shown; the state is mismatch, not sync failure.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
This question should be treated as a scenario, not a definition check. Identify the problem, the constraint and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.
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.
Use explanations to understand the rule behind the answer.
TExam Day Tips
→Underline the problem statement mentally.
→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 PCNSE exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
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: The configuration on the two firewalls is not identical — Option B is correct because the reason is 'configuration mismatch'. Option A is wrong because HA1 is up (communication between IPs works). Option C is wrong because the output shows both are running. Option D is wrong because no sync failure is indicated, just mismatch.
What should I do if I get this PCNSE question wrong?
Identify which PCNSE exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "primary". Asks for the main purpose or function, not a secondary benefit. Eliminate answers that describe side-effects or partial functions.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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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
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