This PCNSE practice question tests your understanding of secure access and vpn. 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.
Which THREE troubleshooting steps should be taken when a site-to-site VPN tunnel is up but no traffic passes?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Verify the routing table on both firewalls.
Common causes for no traffic despite tunnel up include mismatched proxy IDs, missing security policies, or routing issues.
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.
✓
Verify the routing table on both firewalls.
Why this is correct
Correct. Routing must direct traffic into the tunnel.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✓
Check the firewall policies for the tunnel zone.
Why this is correct
Correct. Security policies must allow traffic through the tunnel interface.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Increase the IPSec SA lifetime.
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect. Lifetime does not affect whether traffic passes; it controls renegotiation.
✓
Verify the proxy IDs on both peers match.
Why this is correct
Correct. Mismatched proxy IDs prevent traffic from being encrypted.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Ensure the tunnel interface is placed in a virtual router.
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect. The tunnel interface is implicitly routed; placement is not required for basic connectivity.
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.
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.
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: Verify the routing table on both firewalls. — Common causes for no traffic despite tunnel up include mismatched proxy IDs, missing security policies, or routing issues.
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.
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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