NSE6_FSW-7.2 NSE6_FSW-7.2 - Fortinet NSE 6 - FortiSwitch 7.2 Questions and Answers

The STP (Spanning Tree Protocol) discarding state on port1 of Core-2, after Core-1 and Access-1 are managed and authorized by FortiGate-1, is likely due to the lack of an MCLAG (Multi-Chassis Link Aggregation Group) configuration between Core-1 and Core-2. In typical network configurations involving STP and MCLAG, the absence of MCLAG can lead to STP blocking one of the redundant paths to prevent loops, which is a critical function of STP. Port1 on Core-2 being in a discarding state suggests that it has been identified as providing a redundant path that could potentially create a network loop, hence STP has placed this port in a blocking (discarding) state to maintain a loop-free topology.

References:

For a deeper understanding of STP operations and MCLAG configurations in FortiGate managed environments, consult the Fortinet knowledge base:Fortinet Knowledge Base.

The MAC address "00:50:56:96:e3:fc" appearing in two different VLANs (4089 and 4094) in the diagnostic output indicates it is a MAC address associated with a device that supports traffic from multiple VLANs. Such a behavior is typical of network infrastructure devices like switches or routers, which are configured to allow traffic from various VLANsto pass through a single physical or logical interface. This is essential in network designs that utilize VLANs to segregate network traffic for different departments or use cases while using the same physical infrastructure.

References:

For more detailed information on MAC table diagnostics and VLAN configurations in FortiGate devices, refer to the official Fortinet documentation:Fortinet Product Documentation.

Layer 2 flooding caused by Ethernet frames with all bytes in the destination MAC address set to FF refers to broadcast frames. Here’s why:

Broadcast Ethernet Frame (A):

Address Specification:In Ethernet networking, a broadcast frame has a destination MAC address ofFF:FF:FF:FF:FF:FF, which instructs network devices to forward the frame to all devices within the broadcast domain.

Network Behavior:This causes Layer 2 flooding as the frame is sent to all ports in the VLAN, except the originating port, ensuring that the broadcast reaches all network segments.

Other Frame Types:

Unicast (B)targets a single device.

Multicast (C)targets a group of devices.

Anycast (D)is not used in Ethernet but rather in IP-based routing to route to the nearest of multiple destinations, typically in internet addressing.

References:You can find more information about Ethernet frame types in networking textbooks or documentation that discusses network layer interaction:Network Theory Books

Layer 3 routing can be configured on FortiSwitch, while managed by FortiGate (D): FortiSwitch, when managed by FortiGate, supports Layer 3 routing capabilities. This allows for routing between VLANs directly on the switch, enhancing network efficiency by reducing theneed to pass traffic through higher network layers for inter-VLAN communication. This configuration enables more sophisticated network setups and efficient routing directly at the switch level.

In FortiSwitch, Access Control Lists (ACLs) are used to enforce security rules on both ingress and egress traffic:

ACL Evaluation Order (D):

Operational Function:FortiSwitch processes ACL entries from top to bottom, similar to how firewall rules are processed. The first match in the ACL determines the action taken on the packet, whether to allow or deny it, making the order of rules critical.

Configuration Advice:Careful planning of the order of ACL rules is necessary to ensure that more specific rules precede more general ones to avoid unintentional access or blocks.

References:For a comprehensive guide on configuring ACLs in FortiSwitch, consult the FortiSwitch security settings documentation available on:Fortinet Product Documentation

To enable access to the FortiSwitch management interface from the network, certain configuration adjustments need to be made, particularly considering the VLAN settings displayed in the exhibit:

Adding port24 native VLAN to the allowed VLANs on internal (Option A): The management VLAN (VLAN 4094 in this case, as it is set as the native VLAN onthe 'internal' interface of the FortiSwitch) must be included in the allowed VLANs on the interface that provides management connectivity. Since port24 is set with a different native VLAN (VLAN 100), VLAN 4094 (the management VLAN) should be allowed through to ensure connectivity.

Allow VLAN ID 4094 on port24 if management traffic is tagged (Option C): Management traffic is tagged on VLAN 4094. Since port24 is connected to the network and serves as an uplink, allowing VLAN 4094 ensures that management traffic can reach the management interface of the FortiSwitch through this port.

The changes align with Fortinet’s best practices for setting up management VLANs and ensuring they are permitted on the relevant switch ports for proper management traffic flow.

References:

FortiGate Infrastructure and Security 7.2 Study Guides

Best practices for VLAN configurations in Fortinet’s technical documentation

The correct statement about using the Switch Port Analyzer (SPAN) packet capture method on FortiSwitch is that "Mirrored traffic can be sent across multiple switches (A)." This feature allows for extensive traffic analysis as it enables network administrators to configure SPAN sessions that span across different switches, thereby providing the capability to monitor traffic across a broad segment of the network infrastructure.

VLAN assignments on FortiSwitch ports must follow certain rules and guidelines to ensure network integrity and proper traffic segregation:

Only Assign One Native VLAN on a Port (C):

Native VLAN Configuration:Each switch port can have only one native VLAN. The native VLAN carries untagged traffic for that port. If the port receives untagged frames, they are assumed to belong to the native VLAN.

Importance of Singular Native VLAN:This is crucial for preventing VLAN hopping attacks and ensures clear and secure VLAN demarcation on each port.

Assign Untagged VLANs Using FortiGate CLI (D):

CLI Configuration:Untagged VLANs, often equivalent to the native VLAN, can be assigned through the FortiGate CLI when managing a FortiSwitch via FortiLink. This allows for central management and configuration of VLANs across connected switches.

Operational Efficiency:Using the CLI ensures that VLAN settings are applied uniformly, reducing the likelihood of misconfigurations that might occur when managing VLANs individually on each switch.

References:For detailed instructions and best practices on VLAN configuration on FortiSwitch, refer to the FortiSwitch administration guide available on:Fortinet Product Documentation

To deploy FortiSwitch in a remote location with multiple VLANs and no Layer 3 switch or router, you would need specific configurations:

VXLAN Interfaces (B):

Purpose:VXLAN (Virtual Extensible LAN) allows network segmentation without a Layer 3 device, extending VLAN capabilities across dispersed geographical locations over the WAN.

Implementation:Configuring VXLAN on both FortiSwitch and FortiGate can encapsulate Layer 2 traffic over a Layer 3 network, making it ideal for scenarios lacking dedicated routing hardware.

Appropriate Hardware (D):

Requirement:Not all FortiSwitch models might support advanced features like VXLAN; hence, ensuring that the hardware can support such configurations is crucial.

References:For specific information on VXLAN configuration and hardware requirements, refer to the technical documentation provided by Fortinet:Fortinet Product Documentation

The correct statement about the quarantine VLAN on FortiSwitch is:

B. Users who fail 802.1X authentication can be placed on the quarantine VLAN.This feature allows network administrators to isolate devices that do not meet the network’s security criteria as determined through 802.1X authentication. Placing these devices in a quarantine VLAN restricts their network access, thereby protecting the network from potential security threats posed by unauthorized or compromised devices.

Option A is incorrect as the presence of a DHCP server in a quarantine VLAN depends on specific network configurations. Option C is incorrect without more context regarding global settings, and option D misstates the functionality of quarantine VLANs, as their primary use is to restrict, not block, devices without additional VLAN configuration changes.

"MSTP is based on RSTP", so the same port role election and the same root bridge selection. Reference: FortiSwitch 7.2 Study Guide, page 187

In the context of the topology provided and the concepts of LAG (Link Aggregation Group) and MCLAG (Multi-Chassis Link Aggregation), the spanning tree protocol's perspective can be summarized as follows:

Switch 1, Switch 2, and Switch 3 are seen as one MCLAG peer group (Option A): In this configuration, Switches 1 and 2 form a Multi-Chassis Link Aggregation Group (MCLAG) which effectively allows them to act as a single logical entity from the perspective of downstream switches (in this case, Switch 3). Thisgrouping enhances fault tolerance and bandwidth by pooling the link resources of the two switches.

Switch 3 and Switch 4 uplinks are treated as single interfaces (Option B): This option suggests that the connections between Switch 3 and Switch 4 (presumably using LAG) are perceived by the spanning tree protocol as a single logical connection. This perception is due to the LAG configuration, which combines multiple network cables/ports into a single logical link to provide redundancy and increase bandwidth.

References:

The use of LAG and MCLAG is well-documented in networking literature and Fortinet's own documentation, as these technologies are commonly employed to enhance redundancy and bandwidth. Fortinet's implementation of these protocols is designed to maintain compatibility with standard networking protocols, including Spanning Tree Protocol (STP).