156-215.80 · Question #517
The "Hit count" feature allows tracking the number of connections that each rule matches. Will the Hit count feature work independently from logging and Track the hits even if the Track option is…
The correct answer is D. Yes, it will work independently because when you enable Hit Count, the SMS collects the data. https://sc1.checkpoint.com/documents/R80/CP_R80_SecMGMT/html_frameset.htm?topic=docu ments/R80/CP_R80_SecMGMT/126197
Question
The "Hit count" feature allows tracking the number of connections that each rule matches. Will the Hit count feature work independently from logging and Track the hits even if the Track option is set to "None"?
Options
- ANo, it will not work independently. Hit Count will be shown only for rules with Track options set as
- BYes, it will work independently as long as "analyze all rules" tick box is enabled on the Security
- CNo, it will not work independently because hit count requires all rules to be logged
- DYes, it will work independently because when you enable Hit Count, the SMS collects the data
How the community answered
(62 responses)- A11% (7)
- B5% (3)
- C2% (1)
- D82% (51)
Explanation
https://sc1.checkpoint.com/documents/R80/CP_R80_SecMGMT/html_frameset.htm?topic=docu ments/R80/CP_R80_SecMGMT/126197
Topics
Community Discussion
7
Dervla O.Mar 15, 2026D is correct. Hit Count operates at the SMS layer, not the logging layer, so it collects match data regardless of whether the Track option on a rule is set to None, Log, or anything else. The two mechanisms are architecturally separate: Track controls what gets written to the log server, while Hit Count is a counter the SMS maintains on its own. You can have a completely silent rule with Track set to None and still watch the hit counter climb, which makes it genuinely useful for auditing rules you suspect are dead without forcing unnecessary log volume.
Orla P.Mar 18, 2026One thing worth adding for anyone who just got bit by this: hit counters reset on policy install, so if your change management window includes a push, that climbing counter you were watching goes back to zero and you lose your baseline.
Anjali D.Feb 6, 2026I kept second-guessing myself on this one and almost went with B because I thought the "analyze all rules" checkbox was the key dependency here, but then I remembered that the SMS is what actually gathers the hit data at the management level, completely separate from the logging pipeline on the gateway. Once that clicked, D made total sense, because enabling Hit Count hands off the collection job to the SMS regardless of what the Track field says on any given rule.
Orla P.Mar 8, 2026I almost went with B, but D is right because Hit Count runs through the SMS collector, not the log.
Toby R.Mar 9, 2026Yeah, that tripped me up too, and worth adding that the SMS collector buffers those counts before forwarding, which is exactly why they don't show up in the raw log view on the exam scenario.
Toby R.Feb 11, 2026Thought A made sense but D is right, the SMS collects hits separately from logging.
Samuel O.Feb 28, 2026Hit count runs on the SMS side, so does rule logging affect it?