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NSE4 · Question #451

What is the default criteria for selecting the HA master unit in a HA cluster?

The correct answer is B. Port monitor, uptime, priority, serial number. The FortiGate HA master unit is selected based on a default ordered criteria: port monitor status, followed by uptime, then priority, and finally the serial number.

Submitted by salim_om· Apr 18, 2026FortiGate Deployment and System Configuration

Question

What is the default criteria for selecting the HA master unit in a HA cluster?

Options

  • Aport monitor, priority, uptime, serial number
  • BPort monitor, uptime, priority, serial number
  • CPriority, uptime, port monitor, serial number
  • Duptime, priority, port monitor, serial number

How the community answered

(23 responses)
  • A
    4% (1)
  • B
    87% (20)
  • C
    9% (2)

Why each option

The FortiGate HA master unit is selected based on a default ordered criteria: port monitor status, followed by uptime, then priority, and finally the serial number.

Aport monitor, priority, uptime, serial number

This sequence incorrectly places priority before uptime in the FortiGate HA master selection criteria.

BPort monitor, uptime, priority, serial numberCorrect

FortiGate High Availability (HA) master selection strictly follows the order of port monitor status (units with monitored interfaces up), then the longest uptime, then the highest priority (lowest numerical value), and finally the highest serial number.

CPriority, uptime, port monitor, serial number

This sequence incorrectly places priority before both uptime and port monitor status in the FortiGate HA master selection criteria.

Duptime, priority, port monitor, serial number

This sequence incorrectly places uptime before port monitor status in the FortiGate HA master selection criteria.

Concept tested: FortiGate HA master selection criteria

Source: https://docs.fortinet.com/document/fortigate/7.4.0/administration-guide/46482/ha-master-unit-selection

Topics

#HA (High Availability)#Master selection criteria#FortiGate cluster#System configuration

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