Question

What happens when the FortiGate doesn't have enough memory to handle traffic?

a) Traffic is dropped
b) Traffic is rerouted
c) Traffic is queued
d) Traffic is cached

Answer 1

If a FortiGate firewall lacks sufficient memory for traffic, it usually results in traffic being dropped. Memory constraints prevent queuing or caching as these actions also consume memory resources. Maintaining adequate memory is crucial for uninterrupted network operations.

Step-by-step explanation:

When a FortiGate firewall doesn't have enough memory to handle traffic, the most common consequence is that traffic is dropped. This means the system can no longer process the incoming data due to resource limitations, leading to packets being discarded. Under memory constraints, the device cannot queue or cache additional traffic as these operations also require memory resources. Moreover, rerouting is typically not a function of memory resource availability but rather a network routing decision. Ensuring that a network appliance like FortiGate has sufficient memory is critical to maintain seamless network traffic flow and avoid such situations.