What is Covered on the NSE 7 SD-WAN Exam?

SD-WANs are becoming critical components of IT infrastructure — and employers are desperate for competent professionals to configure, secure, and troubleshoot them. Fortinet is one of the leading players in SD-WAN production.

In this article, we are covering the Fortinet NSE-7 SD-WAN exam. For those newer to networking, we’ll briefly go over what an SD-WAN is. Lastly, we’ll discuss the best way to prepare for the SD-WAN exam.

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What is an SD-WAN?

SD-WAN stands for software-defined wide area network. Previously, WANs were built using dedicated, private connection lines — or multi-protocol label switching (MPLS) networks. As cloud technology rolled out, traditional WANs proved to be inflexible as they only provided a single point of access to the cloud.

SD-WANs, on the other hand, are far more flexible and cost-effective. With SD-WANs, an organization can use a combination of public and private connectivity options to create an optimized network to fit their business requirements. This flexibility and scalability allow SD-WAN to work with the cloud hand in glove. With that being said, let’s cover the NSE-7 SD-WAN exam. 

What is the NSE 7—SD-WAN?

The NSE 7 - SD-WAN verifies competency in deploying, administering, and troubleshooting Fortinet SD-WANs — and is one of the exams that can count toward NSE 7 certification.

The NSE 7 is vendor-specific. It is intended for network and security professionals who will design, administer, and support SD-WAN infrastructure used for several FortiGate Devices. 

The exam is 60 minutes long, has 35 multiple-choice questions, and is taken through Pearson VUE. The exam costs $400 USD to take. The multiple-choice questions may have multiple answers, but the exam will tell you how many correct answers there are. The NSE 7  certification is valid for two years.

Related: Why the Fortinet NSE 7 is a Must-Have for Security Architects.

What is Covered on the NSE 7 SD-WAN?

The NSE 7 SD-WAN covers numerous topics to ensure the candidate has a bonafide understanding of Fortinet SD-WAN solutions. For what it’s worth, the vast majority of the test will be seeing how well you can navigate the FortiManager user interface. 

For a good, working understanding of FortinetManager, there is no better place to turn than Keith Barker’s explanation. Let’s go over what the NSE 7 SD-WAN expects you to know. 

• SD-WAN Configuration

  • Configure a basic SD-WAN DIA setup

  • Configure SD-WAN Members and Performance SLAs

  • Configure SD-WAN rules

  • Configure SD-WAN routing

  • Configure SD-WAN traffic shaping

• Centralized Management

  • Configure and monitor an SD-WAN deployment from FortiManager

• Advanced IPsec VPN

  • Deploy a hub-and-spoke IPsec topology for SD-WAN and ADVPN.

• SD-WAN troubleshooting

  • Troubleshoot SD-WAN

As you can see, there is a wide array of skills that you need to master. Considering that there are 35 questions, it can be expected each topic will have four to five questions. The questions will also ensure the user has a working understanding of the Fortinet command line interface. There also may be questions that show a terminal with information about the SD-WAN, and you will have to determine what is going on. 

Before going into the exam, make sure you have a working understanding of how traffic flows through a network. Also, how an SD-WAN is able to intelligently route traffic based on the demand of the organization?

Who Should Take the NSE 7?

The NSE 7 is intended for security and networking professionals. The following list is not all-inclusive, but if you fit in one of these categories (or want to fit in one of these categories) then the NSE 7 is right for you.

Network Administrator

A network administrator deals with the SD-WAN on a regular basis. This individual will have the most hands-on experience with the FortiManager and all related Fortinet hardware. If this fits your description, or you are vying for this position, then the NSE 7 is an ideal fit for you. 

Security Architect

As a security architect, it is important to have a good familiarity will all tools your organization leverages. The SD-WAN is a critical piece of network infrastructure that must be configured correctly and securely. By earning the NSE 7, the security architect will be able to analyze traffic and settings easier, thereby able to make competent recommendations to other IT managers. 

Final Thoughts

It is no secret that the NSE 7 is a difficult exam. While it may be composed of only 35 questions, each one is nuanced, and carefully crafted to ensure the candidate knows their stuff. With that in mind, CBT Nuggets has plenty of Fortinet resources to help you meet your goal. Just remember that prior experience with Fortinet solutions is advisable. Also, make sure you have an intimate familiarity with the FortiManager software solution.

By earning the NSE 7, you have an excellent opportunity to gain valuable knowledge or expand your existing skills. Not only that, but you will be on the cutting edge of cloud technology in high demand, niche field.