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Exam Information
Official specifications published by Fortinet
Exam Format
60 min
35
60% (700 out of 1000)
Solution Specialist
Registration
$400 USD
Pearson VUE or online proctoring
English, Japanese
Validity
2 years from completion of second exam
Pass the core exam and one elective exam before FCSS expiry date (extends by 2 years); Achieve or recertify FCX in Cybersecurity certification (extends by 3 years)
NSE7-EFW-7-0 Exam Topics and Domains
NSE7-EFW-7-0 is organized into 5 weighted domains. Expect to work with diagnose debug flow, get router info routing-table, Route maps, Route monitoring, and more.
1
System and Session Troubleshooting
20%
Implement the Fortinet Security Fabric
Security Fabric ComponentsSecurity Fabric Automation
- Implement and integrate Fortinet Security Fabric components
- Configure FortiGate devices as part of a Security Fabric
- Troubleshoot Security Fabric connectivity and integration issues
- Utilize Security Fabric for centralized visibility and management
Diagnose and Troubleshoot Resource Problems
Resource Monitoring and DiagnosticsBuilt-in Diagnostic Tools
- Monitor and analyze FortiGate resource utilization
- Use built-in diagnostic tools to identify resource problems
- Troubleshoot CPU, memory, and session table issues
- Optimize FortiGate performance based on resource analysis
Diagnose and Troubleshoot Connectivity Problems
Network Connectivity DiagnosticsSession and Policy Troubleshooting
- Diagnose network connectivity issues using FortiGate tools
- Troubleshoot policy matching and traffic flow problems
- Analyze packet flow through FortiGate using debug commands
- Resolve NAT and routing-related connectivity issues
Troubleshoot FGCP HA Cluster Operation Modes
FGCP HA Cluster FundamentalsHA Troubleshooting Commands
- Understand different FGCP HA operation modes
- Troubleshoot HA synchronization and failover issues
- Diagnose HA cluster problems using CLI commands
- Resolve HA split-brain and checksum mismatch scenarios
2
Central Management
15%
Troubleshoot Central Management Issues
FortiManager IntegrationFortiAnalyzer IntegrationCentral Management Connectivity
- Troubleshoot FortiManager and FortiAnalyzer integration issues
- Diagnose policy installation and configuration synchronization problems
- Resolve log forwarding and aggregation issues
- Understand central management communication protocols and requirements
3
Content Inspection
20%
Troubleshoot FortiGuard Issues
FortiGuard Services ConnectivityFortiGuard Database Updates
- Troubleshoot FortiGuard service connectivity and licensing
- Diagnose and resolve FortiGuard update issues
- Verify FortiGuard service functionality
- Manage FortiGuard database updates and schedules
Troubleshoot Web Filtering Issues
Web Filter Configuration and PoliciesWeb Filter Logs and Monitoring
- Troubleshoot web filtering policy misconfigurations
- Diagnose FortiGuard category rating issues
- Resolve HTTPS inspection conflicts affecting web filtering
- Analyze web filter logs for troubleshooting purposes
Troubleshoot Intrusion Prevention System (IPS)
IPS Configuration and ProfilesIPS Logging and Monitoring
- Troubleshoot IPS signature matching and blocking behavior
- Diagnose and resolve IPS false positive detections
- Analyze IPS logs for security events and troubleshooting
- Optimize IPS performance and reduce resource consumption
4
Routing
20%
Troubleshoot Static Routes
Static Route ConfigurationStatic Route Troubleshooting
- Configure and troubleshoot static routes
- Diagnose route priority and administrative distance issues
- Verify routing table entries and route selection
- Troubleshoot policy routing interactions with static routes
Troubleshoot BGP Routing for Enterprise Traffic
BGP Configuration and NeighborsBGP Route Selection and PoliciesBGP with HA Cluster
- Troubleshoot BGP neighbor establishment and peering issues
- Diagnose BGP route advertisement and selection problems
- Configure BGP graceful restart for HA cluster environments
- Analyze BGP routing tables and path selection using CLI commands
Troubleshoot OSPF Routing for Enterprise Traffic
OSPF Configuration and NeighborsOSPF Route Advertisement and LSAsOSPF with HA Cluster
- Troubleshoot OSPF neighbor adjacency and area configuration
- Diagnose OSPF LSA propagation and route advertisement issues
- Configure OSPF graceful restart for HA cluster environments
- Analyze OSPF routing tables and neighbor status using CLI commands
5
VPN
25%
Implement Meshed or Partially Redundant IPsec VPN
IPsec VPN FundamentalsMeshed VPN TopologiesVPN Monitoring and Redundancy
- Design and implement meshed and partially redundant IPsec VPN topologies
- Configure VPN monitoring and redundancy mechanisms
- Troubleshoot IPsec phase 1 and phase 2 negotiation failures
- Implement VPN failover and load balancing
Troubleshoot ADVPN for On-Demand VPN Tunnels
ADVPN ArchitectureADVPN with Dynamic RoutingADVPN Troubleshooting
- Understand ADVPN architecture and on-demand tunnel creation
- Configure ADVPN with BGP or OSPF routing protocols
- Troubleshoot ADVPN spoke-to-spoke tunnel establishment
- Diagnose NHRP and routing issues in ADVPN deployments
How do I earn this certification?
Passing NSE7-EFW-7-0 earns the Fortinet Certified Solution Specialist - Network Security certification. It sits in the Network Security track.
Current Level Exams
- NSE7_EFW-7.0 - Enterprise Firewall 7.0Can be replaced with NSE7_EFW-7.2 for latest version
- NSE7_EFW-7.2 - Enterprise Firewall 7.2Newer version covering FortiOS 7.2
- NSE7_SDW-7.0 - SD-WAN 7.0 Required elective to complete FCSS certification
- NSE7_PBC-7.0 - Public Cloud Security 7.0 Alternative elective for cloud-focused professionals
- NSE7_ATP-7.0 - Advanced Threat Protection 7.0 Alternative elective for threat protection focus
Next Level Options
- FCX_Cybersecurity - Fortinet Certified Expert - Cybersecurity Highest level Fortinet certification demonstrating expertise across multiple domains
- NSE8_Written - NSE 8 Written ExamLegacy expert-level certification (being phased out in favor of FCX)
Alternative Paths
- NSE7_SDW-7.2 - SD-WAN 7.2 Complementary certification for SD-WAN enterprise deployments
- NSE7_OTS-7.2 - OT Security 7.2Expand into operational technology security for industrial environments
- NSE7_PBC-7.2 - Public Cloud Security 7.2Specialize in securing multi-cloud environments with Fortinet
- FCSS_SASE - FCSS - Secure Access Service Edge Emerging track for SASE architecture and implementation
Practice with Precision
The PlanetCert Simulator mirrors the real exam environment with authentic questions and timed pressure.
How to study for this exam?
The most effective way to prepare for NSE7-EFW-7-0 is by using the PlanetCert Simulator to practice questions and review detailed explanations.
What's changed on this exam?
Current Status
- ACTIVE
- Last content update: 2025-09-09
Updates
- Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA) FortiOS 7.0+ Firewall-based ZTNA is now a core Security Fabric component in FortiOS 7.0 • Release date: 2021-06-15
- ADVPN (Autodiscovery VPN) Enhanced in FortiOS 7.0 ADVPN with both BGP and OSPF routing protocols is heavily tested (25% exam weight) • Release date: 2021-06-15
- Security Fabric Rating FortiOS 7.0+ New feature for guiding security posture improvement • Release date: 2021-06-15
- BGP and OSPF Graceful Restart for HA FortiOS 7.0+ Critical for troubleshooting HA cluster with dynamic routing protocols • Release date: 2021-06-15
Who should take this exam?
What jobs can I get with this?
Related practice tests
- FCP-PCS-7.4FCP - Public Cloud Security 7.4 Administrator
- FCP-FML-AD-7-4FCP - FortiMail 7.4 Administrator
- FCP-FWB-AD-7-4FCP - FortiWeb 7.4 Administrator
- FCP-FMG-AD-7-6Fortinet FCP - FortiManager 7.6 Administrator
- FCSS-SASE-AD-25Fortinet FCSS - FortiSASE 25 Administrator