Palo Alto Networks (PANW) System Engineer (PSE) Practice Exam

What can be autoscaled to ensure security when you need it most?

1. DNS Security

2. A dynamic address group

3. A virtual firewall

4. The Bootstrap Method

The correct answer is: A virtual firewall

Autoscaling refers to the capability of a system to automatically adjust its resource capacity based on demand. In the context of security, especially regarding firewalls, a virtual firewall can be autoscaled to ensure that sufficient security resources are available during periods of increased activity or potential threats. When security incidents arise or traffic spikes occur, having the ability to scale virtual firewalls allows organizations to maintain robust protection without degradation of service. This is particularly crucial in environments where the volume of network traffic can vary significantly, such as during DDoS attacks or during high-usage periods. Virtual firewalls can be part of a cloud infrastructure, which permits them to scale based on the defined policies and thresholds. This means that as demand increases, additional instances of the virtual firewall can be deployed automatically, providing immediate and scalable security measures. Conversely, when the demand decreases, these resources can be scaled back down to optimize costs. While DNS Security, dynamic address groups, and the Bootstrap Method might have their roles within a security architecture, they do not inherently possess the same autoscaling capabilities in the same way that a virtual firewall does to meet fluctuations in demand for security resources.