What does the Basic Failover/Load-balance feature use to determine the order of preemption?

The Basic Failover/Load-balance feature utilizes rank to determine the order of preemption, which is a critical aspect of how connections are managed during failover scenarios. In this context, each interface can be assigned a rank value that signifies its priority level. When multiple interfaces are available, the SonicWall device will use these ranks to decide which interface should take precedence over others when connectivity is restored after a failover event.

Rank helps ensure that the network traffic is routed through the most preferred or highest-priority interface first, which typically corresponds to criteria such as performance, reliability, or specific organizational needs. This prioritization allows for a more effective load balancing and recovery strategy, effectively optimizing network utilization and minimizing downtime.

Other options, while relevant to network performance in various contexts, do not play a role in establishing the preemption order for failover in the way rank does. For example, interface speed may indicate potential throughput but does not dictate priority under the failover rules. Similarly, time of connection and bandwidth allocation might influence how traffic flows, but they are not factors in determining which interface should regain its role as the primary path for traffic after a failure.