In a centered management environment, how does setup on the upstream Fortigate affect downstream devices?

In a centered management environment, the upstream Fortigate plays a crucial role in distributing configurations and policies to downstream devices. When a configuration is set up on the upstream Fortigate, it automatically propagates those settings to downstream devices. This capability ensures consistent security policies and configurations across the network, which simplifies management and enhances security posture.

The automatic distribution of settings means that administrators do not need to manually configure each downstream device, thereby saving time and reducing the chances of human error. This centralized approach promotes efficiency in managing multiple devices and ensures that all downstream units align with the organization's security protocols and operational policies.

The other options do not accurately reflect the functionality of centered management. For instance, manual configuration would contradict the essence of centralized management where configuration is automatically pushed. Saying that downstream devices will not receive settings is incorrect as centralized management is designed to facilitate the sharing of configurations. Additionally, while performance can be a consideration in network architecture, it is not directly tied to the configuration distribution mechanism described here.