When enabling auto-discovery on FortiGate, what does it send to locate a FortiAnalyzer?

When FortiGate enables auto-discovery to locate a FortiAnalyzer, it uses "Hello packets." These packets are specifically designed to facilitate the discovery process by allowing FortiGate devices to announce their presence on the network and to listen for responses from FortiAnalyzer units. The Hello packets contain information that identifies the sender and details about what is being discovered, making it essential for establishing a connection between FortiGate and FortiAnalyzer for logging and reporting purposes.

In the context of network communication, Heartbeat packets are typically used to check the availability or status of a device but are not specifically utilized for discovery of the FortiAnalyzer. Data transfer packets relate to the actual movement of data between devices after they have been discovered and authenticated, not for the discovery process itself. Authentication packets are used for verifying identity and establishing secure connections, which comes after the discovery phase. Therefore, the specific function of discovering devices on the network is correctly served by the Hello packets.