The FortiSIEM event database should be on NFS in supervisor-worker deployments.

What is a prerequisite for a FortiSIEM supervisor with a worker deployment using the proprietary flat file database?

• A. The CMDB database must be on NFS
• B. The event database must be on NFS
• C. The event database must be on a local disk
• D. The archive mount must be on a local disk

Answer: (B)

In a FortiSIEM deployment, particularly when utilizing a worker deployment with a proprietary flat file database, one key requirement is that the event database must be hosted on a Network File System (NFS). This scenario ensures that the supervisor and worker nodes can access and share the event data efficiently across the network. The use of NFS for the event database allows for centralized management of the log data, which is critical for maintaining the integrity and accessibility of the event information needed for effective security monitoring and analysis. NFS provides scalability, enabling the environment to handle a growing volume of event data as the organization's needs evolve. Additionally, employing NFS ensures that all workers can read from and write to the event database without direct dependencies on local storage solutions, which can be limiting and less efficient in a distributed processing model like that employed by FortiSIEM. Thus, having the event database on NFS is essential for optimal functionality in such deployments.

Outline

• Quick snapshot: FortiSIEM supervisor with workers and the flat-file database.

• The key prerequisite: the event database lives on NFS.

• Why NFS matters here: shared access, consistency, future growth.

• How to implement without surprises: high-level steps for setup.

• A look at the other options and common gotchas.

• Quick validation and a practical close.

FortiSIEM deployments made simple—the one prerequisite that matters most

If you’re exploring FortiSIEM, you’ve likely noticed there are different ways to layer the system. A common pattern is a supervisor node coordinating worker nodes, with Fortinet’s proprietary flat file database doing the heavy lifting behind the scenes. Here’s the thing that often trips teams up: when you’re using a worker deployment with that flat file database, the event database must be hosted on a Network File System, or NFS. That’s the defining prerequisite for smooth operation.

What the setup is really about—and why the event database on NFS is right for it

Let’s break it down a bit. The supervisor node acts as the brain, directing analysts’ queries, dashboards, and correlations. The workers do the grunt work—parsing logs, indexing events, and feeding the supervisor with fresh data. With a proprietary flat file database, those nodes need a shared, central place to read and write event data so everyone stays on the same page.

Storing the event database on NFS achieves exactly that. It provides a single, accessible store that all nodes can reach. The result is cleaner coordination between supervisor and workers, less risk of data silos, and a simpler way to scale as volume grows. And yes, that shared access is not just convenient; it’s fundamental to the integrity of the event stream. When every component taps into the same source of truth, you reduce the chance of mismatches and stale data slowing your security insights.

A moment to reflect: you might wonder about the other pieces in the system—like the CMDB. In this particular deployment pattern, the CMDB database doesn’t have to ride on NFS for the event workflow to function correctly. The flat-file event database is the critical shared resource that benefits most from NFS exposure. That doesn’t mean the CMDB stays on local disks forever, but the takeaway is simple: for the event data that teams interact with and derive alerts from, NFS is the reliable backbone.

If you’ve ever wrestled with distributed data, you know the comfort of a shared filesystem. It’s the difference between “some nodes see the same event” and “everyone’s staring at different logs.” With FortiSIEM’s worker deployment, that shared backbone is the event database on NFS. It keeps the processing pipeline coherent, makes backups—and even disaster recovery—more straightforward, and supports a more consistent audit trail for log data over time.

How to set it up—high-level steps you can map to your environment

Think of this as a checklist you’d apply before you bring the nodes online. The exact commands and paths may vary by OS version and your network, but the flow stays the same.

• Plan the NFS server and export

• Allocate a dedicated storage share for the FortiSIEM event data.

• Decide on the export options that fit your environment (who can mount, read/write permissions, and a reasonable lease/lock strategy).

• Prepare the FortiSIEM nodes

• Confirm network reachability to the NFS server from the supervisor and all worker nodes.

• Ensure the FortiSIEM services have the right permissions to access the mounted share. This usually means configuring the appropriate user IDs and group IDs so write access is consistent across nodes.

• Mount the NFS share on every node

• Use the same mount point on all devices to avoid path mismatches.

• Consider NFSv4 for more robust ACLs and a simpler, unified namespace, if your environment supports it.

• Validate data integrity on mount

• Create a test file through the supervisor, then verify visibility on a worker node and vice versa.

• Check for write latency that could become a bottleneck in busy periods.

• Implement basic resilience and monitoring

• Ensure the NFS server is protected with redundancy (mirror or clustering where possible) and that you have alerting on accessibility issues.

• Monitor IOPS and latency on the NFS share. You want steady performance during peak security events, not painful delays.

• Apply security and access controls

• Tighten permissions so only FortiSIEM processes can modify the event database.

• If you’re using NFSv4 with Kerberos, consider enabling it for stronger authentication and encryption in transit.

• Plan backups and retention

• Make sure the event database on NFS is included in backup routines.

• Align retention with your compliance needs and security posture. Short-term hot storage can stay on the NFS, with archival strategies for older data.

A few practical digressions you’ll recognize from real-world setups

• Storage planning isn’t glamorous, but it’s essential. A busy SOC can generate terabytes of events in a matter of days. If you don’t size for growth, you’ll end up in a situation where the event database becomes the bottleneck, not the analysts.

• Network reliability is more important than you’d think. A single flaky link can cause timeouts that ripple through the analytics pipeline. It’s worth investing in a stable, low-latency path between nodes and the NFS server.

• Security isn’t optional here. Event data can be sensitive. Use encryption in transit if possible, and lock down who can mount the share. A small misstep on access control can expose a wealth of information.

• It’s easy to forget about backups until you really need them. Build a straightforward recovery test into your routines. Running a restore test every few months avoids a frantic, edge-of-crisis moment.

What about the other options, and why they’re not the chosen path here?

In theory, you could consider placing other components on different storage, but for a worker deployment with the proprietary flat file database, the event database on NFS stands out as the practical, reliable choice. Let’s summarize why the alternatives aren’t as favorable in this scenario:

• The CMDB database on NFS: It’s not the critical shared resource for the event processing pipeline in this deployment pattern. It’s not wrong to have CMDB data on NFS, but it isn’t the lever that makes the worker architecture sing.

• The event database on a local disk: Local storage can lead to drift between nodes. If a worker can’t access the event data in a timely way, you risk inconsistent processing and delayed analytics—hard to justify in a security operation where every second counts.

• The archive mount on a local disk: Archival storage belongs in a different tier. Keeping live event data on a local disk can complicate scaling and maintainability. Archives should be designed for long-term retention, not real-time access.

If you’re curious about the finer points, think in terms of data access patterns. Event data is read-heavy during investigations and write-heavy during normal operation. A shared NFS path gives all nodes a consistent view. It’s less about one node faster and more about the entire fleet acting in harmony.

A quick sanity check you can run in the next maintenance window

• Verify that the event database path is consistently mounted on every node.

• Run a small ingest and a readback test from the supervisor and a worker to confirm real-time visibility.

• Check your NFS latency during simulated peak events and compare it to baseline measurements.

• Confirm that permissions align with the principle of least privilege—no more access than needed.

• Schedule a periodic backup test and a restore drill to confirm recovery readiness.

Closing thoughts—thinking ahead without getting overwhelmed

FortiSIEM is a powerful tool for security analytics, and a clean, shared event database on NFS is one of those practical choices that pays dividends across day-to-day operations. It isnures that the supervisor and all workers stay synchronized, which in turn keeps dashboards accurate, alerts timely, and investigations credible. It’s one of those “small yes” decisions that creates big wins when the heat’s on.

If you’re mapping out deployments in your environment, keep that NFS requirement front and center for the event data. It’s a straightforward pattern that scales as your security needs grow and your data footprint expands. And while you’re at it, you might find yourself rethinking retention, backups, and access controls in a way that actually makes your team’s life a little easier.

In the end, a well-structured FortiSIEM setup isn’t about chasing the newest gadget. It’s about choosing stable, repeatable foundations—like an NFS-backed event database—that let your analysts focus on what matters: understanding threats, reducing risk, and keeping your organization safer.

If you want, I can tailor a lightweight deployment checklist for your specific environment, or walk through a quick risk assessment to confirm the setup meets your network and security constraints. Either way, keeping the event data on NFS in a worker deployment is a solid anchor you’ll likely value as soon as you see it in action.