Configure settings for the Link Status engine test

For the tester to run Link Status tests, configure the available settings.

  For more details about the product and how to configure features, click Help or press F1.

Steps

  1. Select the Interface on which the test is run:
    • ALL Physical Interfaces, Modem Interfaces (Single Firewalls only), ADSL Interfaces (Single Firewalls only), and Wireless Interfaces (Single Firewalls only).
    • (Clusters only) ALL with CVI.
    • A single Physical Interface, a Modem Interface (Single Firewalls only), an ADSL Interface (Single Firewalls only), or a Wireless Interface (Single Firewalls only).
    Note: On Firewalls, only the first interface that belongs to an Aggregated Link is shown in the list of interfaces. However, the Link Status test checks the status of all interfaces in the Aggregated Link.
  2. (Aggregated link in load-balancing mode only) Select the percentage of aggregated links that must be down for the test to be considered failed.
  3. Click OK.
  4. Click Save and Refresh to save the changes to the configuration and refresh the policy on the engine.

Link Status Test Properties dialog box

Use this dialog box to check whether a network port reports the link as up or down.

Option Definition
Name You can give the test a more descriptive name. If you want to run more than one instance of the same test type with different parameters, give each test a unique name.
Node

(Clusters only)

Select whether to run the test on ALL nodes or only on a specific node.
States to Test Select one or more engine states in which to run the test:
  • Online — Test is run when the node is online.
  • Offline — Test is run when the node is offline.
  • Standby (Clusters only) — Test is run when the node is in the Standby state.

The Link Status test defines the status of different interface types using the following criteria:

  • The link of a Modem Interface (Single Firewalls only) is up if a modem reports that a call is in progress.
  • The link of an ADSL interface (Single Firewalls only) is up when the ADSL modem is connected to a Digital Subscriber Line Access Multiplexer (DSLAM), and the ADSL modem reports that the connection is working.
  • The link of a Wireless Interface (Single Firewalls only) is up when the related Firewall has been configured and is working.
  • The status of Aggregated Links (Firewalls only) depends on the link mode. An Aggregated Link in High Availability Mode is up if one of the interfaces that belong to the Aggregated Link is up. An Aggregated Link in Load Balancing Mode is up if both the interfaces that belong to the Aggregated Link are up.
Test Interval Specifies how often the test is run. The minimum interval is one second and the maximum is 86400 (one day).
Note: We recommend a minimum interval of four seconds. Running a test too frequently can increase overhead.
Interface Select the interface to be tested.
Note: (Firewalls only) Only the first interface that belongs to an Aggregated Link is shown in the list of interfaces. However, the Link Status test checks the status of both interfaces in the Aggregated Link.
Failure
Action Select the action taken if a test fails:
  • None — The state is not changed.
  • Offline (Clusters only) — The test switches the node offline. However, the tester does not turn offline the last active node in a cluster or nodes in the Locked Online state.
  • Force Offline — The node is forced to an offline state, even if it is the last node online in a cluster or if it is in the Locked Online state. Use in cases in which a complete cut in traffic is a better option than a partially working Firewall.
Send Alert Select to send an alert to notify administrators that a test has failed.