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Troubleshooting
Troubleshooting helps you resolve common problems in the Forcepoint NGFW and SMC.
Messages for troubleshooting
Some common alert and log messages that you might see in the Logs view are useful for troubleshooting.
Alert log messages for troubleshooting
Alert log messages provide useful information for troubleshooting.

About this Help
Introduction to the Forcepoint Next Generation Firewall solution
Before setting up Forcepoint Next Generation Firewall (Forcepoint NGFW), it is useful to know what the different components do and what engine roles are available.
Deployment
Before you can set up the system and start configuring elements, you must consider how the different SMC components should be positioned and deployed.
Setting up
After deploying the SMC components, you are ready to start using the Management Client and carrying out some of the first configuration tasks.
Monitoring
You can use the SMC to monitor system components and third-party devices. You can also view and filter logs, and create Reports from them.
Controlling engines
You can command and set options for engines through the Management Client or on the engine command line. You can also stop traffic manually.
SMC configuration
Security Management Center (SMC) configuration allows you to customize how the SMC components work.
Engine element configuration
You can create and modify Firewalls, IPS engines, Layer 2 Firewalls, Master NGFW Engines and Virtual NGFW Engines. You can configure the engine properties, activate optional features, and configure advanced engine settings.
Routing
Use the Management Client to configure static or dynamic routing, and use a Multi-Link configuration to manage and distribute inbound and outbound connections.
Traffic inspection policies
Policies are key elements that contain rules for allowing or blocking network traffic and inspecting the content of traffic.
Users and authentication
User accounts are stored in internal databases or external directory servers. You can use Forcepoint NGFW in the Firewall/VPN role or external authentication servers to authenticate users.
Virtual private networks
Forcepoint NGFW supports both policy-based and route-based VPNs (virtual private networks).
Maintenance and upgrades
Maintenance includes procedures that you do not typically need to do frequently.
Troubleshooting
Troubleshooting helps you resolve common problems in the Forcepoint NGFW and SMC.
- General troubleshooting tips
  General troubleshooting tips help you troubleshoot situations that are not covered by more specific troubleshooting topics.
- Troubleshooting accounts and passwords
  There are several common problems and solutions related to accounts and passwords.
- Messages for troubleshooting
  Some common alert and log messages that you might see in the Logs view are useful for troubleshooting.
  - Alert log messages for troubleshooting
    Alert log messages provide useful information for troubleshooting.
    - Respond to Log spool filling alerts
      The “Log spool filling” alert indicates that logs are not being transferred from the engine at all, or the engine is generating logs more quickly than they can be transferred to the Log Server.
    - Respond to alerts about inoperative NGFW Engines
      The Inoperative NGFW Engines alert is triggered when the Management Server does not receive the expected status updates from an NGFW Engine. The Status Surveillance option must also be selected for the engine.
    - Respond to System Alerts
      “System Alert” is a general category for alert messages that are generated because something in the operation of the SMC components or NGFW Engines requires your attention.
    - Respond to Tester alerts
      Tester alerts indicate that the automatic tester running on the engines has detected a failure in one of the tests that the tester is configured to run.
    - Respond to throughput-based license exceeded alerts
      Throughput-based license exceeded alerts are triggered traffic exceeds the throughput limits allowed by your license.
  - Log messages for troubleshooting
    Log messages provide useful information for troubleshooting.
  - Error messages for troubleshooting
    Error messages provide useful information for troubleshooting.
- Troubleshooting engine operation
  There are several common errors and problems that are directly related to the operation of Firewalls, IPS engines, and Layer 2 Firewalls.
- Troubleshooting licenses
  Licenses are a proof of purchase used for ensuring that your organization is a legal license holder of the software.
- Troubleshooting logging
  There are some common problems you might encounter when viewing logs or performing tasks related to the log files.
- Troubleshooting the Management Client
  There are several general problems that you might encounter when using the Management Client.
- Troubleshooting NAT
  There are some common problems you might encounter with NAT.
- Troubleshooting policies
  There are some common problems you might encounter when working with policies and the rules that they contain.
- Troubleshooting reporting
  There are some common problems that you might encounter when generating reports from raw statistical and log data stored on the Log Server.
- Troubleshooting upgrades
  There are some common problems that you might encounter when upgrading SMC components.
- Troubleshooting VPNs
  There are some common problems that you might encounter when creating and managing VPNs.
Appendices

Alert log messages for troubleshooting

Alert log messages provide useful information for troubleshooting.

Respond to Log spool filling alerts
The “Log spool filling” alert indicates that logs are not being transferred from the engine at all, or the engine is generating logs more quickly than they can be transferred to the Log Server.
Respond to alerts about inoperative NGFW Engines
The Inoperative NGFW Engines alert is triggered when the Management Server does not receive the expected status updates from an NGFW Engine. The Status Surveillance option must also be selected for the engine.
Respond to System Alerts
“System Alert” is a general category for alert messages that are generated because something in the operation of the SMC components or NGFW Engines requires your attention.
Respond to Tester alerts
Tester alerts indicate that the automatic tester running on the engines has detected a failure in one of the tests that the tester is configured to run.
Respond to throughput-based license exceeded alerts
Throughput-based license exceeded alerts are triggered traffic exceeds the throughput limits allowed by your license.

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