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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.
Inbound traffic management
Inbound traffic management ensures that services remain available even when one or more servers or NetLinks fail, and balances the load of incoming traffic more efficiently between a group of servers. Inbound traffic management is not supported on Layer 2 Firewalls or on layer 2 physical interfaces on Firewalls.
Defining Server Pool elements
The Server Pool element collects servers that provide a particular service into a single element and defines the settings for handling the inbound traffic.

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.
- Configuring routing and antispoofing
  Routing defines through which next hop router the NGFW Engine forwards traffic from a source address to a destination address. Antispoofing defines which addresses are considered valid source addresses for the networks connected to each interface.
- Configuring dynamic routing
  With dynamic routing, NGFW Engines automatically change their routing when the network topology changes. The NGFW Engines can also exchange information about appropriate routing paths.
- Outbound traffic management
  You can use Multi-Link to distribute outbound traffic between multiple network connections and to provide High Availability and load balancing for outbound traffic.
- Inbound traffic management
  Inbound traffic management ensures that services remain available even when one or more servers or NetLinks fail, and balances the load of incoming traffic more efficiently between a group of servers. Inbound traffic management is not supported on Layer 2 Firewalls or on layer 2 physical interfaces on Firewalls.
  - Getting started with inbound traffic management
    Inbound traffic on a Firewall can be managed with a Server Pool.
  - Defining Server Pool elements
    The Server Pool element collects servers that provide a particular service into a single element and defines the settings for handling the inbound traffic.
    - Create Server Pool elements
      Add servers to Server Pools based on the services that the servers provide.
    - Define external addresses of server pools
      Define the external address of a server pool as a property of the Server Pool element.
    - Add members to Server Pool elements
      Add Host elements to Server Pool elements to balance traffic between the servers.
    - Configure server availability monitoring
      There are different methods for monitoring whether a server or a service running on a server is available.
    - Using Server Pool Monitoring Agents
      Server Pool Monitoring Agents provide advanced features for monitoring the server load and status.
  - Install Server Pool Monitoring Agents
    Server Pool Monitoring Agents can be installed on the Server Pool servers to monitor the availability and load of the Server Pool members.
  - Uninstall Server Pool Monitoring Agents
    You can uninstall the Server Pool Monitoring Agents you no longer need.
  - Configuring Server Pool Monitoring Agents
    Server Pool Monitoring Agents are configured in two files. The sgagent.local.conf file is specific for each server. The sgagent.conf file applies to all servers in the pool.
  - Enable Server Pool Monitoring Agents
    Enable Server Pool Monitoring Agents for one Server Pool element.
  - Entering Server Pool IP addresses for your DNS Server
    When using static DNS entries (recommended), you must make sure that the IP addresses for your Server Pool are properly entered into your DNS server’s records.
  - Create Access rules for inbound load balancing
    You can apply Server Pool load balancing to the firewall configuration by adding the Server Pool to an IPv4 Access rule in the Firewall Policy.
  - Configuring dynamic DNS updates for Server Pools
    The Firewall can automatically update dynamic DNS (DDNS) entries for the Server Pool according to the available NetLinks.
  - Test Monitoring Agents on the command line
    You can test the Server Pool Monitoring Agents on the command line.
  - Monitor Monitoring Agents on the command line
    You can monitor the Server Pool Monitoring Agents on the command line.
  - Examples of Server Pools
    Using Server Pools, you can manage incoming traffic to your web servers.
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.
Appendices

Defining Server Pool elements

The Server Pool element collects servers that provide a particular service into a single element and defines the settings for handling the inbound traffic.

Create Server Pool elements
Add servers to Server Pools based on the services that the servers provide.
Define external addresses of server pools
Define the external address of a server pool as a property of the Server Pool element.
Add members to Server Pool elements
Add Host elements to Server Pool elements to balance traffic between the servers.
Configure server availability monitoring
There are different methods for monitoring whether a server or a service running on a server is available.
Using Server Pool Monitoring Agents
Server Pool Monitoring Agents provide advanced features for monitoring the server load and status.

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