NGFW 6.7 Online Help

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Appendices
Working with expressions
Expressions are elements that allow you to create simple definitions for representing complex sets of IP addresses by using logical operands.
Using operands
When creating expressions, you can use the negation, intersection, and union operands.

About this Help
This online Help was created for Forcepoint Next Generation Firewall (Forcepoint NGFW), version 6.7.0.
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 NGFW 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.
NGFW Engine configuration
You can create and modify Firewalls, IPS engines, Layer 2 Firewalls, Master NGFW Engines and Virtual NGFW Engines. You can configure the NGFW Engine properties, activate optional features, and configure advanced NGFW 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 VPN (virtual private network) tunnels between VPN gateways. For full remote access, Forcepoint NGFW supports both IPsec and SSL VPN tunnels for VPN clients.
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
- Command line tools
  There are command line tools for the SMC and the NGFW Engines.
- Default communication ports
  There are default ports used in connections between SMC components and default ports that SMC components use with external components.
- Working with expressions
  Expressions are elements that allow you to create simple definitions for representing complex sets of IP addresses by using logical operands.
  - Introduction to expressions
    An expression is an element that combines other network elements (IP addresses) with logical operands.
  - Using operands
    When creating expressions, you can use the negation, intersection, and union operands.
    - Negation
      The negation operand can be understood based on common language use: it corresponds to the word “NOT”.
    - Intersection
      Intersection means “include only those IP addresses that are a part of both sets”.
    - Union
      The common language equivalent for the union operand is the word “AND”. The union operand’s role is to widen the scope of the expression.
  - Expression processing order
    The processing order of expressions is fixed.
  - Grouping operands using parentheses
    Parentheses allow grouping the expression so that the operands you add are processed in a non-standard order.
  - Nesting expressions
    You can nest expressions by placing other expressions inside an expression. Nesting is a good way to simplify the creation of complex expressions.
- Predefined Aliases
  Predefined Aliases are used in the default policies. Some of them might be useful when you create your own rules.
- Situation Context parameters
  There are parameters you can define for Situation Contexts.
- Regular expression syntax
  The SMC has its own regular expression syntax. Regular expressions are used in Situations for matching network traffic. Situations are used in the Inspection rules on NGFW Engines.
- SNMP traps and MIBs
  For information about SNMP traps (notifications) and MIBs (objects), see the following reference.
- Schema updates for external LDAP servers
  There are SMC-specific LDAP classes and attributes that you add to the schema of external LDAP servers.
- Log fields
  For descriptions of all log fields, see the following reference.
- Keyboard shortcuts
  The keyboard shortcut reference describes the available shortcut keys in the Management Client.
- Multicasting
  The multicasting reference describes the general principles of multicasting and how it can be used with CVIs (cluster virtual IP addresses) in Firewall Clusters.
- TCP/IP protocol headers
  Some common TCP/IP protocol headers can be used.
- ASCII character codes
  The decimal and hexadecimal values of the ASCII characters are presented for interpreting traffic captures and predefined Situation Contexts.

Using operands

When creating expressions, you can use the negation, intersection, and union operands.

Negation
The negation operand can be understood based on common language use: it corresponds to the word “NOT”.
Intersection
Intersection means “include only those IP addresses that are a part of both sets”.
Union
The common language equivalent for the union operand is the word “AND”. The union operand’s role is to widen the scope of the expression.

© 2021 Forcepoint
Published 4 March 2021