NGFW 6.9 Online Help

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SMC configuration
Security Management Center (SMC) configuration allows you to customize how the SMC components work.
Domain elements
Domain elements allow you to restrict which elements are displayed to the administrators in the Management Client and in the optional Web Portal. They also allow you to define in which administrative Domains an administrator has permissions. Configuring Domains requires a special license.
Examples of Domain elements
You might want to create a different Domain for each of your organization's customers or sites.

About this Help
This online help was created for Forcepoint Next Generation Firewall (Forcepoint NGFW), version 6.9.0.
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.
- Administrator accounts
  Administrator accounts define administrator rights and permissions in the SMC.
- Alert escalation
  The SMC can escalate the alerts generated so that notifications are sent to the administrators through multiple channels.
- Domain elements
  Domain elements allow you to restrict which elements are displayed to the administrators in the Management Client and in the optional Web Portal. They also allow you to define in which administrative Domains an administrator has permissions. Configuring Domains requires a special license.
  - Getting started with Domain elements
    Domain elements help you manage large networks and define administrator permissions.
  - How Domain elements work
    Elements belong to one or more Domains. Administrator permissions in the Domain determine which elements administrators can manage.
  - Create and modify Domain elements
    Create Domain elements, for example, to group elements in different configurations and restrict administrator permissions.
  - Log on to a Domain
    If you only have permissions in a single Domain, you automatically log on to the Domain when you log on to the Management Client. If you have permissions in more than one Domain, you must log on to the correct Domain before managing elements that belong to the Domain.
  - Log off from all Domains
    If you have permissions in more than one Domain, you can log off from all Domains through the Domain Overview.
  - Move elements between Domains
    You can move most elements from one Domain to another.
  - View Domain status
    The Domain Overview allows you to see at a glance the status of the Domains and their elements. You do not need to log on to each Domain to monitor its status.
  - Delete a Domain
    If you delete a Domain, all elements that belong to the Domain are also deleted.
  - Examples of Domain elements
    You might want to create a different Domain for each of your organization's customers or sites.
    - Example: Create Domain elements for different customers
      You can create a different Domain for each of your organization's customers, as shown in the following example.
    - Example: Create Domain elements for different sites
      You can create a different Domain for each of your organization's sites, as shown in the following example.
- Setting up the Web Portal
  The Web Portal provides browser-based access to logs, reports, and Policy Snapshots for specific authorized users. The Web Portal is provided by the Web Portal Server, which is an optional component that you can purchase for your SMC.
- Using the Management Client in a web browser
  To avoid installing the full Java-based Management Client on each workstation that an administrator uses, you can run the Management Client in a web browser.
- Management Client downloads from the Management Server
  When the Management Server provides the Management Client for download, administrators can download and install the Management Client from the SMC Downloads page.
- Configuring the Log Server
  You can modify a Log Server element, configure settings for Log Servers, and recertify Log Servers.
- Configuring SMC servers for high availability
  You can install several Management Servers and Log Servers to provide high availability for the SMC.
- Reconfiguring the SMC and NGFW Engines
  You can modify settings for Management Servers, change hardware platforms or the IP addresses used in system communications, change the type of certificate authority, and change the role of NGFW Engines.
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

Examples of Domain elements

You might want to create a different Domain for each of your organization's customers or sites.

Example: Create Domain elements for different customers
You can create a different Domain for each of your organization's customers, as shown in the following example.
Example: Create Domain elements for different sites
You can create a different Domain for each of your organization's sites, as shown in the following example.

© 2020 Forcepoint
Published 8 December 2020