CheckPoint: installation, initial setup and organization of a cluster of two firewall modules

Check Point this year introduced a new version of its operating system GAIA R77.

Of the main innovations are:
• Threat Emulation
• HyperSPECT technology
• New software blades (Compliance Blade) and over 50 new features.
')
The purpose of this article is to help the newcomers with Check Point equipment. What to do with him? How to prepare for work? etc. Also here you will find the answer how to organize a cluster with 2x firewall modules. Despite the fact that from the Gaia R76 version, management can be on one of the cluster nodes, this guide will describe the “old-fashioned” method. Two firewall modules plus separate management.

Threat Emulation - protection from 0 day attacks. Works on this principle:



1. Inspects the file.
2. Runs it on multiple operating systems.
3. If the file is malicious blocks.
4. If the file is not malicious, it allows the end user to open it.

HyperSPECT technology - acceleration of security gateways up to 50%. Below is a chart from the vendor:


Compliance Blade - checking equipment settings according to information security standards, at the moment Check Point “knows” such standards:


It also shows how it works.

As mentioned above, we have a task: two firewall modules plus a separate management.
To complete this task you will need:
• The first firewall module with installed Gaia R77 (3 network interfaces);
• The second firewall module with installed Gaia R77 (3 network interfaces);
• Server management with installed Gaia R77;
• Administrator workstation with SmartConsole installed.

1. Installing the Gaia R77 OS on the firewall module.

1.1. Boot from boot disk / flash drive. And choose “Install Gaia on this system”



1.2. Confirm the OS installation, click OK. Select the language layout US and click OK.





1.3. In the next window, enter the administrator password, then the IP address of the server, then confirm the formatting of the hard disk and wait for the installation to complete.











1.4. Similarly, we install the OS on the second firewall module and the management server.

2. Initial Setup Gaia R77

2.1. Log on to the web interface of the firewall module. In our case, this is the initial configuration of the first node, the IP address is 172.16.1.15.



2.2. Log in to the web interface, click Next in the initial setup wizard.





2.3. Check the network interface settings, specify the host name, time zone.







2.4. In the next menu put a tick on "Security Gateway or Security Management"



2.5. Further, if one of the firewall modules is configured, you need to select the configuration shown in the screenshot, enter the SIC activation key, click Finish and wait for the reboot.





2.6. When setting up the server management, you need to select the configuration that is shown in the screenshot, change the login / password if desired, specify who the GUI client is available for, click Finish.

3. Installing Smart Console

3.1. To download SmartConsole, you need to go to the web interface of one of the firewall modules or server management. In the Maintenance section, select the Download Smart Console item, click the Download button.



3.2. After downloading the smart console, start the installation process, you will need additional components to install.



3.3. After installing the above listed, the installation of the smart console itself will begin. The installation process below is displayed on the screen.

4. Cluster organization from two firewall modules

After the work done above, we have the following result:
• Installed / originally configured OS on the first firewall module.
• Installed / originally configured OS on the second firewall module.
• Installed / originally configured OS on the management server.
• The smart console is installed on the administrator workstation with Windows XP preinstalled.

4.1. We launch SmartDashboard, enter the login / password and IP address of the server management.



4.2. In the open SmartDashboard, select the “More” section, the “Desktop” item.



4.3. Next you need to add firewall modules to the SmartCentre.
To do this, you need to select the Check Point folder on the left, open the context menu and select the item “Security Gateway / Management”. Next, select “Classic mode”.





4.4. Register the host name, IP address and click Communication.



4.5. Enter the Activation Key and click the “Initialize” button, if the operation was successful, the message Trust established appears. After this action, click the “OK” button, in the next window click “Close”. Repeat this action for the second firewall module.



4.6. After adding firewall modules to the SmartCentre, we have the following picture:



4.7. On the left, select the Check Point section, open the context menu, select Security Cluster => Check Point Appliance / Open server.



4.8. Specify the name of the cluster being created and its IP address. Go to the “Cluster member” tab and add two firewall modules.







4.9. Next you need to go to the Topology section and click the Edit button.



4.10. Select the configuration as shown in the screenshot.



After that, click “Get” => “All Members' Interfaces with Topology and click OK”.
Next, do the following: Save => Install policy.

As a result of these actions, we have assembled a cluster of 2 firewall nodes. Next, you need to register the rules of the firewall, configure the rest of the blades.

---

MUK-Service - all types of IT repair: warranty, non-warranty repair, sale of spare parts, contract service