Checkpoint 156-836 - Check Point Certified Maestro Expert (CCME) R81.X

Check Point reduced throughput degradation to 1% per added SGMs. For example, the overall throughput degradation is 10% for 10 SGMs in a Security Group. Check Point aims to reduce this even further in the future. https://supportcenter.checkpoint.com/supportcenter/portal?eventSubmit_doGoviewsolutiondetails= &solutionid=sk147853

A Dual Site environment can include either two or four orchestrators, depending on the scenario. There are three primary scenarios for Dual Site configuration:

•Direct connectivity between remote site orchestrators: This scenario requires two orchestrators, one for each site, and a direct connection between them using the site-sync port.

•Two orchestrators on the same site are connected to the remote site orchestrators through two different switches: This scenario requires four orchestrators, two for each site, and a connection between them using the site-sync port and two external switches that support QinQ and MTU increment.

•Two orchestrators on the same site are connected to the remote site orchestrators through one switch: This scenario also requires four orchestrators, two for each site, and a connection between them using the site-sync port and one external switch that supports QinQ and MTU increment.

References =

•Maestro Dual Site configuration with a direct connection through L2 switches

•Dual Site Single Maestro Hyperscale Orchestrator Cluster (Dual Site Single MHO Redundancy)

•Maestro Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

In a Maestro Dual Site environment, there are two sites that can host Security Group Members (SGMs) for each Security Group (SG). The Active Site is the one that is currently processing the traffic for a specific SG, while the Standby Site is the one that is ready to take over in case of a failover. The Active Site and the Standby Site can be different for different SGs, depending on the load balancing and failover policies. The Active Site and the Standby Site are synchronized by the Maestro Orchestrators (MHOs) using the Site-Sync port and VLANs.

References =

•Solved: Maestro dual site failover - Check Point CheckMates

•Maestro Dual Site configuration with a direct connection through L2 switches

The MHO (Maestro Hyperscale Orchestrator) does not require a license by itself, but each SGM (Security Group Module) that is attached to the MHO needs a license. The license type depends on the features and blades that are enabled on the SGM. For example, if the SGM is running VSX, it needs a VSX license.

MHOs process traffic in Active-Active mode, which means that both MHOs are active and share theload of the traffic that is sent to and from the SGMs. Active-Active mode provides better performance and scalability than Active-Standby mode, which only uses one MHO at a time and keeps the other as a backup. Active-Active mode also allows for faster failover and recovery in case of an MHO failure, as the surviving MHO can take over the traffic without interruption.

References

•Maestro Expert (CCME) Course - Check Point Software, page 25

•CheckPoint Certified Maestro Expert (CCME) - Skillzcafe, page 2

•Check Point Certified Maestro Expert (CCME) R81.X - Global Knowledge, page 2

References

•Maestro R80.30SP Jumbo Hotfix Accumulator, Section: Important Notes

•Check Point Maestro R80.30SP with Gaia 3.10, Section: Known Limitations

•Check Point SNMP MIB files, Section: Revision History

The SMO Master is the SGM that is responsible for synchronizing the configuration and policy with the other SGMs in the security group. The SMO Master is automatically designated as the SGM with the lowest member ID, which is usually the first one added to the security group. The SMO Master can be changed manually if needed.