Working with Network Address Translation

This section describes the process for using Network Address Translation (NAT) in a VSX deployment. The procedures described in this section assume that the reader is familiar with NAT concepts and their implementation in Check Point products. For more about NAT, see the Configuring NAT Policy chapter in the R80.30 Next Generation Security Gateway Guide.

VSX supports NAT for Virtual Systems much in the same manner as a physical firewall. When a NAT enabled (Static or Hide) Virtual System connects to a Virtual Router, the translated routes are automatically forwarded to the appropriate Virtual Router.

Configuring NAT

Configure NAT using the NAT page in the Virtual System window. Hide or Static NAT addresses configured in this manner are automatically forwarded to the Virtual Router to which the Virtual System is connected. Alternatively, you can manually add NAT routes on the Topology page in the Virtual Router window.

To configure NAT for a Virtual System on a VSX Gateway:

Step	Description
1	Connect with SmartConsole to the Security Management Server / Target Domain Management Server that manages this Virtual System.
2	From the left navigation panel, click Gateways & Servers.
3	Open the Virtual System object.
4	From the navigation tree, click NAT > Advanced. The Advanced page opens.
5	Select Add Automatic Address Translation.
6	Select the Translation method. Hide - Hide NAT only allows connections originating from the internal network. Internal hosts can access internal destinations, the Internet and other external networks. External sources cannot initiate a connection to internal network addresses. Select one of these options: Hide behind Gateway - Hides the real address behind the VSX Gateway external interface address. This is equivalent to hiding behind the address `0.0.0.0` for IPv4, or `::` for IPv6. Hide behind IP Address - Hides the real address behind a virtual IP address, which is a routable, public IP address that does not belongs to any real machine. Static - Static NAT translates each private address to a corresponding public address. Enter the static IP address.
7	From the Install on Gateway list, select the VSX Gateway.
8	Click OK.
9	Install the Access Control Policy on this Virtual System.

To configure NAT for a Virtual System on a VSX Cluster:

Use case - Perform Hide NAT on traffic a Virtual System itself generates in a VSX Cluster, so that the Virtual System could connect to external resources (for example, update Anti-Bot signatures from the Check Point cloud).

Step	Description
1	Connect to the command line on each VSX Cluster Member.
2	Log in to the Expert mode.
3	Switch to the context of the applicable Virtual System: `[Expert@HostName:0]# vsenv <VSID>`
4	Get the Funny IP address of the applicable Virtual System interface, through which the applicable traffic goes out. Note - Funny IP address is the IP address that belongs to cluster's internal communications network (open the VSX Cluster object properties and go to the "Cluster Members" pane). Run one of these commands: `[Expert@HostName:<`VSID`>]# fw getifs` `[Expert@HostName:<`VSID`>]# \ifconfig` Write down the Funny IP address.
5	Connect with SmartConsole to the Security Management Server / Target Domain Management Server that manages this Virtual System.
6	From the left navigation panel, click Gateways & Servers.
7	Create a new Node Host object and assign to it the Funny IP address you wrote down in Step 4.
8	Create a new Node Host object and assign to it the NATed IP address.
9	From the left navigation panel, click Security Policies.
10	In the Access Control > NAT policy, create the applicable NAT rule to hide the traffic from the Virtual System behind the NATed IP address: Original Source - Must be a Node Host object with the Funny IP address of the Virtual System Original Destination - `* Any` Original Services -`* Any` Translated Source - Must be a Node Host object with the NATed IP address of the Virtual System Translated Destination - `= Original` Translated Services - `= Original` Install On - `* Policy Targets`, or the Virtual System object Comment - Applicable text (for example, "Manual NAT rule for VSXcluster3-VS2 Funny IP")
11	Install the Access Control Policy on this Virtual System.