VSX Clusters

A VSXClosed Virtual System Extension. Check Point virtual networking solution, hosted on a computer or cluster with virtual abstractions of Check Point Security Gateways and other network devices. These Virtual Devices provide the same functionality as their physical counterparts. ClusterClosed Two or more Security Gateways that work together in a redundant configuration - High Availability, or Load Sharing. has two or more identical, interconnected VSX Gateways for continuous data synchronization and transparent failover.

Virtual System Load SharingClosed VSX Cluster technology that assigns Virtual System traffic to different Active Cluster Members. Acronym: VSLS. (VSLS) enhances throughput by distributing Virtual Systems, with their traffic load, among multiple, redundant machines.

For more about Check Point ClusterXL features and functionality see the R81 ClusterXL Administration Guide.

High Availability

VSX supports High Availability and transparent failover for VSX Gateways and for Virtual Systems.

If the Active VSX Cluster MemberClosed Security Gateway that is part of a cluster. fails, all sessions continue to run, securely and without interruption, on a Standby VSX Cluster Member.

Users stay connected and do not notice the failover. They are not required to authenticate again on failover.

Use Selective Sync to activate, delay, or disable VSX Cluster Member synchronization.

Virtual System Load Sharing (VSLS)

Load Sharing offers significant performance advantages while providing failover for individual Virtual Systems.

Using multiple Gateways instead of a single gateway significantly increases performance for CPU intensive applications such as VPNs, Security Servers, Policy Servers, and Active Directory (LDAP).

By distributing Virtual SystemClosed Virtual Device on a VSX Gateway or VSX Cluster Member that implements the functionality of a Security Gateway. Acronym: VS. instances between different VSX Cluster Members, the performance load is efficiently spread amongst the VSX Cluster Members.

For example, Active Virtual System 1 runs on VSX Cluster Member A, while Active Virtual System 2 runs on VSX Cluster Member B.

Standby and Backup Virtual System instances are likewise distributed amongst VSX Cluster Members to maximize throughput, even in a failover scenario.

VSLS provides an excellent scalability solution, allowing administrators to add additional VSX Cluster Members to an existing VSLS cluster as traffic loads and performance requirements increase.