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Use an existing configuration for a new Firebox

As your network grows or your security requirements change, you may decide to replace an existing Firebox on your network with a different model Firebox. When you replace your Firebox with a different model, you can continue to use the same configuration file. When you import a new feature key, the Firebox can automatically change your existing configuration file so that it operates correctly with a new Firebox model.

If you plan to use the configuration from your old Firebox for the new Firebox, you must purchase and activate all of the same optional features and services, such as spamBlocker and WebBlocker, for the new Firebox.

Modify the configuration file from the original Firebox for use with the new Firebox.

Use this procedure to modify an existing configuration file for a new Firebox that you will deploy in the same location on your network.

  1. If you have not already done so, get a feature key for your new Firebox.
  2. Run the Quick Setup Wizard to set up basic settings for the new Firebox.
  3. Open the configuration file of the original Firebox in Policy Manager. You can connect to the device in WatchGuard System Manager and open Policy Manager, or select Tools > Policy Manager and browse to the saved configuration file of the original Firebox.
  4. If the new Firebox has fewer active interfaces than the Firebox it is replacing, you must disable the extra interfaces in the configuration file. For steps to disable an interface, see Disable an interface.
    For example, if you replace a Firebox X750e, which has 8 active interfaces, with a Firebox X550e, which has 4 interfaces, you must disable interfaces 4 - 7 in the configuration file. To compare the number of interfaces for two Firebox models, see the product comparison page on the WatchGuard web site, http://www.watchguard.com/products/compare.asp.
  5. If the new Firebox is a lower model number than the original Firebox, you must change the model in the device configuration.
    Select Setup > System. Select the model of the new Firebox from the Firebox Model drop-down list. Click OK.
    If your new Firebox is a higher number model, you can skip this step.
  1. Select Setup > Feature Keys.
    The Firebox Feature Key dialog box appears.

  1. Click Remove to remove the feature key of the old Firebox.
  2. Click Import to add the feature key for the new Firebox.
    The Import Firebox Feature Key dialog box appears.

  1. When you got a feature key for your new Firebox, you copied the full feature key to a text file and saved it on your computer. Open this file and paste the contents of the feature key file for the new Firebox into the Import Firebox Feature Key dialog box.
  2. Click OK. Policy Manager uses the new feature key to change the model of the Firebox in the configuration file. You can verify that this occurs correctly. From Policy Manager, select Setup > System. You should see the new model information.
  3. Select File > Save > To Firebox to save the configuration to the Firebox.

Configuration of the new Firebox is complete.

Deploy the new Firebox on your network

After you configure the new Firebox, follow these steps to replace the old Firebox with the new Firebox on your network.

  1. Turn off the power to both the old and the new Firebox.
  2. Move all the cables so the new Firebox replaces the old Firebox in the network.
  3. Turn the new Firebox on.

Note: If the new Firebox cannot get a connection to the Internet, power cycle the device that the external interface is connected to. Many gateway routers will not recognize the MAC address of the new Firebox unless they have been power cycled.

See also

About Firebox configuration files

About feature keys

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