Install and configure CheckPoint Firewall on VMware

Install Checkpoint GAIA Firewall on VMware is the very easily. Checkpoint one of the best next generation firewall for network security. Its also known as Stateful Firewall and inspect traffic upto Application layer. As we know that Now a days Network security and data is the big challenge for a Corporate world. so in this article tell you installation process of GAIA R77 on VMware. 

There is Three Tier Architecture in Checkpoint Firewall.

• Security Gateway
• Security Management
• Smart Console

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First of all we will have to understand Topology of Checkpoint firewall for Network (below Image).

Create Virtual Machine In VMware

First of all you will have to create Virtual machine on which you have to Install Checkpoint firewall. You can download Checkpoint GAIA from Checkpoint official Site.

1. Launch VMware on your base machine, then Click on Create a New Virtual Machineoption.Then Select Typical (Recommended) radio button and then Click on Next.

2. Now you will have to give path of the Checkpoint GAIA ISO file, If you have CD/DVD then selectInstaller Disk radio button. In my case I have ISO file on my PC so i will select Installer disc image file (iso): radio button. Then browse ISO image from yor PC and then Click on Next.

3. Now Select Other radio button, under Guest Operating system then Click on drop-down menu to select Other or Other-64 and then Click on Next.

4. Now Give the Name of your virtual Machine such as Checkpoint Firewall and then Click on Next.then assign max disk size and then Click on Next. and then Click on Finish.

Now you will see CheckPoint firewall virtual machine has been created. Now you can start proceed to install GAIA R77 on this virtual machine.

Install Checkpoint GAIA Firewall

 

5. Now Click on Power on this Virtual Machine to start installation. Then Click or Press Enter onInstall Gaia on this System. Now Click on Ok to Confirm Installation Process. Then It will ask for Keyboard type then select US and then Click OK.

6. Now type administrator login password then again confirm to access Checkpoint firewall to admin. And then Click on OK.

7.  Now you have to assign IP Address to your to Management Interface of Checkpoint Firewall, By default eth0 is Management interface through which you can access your firewall from remote location.

8. After that you will Installation process going on. After Installation complete it ask to Reboot then press Enter.

9. After Reboot firewall you will see that CheckPoint Firewall has been Installed on VMware.

In this article you have seen that how to install CheckPoint GAIA Firewall R77 on Virtual Machine and Platform has been ready . Now on the Part-2 article you will see that How to Setup and configure from remote access.

1. Launch VMware on your PC where you have installed Checkpoint GAIA R77, then Click on your firewall name(Checkpoint Firewall). Then Click on Edit Virtual Machine Settings. 

2. Now you will have to configure VMware according to Topology. Then In the Hardware tab Click onNetwork Adapter then on the Right-Pane Select Bridge: Connected directly to the Physical Network. 

Network Adapter  –  eth0 – Management Interface ( See Topology). 

3. Now you will have to Add another 3 Network Adapter as per your Topology. Now Click on Addbutton then Select Network Adapter from Hardware type box then Click on Next. Then SelectCustom: Specific Virtual Network Radio button Select VMnet2 for Network Adapter 2. also you will have to add network adapter 3 and Network Adapter 4.

As per Topology Describe below

Network Adapter 2   – set to VMnet 2 -Firewall Interface eth1 – connected with Router 1

Network Adapter 3  – set to VMnet 8 – Firewall Interface eth2 – connected with Router 2

Network Adapter 4 –  set to VMnet 10 – Firewall Interface eth3 – connected with Router 3

Now Click on Apply and OK.

4. Now go to VMware the Click on Edit Menu and then Click on Virtual Network Editor…

5.  Now on the Virtual Network Editor windows , Click on Add Network… then click on Drop-down menu then select VMnet2 and then Click on OK. Again also add VMnet8 and VMnet10 which you have added in network Adapter. Then Click on Apply.

6. Now Click on VMnet0 then Select Bridged (Connect VMs directly to the external network)radio button. Then Click on Bridged to Drop-down menu then Select your Physical Interface from your PC to make bridge. 

Now Click on VMnet2, VMnet8 and VMnet10 then Select Host-only (Connect VMs internally in a privet network) radio button and also select only Connect a host adapter to this network. And Then Click on Apply and then OK. 

7. Now Assign the IP address to your Network Interface Card which you have make bridge in same range IP address which you have assign to Firewall management Interface.

In my case I have assign IP address to Management Interface eth0 is 172.173.40. Then my Physical Network adapter IP address will be 172.17.3.3.

8. Now Power on your CheckPoint Firewall from VMware wait until power on. Then go to your base machine browser on which VMware installed, then type https://172.17.3.40 then press Enter. Where 172.17.3.40 is your Firewall IP Address. 

Now it will show option Advance then Click on Advance and then Click on Proceed 172.17.3.40 (unsafe). Then you will get Login Screen of Checkpoint Firewall. Now you can Login with your User Name and Password which you have assign to your firewall.

Configure CheckPoint Firewall

2. Now on the Welcome screen of GAIA First Time Configuration Wizard, Then Click on Next.

3. Now configure Network Connection of eth0 (Management Interface), and then Click on Next.

4. Now type Host name of Checkpoint Firewall, then Domain name DNS Server or Proxy Server information according to your Network. then Click on Next.

5.  Now on the Next Screen Select your Time and set Time and date then Click on Next.

7. Now on the Installation type wizard, Select Security Gateway or Security Management radio button. Then Click on next.

8. As we know that we doing Standalone deployment. Now on Product wizard Select Security Gateway and Security Management check box to install both in same machine. then click on next.

9. Now on the Security Management Administrator Wizard, Put User name and password for your Security management. Then click on Next.

Note- This User name password is only for Security management and Smart Console.

10. Now on the Security Management GUI Clients wizard, Now give GUI access control to Client from smart Dashboard, Give any , Specific Machine, Network or Range of IP address. In my case Select any IP Address radio button. Then Click on Next.

11. Now Click on Finish button. Then you will see installation process going on wait until completion. After complete it will ask to reboot your firewall then click on Yes. Th

12. Now again follow Step -1, Access firewall from your browser with Management IP Address ( https://172.17.3.40). Then put User name and password then Login.

13. Now you have successfully Install and Configured Checkpoint Firewall Security Gateway. Now you are on Security Gateway Dashboard, to Download Smart Console Click on Download Now button.

14. Now Install downloaded Smart Console software on your PC, on then Select the GUI Tools which you want to Install and then Click on Next.

15. Now you will see Checkpoint Smart Console Successfully Install. Then Click on Start button and then Click on SmartDashboard R77 under CheckPoint SmartConsole.

16. Now you will get SmartDashboard Login screen, Put User ID and Password, and Security Gateway IP address then Click on Login Button. Then on next screen Click on Approve (if ask).

17. Now you have successfully Log in on Checkpoint Smart Dashboard. Where you can Create, Edit and Manage Policies, and Manage Security Gateway. Now you have successfully Install and configure CheckPoint Firewall on VMware.