Technical data

Introduction to VSX Clusters
Check Point VSX Administration Guide NGX R67 | 84
VSX Cluster Architecture
VSX IP address allocation is similar to physical networks. Both real and virtual IP addresses are required for
network connectivity (internal and external), management, and state synchronization.
VSX simplifies the IP address management task by automatically assigning IP addresses to Warp Links
between virtual devices. For example, Warp Links between a Virtual Router and its associated Virtual
Systems are created automatically and assigned IP addresses without user intervention.
A VSX cluster network contains the following components:
 Synchronization Network
 Internal Communications Network
 Virtual IP addresses
Synchronization Network
The synchronization network is a physical network that carries state synchronization data between cluster
members. You configure the synchronization network during the initial VSX cluster definition and can make
changes as necessary when adding or removing members.
State Synchronization can be used ClusterXL deployments as well as other OPSEC-certified VSX solutions.
The synchronization network must be configured using unique IP addresses that are not used anywhere
else in the enterprise network.
Internal Communication Network
The internal communication network is a virtual network that is required for Check Point ClusterXL
environments in addition to the synchronization network. The internal communication network is invisible to
external networks and enables cluster members to communicate and recognize the state of the
environment.
VSX assigns an IP address to the internal communication network is assigned during the cluster creation
process, eliminating the need to manually assign an IP addresses to each cluster member. The default IP
address range consists of four class C networks:
IP address: 192.168.196.0
Net mask: 255.255.252.0
You can modify the default IP address using Properties > Cluster members page of the VSX cluster
object, but only before creating Virtual Systems. Once Virtual Systems have been created, the IP range of
the internal communication network cannot be modified.
Note - To avoid overlapping IP addresses, before creating any Virtual
Devices, make sure the default IP address range of the Internal
Communication network is not used anywhere else in the external
network.
Virtual IP Addresses
Cluster (virtual) IP addresses are the only IP addresses visible to the external network. The assigned cluster
IP addresses must correspond to the directly-connected subnet and server as a valid next hop address.
These IP addresses are similar to virtual addresses configured across traditional cluster setups.