Configuring Multi-Instances; Adding An Instance - SonicWALL SonicOSX 7 Getting Started Manual

Configuring Multi-Instances

After you have MI (Multi-Instances) enabled in the RI (Root Instance), then we can configure and launch the
multiple instances. Each instance is an independent virtual firewall with its own routing table, policy
configuration, licenses and security services. Licenses of Multi-instances are inherited from the Root
Instance. Say you are using Deep Packet Inspection (DPI) and the root instance had acquired a DPI license
before adding the Multi-Instance, then the Multi-Instance does not need further operations, it already has
this license. When adding the Multi-Instance first, the root instance acquires the DPI license, and then the
Multi-Instance must be manually synchronized with the DPI license to the Root Instance by clicking Sync on
the License screen. Each instance can be configured with the required number of cores based on the use
case. Currently, we support up to eight Data Path (DP) cores maximum for each virtual firewall and two
(Control Path) CP cores per virtual firewall. Each instance virtual firewall is accessed through its DHCP-
enabled X1 WAN interface. The instance user interface is accessed by way of X0 as well, when an instance's
X0 mapping is setup with an accessible static IP, gateway, subnet, is accessible to the RI front panel port,
and VLAN mapping is properly set.
Each instance virtual firewall can be accessed through its DHCP-enabled X1 WAN interface or Static X1
WAN interface.
The following figure shows the multi-instance screen with five instances added.
The Root Instance (RI) serves as the console through which all the instances are deployed. RI allows the
user to add instances, start the service, stop the service and delete the instance. Each instance added
through the Add Instance dialog is stored in the RI. This allows the user to add as many instances as
possible, however, there is a limit on the number of instances that are launched because of CPU core and
license availability.

Adding an Instance

In order to add an instance, click Multi-Instance | Instances, and then click +Add. A dialog box pops-up.
There is a limit on the number of instances that can be launched because of CPU core availability and total
Instance Licenses available in the system.
Before completing this step, upload the Instance Firmware from the Multi-Instance > Firmware page. A
typical Multi-Instance setup work flow is:
SonicOSX 7 Getting Started Guide for the NSsp Series 19
Configuring Multiple Instances