Configure a Template or Template Stack Variable
How to create a variable in a template or template stack
and push it to firewalls and appliances.
To enable you to more easily reuse templates
or template stacks, you can use template and template stack variables
to replace IP addresses, Group IDs, and interfaces in your configurations.
Template variables are defined at either the template or template
stack level and you can use variables to replace IP addresses, IP
ranges, FQDN, interfaces in IKE, VPN and HA configurations, and
group IDs. If multiple templates in the template stack use different
variables for the same configuration object, the variable value
inherited by the template stack is based on the order of inheritance
described in Templates
and Template Stacks. Additionally, you can override a template
value using a template stack variable to manage a configuration object
from the template stack.
Variables allow you to reduce the
total number of templates and template stacks you need to manage,
while allowing you to keep any firewall- or appliance-specific values.
For example, if you have a template stack with a base configuration,
you can use variables to create values that do not apply to all
firewalls in the template or template stack. This allows you to
manage and push configurations from fewer templates and template
stacks while accounting for any firewall- or appliance specific
values that you would otherwise need before you can create a new
template or template stack.
To create a template or template
stack variable:
- Create a template and template stack.
- Select andManage(Variables column) the template or template stack for which you want to create a variable.
- Addthe new variable.A variable name must start with the dollar ( $ ) symbol.
- Name the new variable. In this example, the variables are named$DNS-primaryand$DNS-secondary.
- Select the variableTypeand enter the corresponding value for the selected variable type.For this example, selectIP Netmask.
- (Optional) Enter a description for the variable.
- ClickOKandClose
Variables can also be created inline where variables are supported.
- From theTemplatedrop-down, select the template or template stack to which the variable belongs.
- Enter the variable in the appropriate location.For this example, reference the previously defined DNS value.
- Select and edit Services.
- Type$DNS-primaryor select it from the drop-down forPrimary DNS Server.
- Type$DNS-secondaryor select it from the drop-down forSecondary DNS Server.
- ClickOK.
- ClickCommitandCommit and Pushyour changes to managed firewalls.When you push a device group configuration with references to template or template stack variables, you mustEdit SelectionsandInclude Device and Network Templates.
- Verify that the values for all variables were pushed to the managed devices.
- From theContextdrop-down, select a firewall that belongs to the template stack for which the variable was created.
- Select .
- Settings with values defined by a template or template stack are indicated by a template symbol (
). Hover over
the indicator to view to which template or template stack the variable
definition belongs. When viewing from the firewall context, the
variables display as the IP address you configured for the variable.
- Troubleshoot Connectivity to Network Resources to verify your firewalls can access your network resources.
