Deploy Panorama with Dedicated Log Collectors

The following figures illustrate Panorama in a distributed log collection deployment. In these examples, the Panorama management server comprises two M-Series or Panorama virtual appliances in Panorama mode that are deployed in an active/passive high availability (HA) configuration. The firewalls send logs to Dedicated Log Collectors (M-Series or Panorama virtual appliances in Log Collector mode). This is the recommended configuration if the firewalls generate over 10,000 logs/second.

If you will assign more than one Log Collector to a Collector Group, see Caveats for a Collector Group with Multiple Log Collectors to understand the requirements, risks, and recommended mitigations.

Perform the following steps to deploy Panorama with Dedicated Log Collectors. Skip any steps you have already performed (for example, the initial setup).

1. Perform the initial setup of the Panorama management server (virtual appliances or M-Series appliances) and the Dedicated Log Collectors.

   For each M-Series appliance:

   1. Rack mount the M-Series appliance. Refer to the M-Series Hardware Reference Guide for instructions.
   2. Perform Initial Configuration of the M-Series Appliance.

      Palo Alto Networks recommends reserving the management (MGT) interface for administrative access to Panorama and dedicating separate M-Series Appliance Interfaces to other Panorama services.
   3. Configure each array. This task is required to make the RAID disks available for logging. Optionally, you can add disks to Increase Storage on the M-Series Appliance.
   4. Register Panorama and Install Licenses.
   5. Install Content and Software Updates for Panorama.

   For each virtual appliance (if any):

   1. Install the Panorama Virtual Appliance.
   2. Perform Initial Configuration of the Panorama Virtual Appliance.
   3. Register Panorama and Install Licenses.
   4. Install Content and Software Updates for Panorama.

   For the Panorama management server (virtual appliance or M-Series appliance), you must also Set Up HA on Panorama.
2. On the Panorama management server, create a device registration authentication key to securely add the Dedicated Log Collector to Panorama management.

   1. Log in to the Panorama Web Interface.
   2. Select PanoramaDevice Registration Auth Key and Add a new authentication key.
   3. Configure the authentication key.

      • Name—Add a descriptive name for the authentication key.
      • Lifetime—Specify the key lifetime for how long you can use the authentication key to onboard new Log Collectors.
      • Count—Specify how many times you can use the authentication key to onboard new Log Collectors.
      • Device Type—Specify that this authentication key is used to authenticate only a Log Collector.
        You can select Any to use the device registration authentication key to onboard firewalls, Log Collectors, and WildFire appliances.
      • (Optional) Devices—Enter one or more device serial numbers to specify for which Log Collectors the authentication key is valid.
   4. Click OK.

   5. Copy Auth Key and Close.

3. Switch from Panorama mode to Log Collector mode on each Panorama management server that will be a Dedicated Log Collector.

   Switching the mode of an M-Series or Panorama virtual appliance deletes any existing log data and deletes all configurations except the management access settings. After the switch, the M-Series or Panorama virtual appliance retains CLI access but loses web interface access.

   1. Connect to Panorama in one of the following ways:

      • (M-Series appliances only) Attach a serial cable from your computer to the Console port on the M-Series appliance. Then use terminal emulation software (9600-8-N-1) to connect.
      • Use terminal emulation software such as PuTTY to open an SSH session to the IP address that you specified for the MGT interface of the Panorama management server during initial configuration.
   2. Log in to the CLI when prompted. Use the default admin account and the password that you specified during initial configuration.
   3. Switch to Log Collector mode by entering the following command:

      > request system system-mode logger 

   4. Enter Y to confirm the mode change. The Panorama management server reboots. If the reboot process terminates your terminal emulation software session, reconnect to Panorama to see the Panorama login prompt.

      If you see a CMS Login prompt, this means the Log Collector has not finished rebooting. Press Enter at the prompt without typing a username or password.
   5. Log back in to the CLI.
   6. Verify that the switch to Log Collector mode succeeded:

      > show system info | match system-mode 

      If the mode change succeeded, the output displays:

      system-mode: logger

4. From the Dedicated Log Collector CLI, reset the secure connection state.

   1. Reset the secure connection state.

      This command resets the managed device connection and is irreversible.

      admin> request sc3 reset

   2. Restart the management server on the managed device.

      admin> debug software restart process management-server

5. Add the device registration authentication key to the Dedicated Log Collector.

   admin> request authkey set <auth-key>

6. Enable connectivity between each Log Collector and the Panorama management server.

   This step is required before you can enable logging disks on the Log Collectors.

   Enter the following commands at the CLI of each Log Collector. <IPaddress1> is for the MGT interface of the active Panorama and <IPaddress2> is for the MGT interface of the passive Panorama.

   > configure  
   # set deviceconfig system panorama-server <IPaddress1> panorama-server-2 <IPaddress2>  
   # commit  
   # exit  

7. Record the serial number of each Log Collector.

   You need the serial numbers to add the Log Collectors as managed collectors on the Panorama management server.

   1. At the CLI of each Log Collector, enter the following command to display its serial number.

      > show system info | match serial 

   2. Record the serial number.
8. Add each Log Collector as a managed collector.

   Use the web interface of the primary Panorama management server peer to Configure a Managed Collector:

   1. Select PanoramaManaged Collectors and Add the managed collector.
   2. In the General tab, enter the serial number (Collector S/N) you recorded for the Log Collector.
   3. Enter the IP address or FQDN of the active and passive Panorama HA peers in the Panorama Server IP field and Panorama Server IP 2 field respectively. These fields are required.
   4. Select Interfaces, click Management, and configure one or both of the following field sets for the MGT interface based on the IP protocols of your network.

      If you configure a Public IP Address for the interface, Log Collectors in the Collector Group always use the public IP address for communication within the Collector Group. To ensure Log Collectors in a Collector use the private IP address to communicate, do not configure a public IP address.

      • IPv4—IP Address, Netmask, and Default Gateway
      • IPv6—IPv6 Address/Prefix Length and Default IPv6 Gateway
   5. (Optional) Select SNMP if you will use an SNMP manager to monitor Log Collector statistics.

      Using SNMP requires additional steps besides configuring the Log Collector (see Monitor Panorama and Log Collector Statistics Using SNMP).
   6. Click OK to save your changes.
   7. Select CommitCommit to Panorama and Commit your changes.

      This step is required before you can enable logging disks on the Log Collectors.
   8. Verify that the PanoramaManaged Collectors page lists the Log Collector you added. The Connected column displays a check mark to indicate that the Log Collector is connected to Panorama. You might have to wait a few minutes before the page displays the updated connection status.

      At this point, the Configuration Status column displays Out of Sync and the Run Time Status column displays disconnected. The status will change to In Sync and connected after you configure a Collector Group (Step 9).
9. Enable the logging disks on each Log Collector.

   Use the web interface of the primary Panorama management server peer to perform these steps:

   1. Select PanoramaManaged Collectors and edit the Log Collector.
   2. Select Disks, Add each disk pair, and click OK.
   3. Select CommitCommit to Panorama and Commit your changes.
10. (Recommended) Configure the Ethernet1, Ethernet2, Ethernet3, Ethernet4, and Ethernet5 interfaces if the Log Collector will use them for Device Log Collection (receiving logs from firewalls) and Collector Group Communication.

    By default, the Log Collector uses the MGT interface for log collection and Collector Group communication. Assigning other interfaces to these functions enables you to reserve the MGT interface for management traffic. In an environment with heavy log traffic, consider using the 10Gbps interfaces (Ethernet4 and Ethernet5) on the M-500 appliance for log collection and Collector Group communication. To load balance the logging traffic across interfaces, you can enable Device Log Collection on multiple interfaces.

    Use the web interface of the primary Panorama management server peer to perform these steps for each Log Collector:

    1. Select PanoramaManaged Collectors, edit the Log Collector, and select Interfaces.
    2. Perform the following steps for each interface:

       1. Click the name of the interface to edit it.
       2. Select <interface-name> to enable the interface.
       3. Complete one or both of the following field sets based on the IP protocols of your network:
          IPv4—IP Address, Netmask, and Default Gateway
          IPv6—IPv6 Address/Prefix Length and Default IPv6 Gateway
       4. Select the Device Management Services that the interface supports:
          Device Log Collection—You can assign one or more interfaces.
          Collector Group Communication—You can assign only one interface.
       5. Click OK to save your changes to the interface.
    3. Click OK to save your changes to the Log Collector.
    4. Select CommitCommit to Panorama and Commit your changes to the Panorama configuration.
11. Add a Firewall as a Managed Device.

    Use the web interface of the primary Panorama management server peer to perform this task for each firewall that will forward logs to Log Collectors.
12. Configure the Collector Group.

    If each Collector Group will have one Log Collector, repeat this step for each Collector Group before continuing.

    If you will assign all the Log Collectors to one Collector Group, perform this step only once.

    Use the web interface of the primary Panorama management server peer to Configure a Collector Group:

    1. Select PanoramaCollector Groups and Add the Collector Group.
    2. Enter a Name to identify the Collector Group.
    3. Add one or more Log Collectors to the Collector Group Members list.

       In any single Collector Group, all the Log Collectors must run on the same Panorama model: all M-600 appliances, all M-500 appliances, all M-200 appliances, or all Panorama virtual appliances.
    4. (Best Practice) Enable log redundancy across collectors if you add multiple Log Collectors to a single Collector group. This option requires each Log Collector to have the same number of logging disks.
    5. (Optional) Select Monitoring and configure the settings if you will use SNMP to monitor Log Collector statistics and traps.
    6. Select Device Log Forwarding and configure the Log Forwarding Preferences list. This list defines which firewalls forward logs to which Log Collectors. Assign firewalls according to the number of Log Collectors in this Collector Group:

       • Single—Assign the firewalls that will forward logs to that Log Collector, as illustrated in Single Dedicated Log Collector Per Collector Group.
       • Multiple—Assign each firewall to both Log Collectors for redundancy. When you configure the preferences, make Log Collector 1 the first priority for half the firewalls and make Log Collector 2 the first priority for the other half, as illustrated in Multiple Dedicated Log Collectors Per Collector Group.
    7. Click OK to save your changes to the Collector Group.
    8. Select CommitCommit and Push and then Commit and Push your changes to Panorama and to the Collector Groups you added.
    9. Select PanoramaManaged Collectors to verify that the Log Collector configuration is synchronized with Panorama.

       The Configuration Status column should display In Sync and the Run Time Status column should display connected.
13. Configure log forwarding from firewalls to Panorama.

    Use the web interface of the primary Panorama management server peer to:

    1. Configure Log Forwarding to Panorama.
    2. Verify Log Forwarding to Panorama.
    3. (Optional) Configure Log Forwarding from Panorama to External Destinations.