Set Up The Panorama Virtual Appliance as a Log Collector

1. Set up the Panorama virtual appliance management server that will manage the Log Collector if you have not already done so.

   Perform one of the following tasks:

   • Set Up the Panorama Virtual Appliance
   • Set Up the M-Series Appliance
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. Record the management IP addresses of the Panorama management server.

   If you deployed Panorama in a high availability (HA) configuration, you need the IP address of each HA peer.

   1. Log in to the web interface of the Panorama management server.
   2. Record the IP Address of the solitary (non-HA) or active (HA) Panorama by selecting PanoramaSetupManagement and checking the Management Interface Settings.
   3. For an HA deployment, record the Peer HA IP Address of the passive Panorama by selecting PanoramaHigh Availability and checking the Setup section.
4. Set up the Panorama virtual appliance that will serve as a Dedicated Log Collector.

   If you previously deployed this appliance as a Panorama management server, you can skip this step because the MGT interface is already configured and the licenses and updates are already installed.

   The Panorama virtual appliance in Log Collector mode does not have a web interface for configuration tasks, only a CLI. Therefore, before changing the mode on the Panorama virtual appliance, use the web interface in Panorama mode to:

   1. Set up the Panorama virtual appliance in one of the following supported hypervisors:

      • Install Panorama on an ESXi Server
      • Install Panorama on Alibaba Cloud
      • Install Panorama on AWS
      • Install Panorama on AWS GovCloud
      • Install Panorama on Azure
      • Install Panorama on Google Cloud Platform
      • Install Panorama on Hyper-V
      • Set Up Panorama on Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI)
   2. Perform Initial Configuration of the Panorama Virtual Appliance.
   3. Register Panorama and Install Licenses.
   4. Install Content and Software Updates for Panorama.
5. (Panorama on Azure only) Modify the admin password.

   The Dedicated Log Collector supports only the admin Administrator user in order to change in to Log Collector mode. Modify the admin password to allow you to log in using the admin Administrator user.

   1. Log in to the Panorama Web Interface.
   2. Select PanoramaAdministrators and select admin.
   3. Enter the Password, Confirm Password and click OK.
   4. Select CommitCommit to Panorama and Commit your changes.
6. (Panorama on AWS and Azure only) Delete all users, except for the admin user.

   1. Log in to the Panorama Web Interface as admin.
   2. Select PanoramaAdministrators.
   3. Select the existing Administrators, except admin, and Delete.
   4. Select CommitCommit to Panorama and Commit your changes.
7. Log in to the Panorama CLI.
8. Switch from Panorama mode to Log Collector mode.

   1. Switch to Log Collector mode by entering the following command:

      > request system system-mode logger 

   2. Enter Y to confirm the mode change. The virtual appliance reboots. If the reboot process terminates your terminal emulation software session, reconnect to the virtual appliance 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.
   3. Log back in to the CLI.
   4. 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

9. Enable connectivity between the Log Collector and Panorama management server.

   Enter the following commands at the Log Collector CLI, where <IPaddress1> is for the MGT interface of the solitary (non-HA) or active (HA) Panorama and <IPaddress2> is for the MGT interface of the passive (HA) Panorama, if applicable.

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

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

    admin> request authkey set <auth-key>

11. Record the serial number of the Log Collector.

    You need the serial number to add the Log Collector as a managed collector on the Panorama management server.

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

       > show system info | match serial 

    2. Record the serial number.
12. Add the Log Collector as a managed collector to the Panorama management server.

    1. Select PanoramaManaged Collectors and Add a managed collector.
    2. In the General settings, enter the serial number (Collector S/N) you recorded for the Log Collector.
    3. In the Panorama Server IP field, enter the IP address or FQDN of the solitary (non-HA) or active (HA) Panorama. For HA deployments, enter the IP address or FQDN of the passive Panorama peer in the Panorama Server IP 2 field.

       These IP addresses must specify a Panorama interface that has Device Management and Device Log Collection services enabled. By default, these services are enabled only on the MGT interface. However, you might have enabled the services on other interfaces when you Set Up the M-Series Appliance that is a Panorama management server.
    4. Select Interfaces, click Management, and enter the Public IP Addressof the Dedicated Log Collector.
    5. Click OK twice to save your changes to the Log Collector.
    6. Select CommitCommit to Panorama and Commit your changes to the Panorama configuration.
    7. Verify that PanoramaManaged Collectors 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.
13. Enable the logging disks.

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

    If you previously deployed the Log Collector as a Panorama management server and configured these interfaces, you must reconfigure them because switching to Log Collector mode would have deleted all configurations except the management access settings.

    1. Configure each interface on the Panorama management server (other than the MGT interface) if you haven’t already:

       1. Select PanoramaSetupInterfaces and click the Interface Name.
       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:
          • For ESXi
            • IPv4—Public IP Address, IP Address, Netmask, and Default Gateway
              IPv6—IPv6 Address/Prefix Length and Default IPv6 Gateway
          • For Alibaba Cloud, AWS, Azure, GCP, and OCI
            • Public IP address
       4. Select the Device Management Services that the interface supports:
          Device Management and Device Log Collection—You can assign one or more interfaces.
          Collector Group Communication—You can assign only one interface.
          Device Deployment (software and content updates)—You can assign only one interface.
       5. Click OK to save your changes.
    2. Configure each interface on the Log Collector (other than the MGT interface):

       1. Select PanoramaManaged Collectors and edit the Log Collector.
       2. Select Interfaces and click the name of the interface.
       3. Select <interface-name> to enable the interface.
       4. Complete one or both of the following field sets based on the IP protocols of your network:
          • For ESXi
            • IPv4—Public IP Address, IP Address, Netmask, and Default Gateway
              IPv6—IPv6 Address/Prefix Length and Default IPv6 Gateway
          • For Alibaba Cloud, AWS, Azure, GCP, and OCI
            • Public IP address
       5. 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.
       6. 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.
15. (Optional) If your deployment is using custom certificates for authentication between Panorama and managed devices, deploy the custom client device certificate. For more information, see Set Up Authentication Using Custom Certificates.

    1. Select PanoramaCertificate ManagementCertificate Profile and choose the certificate profile from the drop-down or click New Certificate Profile to create one.
    2. Select PanoramaManaged CollectorsAddCommunication for a Log Collector.
    3. Select the Secure Client Communication check box.
    4. Select the type of device certificate the Type drop-down.

       • If you are using a local device certificate, select the Certificate and Certificate Profile from the respective drop-downs.
       • If you are using SCEP as the device certificate, select the SCEP Profile and Certificate Profile from the respective drop-downs.
    5. Click OK.
16. (Optional) Configure Secure Server Communication Sn a Log Collector. For more information, see Set Up Authentication Using Custom Certificates.

    1. Select PanoramaManaged CollectorsAddCommunication.
    2. Verify that the Custom Certificate Only check box is not selected. This allows you to continue managing all devices while migrating to custom certificates.

       When the Custom Certificate Only check box is selected, the Log Collector does not authenticate and cannot receive logs from devices using predefined certificates.
    3. Select the SSL/TLS service profile from the SSL/TLS Service Profile drop-down. This SSL/TLS service profile applies to all SSL connections between the Log Collector and devices sending it logs.
    4. Select the certificate profile from the Certificate Profile drop-down.
    5. Select Authorize Client Based on Serial Number to have the server check clients against the serial numbers of managed devices. The client certificate must have the special keyword $UDID set as the CN to authorize based on serial numbers.
    6. In Disconnect Wait Time (min), enter the number of minutes Panorama should wait before breaking and reestablishing the connection with its managed devices. This field is blank by default and the range is 0 to 44,640 minutes.

       The disconnect wait time does not begin counting down until you commit the new configuration.
    7. (Optional) Configure an authorization list.

       1. Click Add under Authorization List.
       2. Select the Subject or Subject Alt Name as the Identifier type.
       3. Enter an identifier of the selected type.
       4. Click OK.
       5. Select Check Authorization List to enforce the authorization list.
    8. Click OK.
    9. Select CommitCommit to Panorama.
17. Assign the Log Collector to a Collector Group.

    1. Configure a Collector Group. You must perform a Panorama commit and then a Collector Group commit to synchronize the Log Collector configuration with Panorama and to put the Eth1, Eth2, Eth3, Eth4, and Eth5 interfaces (if you configured them) in an operational state on the Log Collector.

       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.

       As a 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.
    2. 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.
    3. Access the Log Collector CLI and enter the following command to verify that its interfaces are operational:

       > show interface all

       The output displays the state as up for each interface that is operational.
    4. If the Collector Group has multiple Log Collectors, Troubleshoot Connectivity to Network Resources to verify they can communicate with each other by performing a Ping connectivity test for each interface that the Log Collectors use. For the source IP address, specify the interface of one of the Log Collectors. For the host IP address, specify the matching interface of another Log Collector in the same Collector Group.
18. Next steps...

    To enable the Log Collector to receive firewall logs:

    1. Configure Log Forwarding to Panorama.
    2. Verify Log Forwarding to Panorama.