Panorama™ uses device groups and templates to group firewalls into logical sets that require similar configuration. You use device groups and templates to centrally manage all configuration elements, policies, and objects on the managed firewalls. Panorama also enables you to centrally manage licenses, software (PAN-OS® software, SSL-VPN client software, GlobalProtect™ agent/app software), and content updates (Applications, Threats, WildFire®, and Antivirus). All device group, template, and template stack configuration objects are required to have a unique name.

In the event an unforeseen restart of your managed firewall or Panorama occurs, all uncommitted configuration changes in your device groups and templates are preserved locally until you successfully commit the changes. A restart can be the restart of the firewall or Panorama or of a PAN-OS management process related to configuration management. For firewalls or Panorama in a high availability (HA) configuration, the uncommitted configuration changes do not automatically sync across the HA peers in the event of an unforeseen restart.