Software NGFW Credits
Table of Contents
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- VM-Series Deployments
- VM-Series in High Availability
- Enable Jumbo Frames on the VM-Series Firewall
- Hypervisor Assigned MAC Addresses
- Custom PAN-OS Metrics Published for Monitoring
- Interface Used for Accessing External Services on the VM-Series Firewall
- PacketMMAP and DPDK Driver Support
- Enable NUMA Performance Optimization on the VM-Series
- Enable ZRAM on the VM-Series Firewall
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- VM-Series Firewall Licensing
- Create a Support Account
- Serial Number and CPU ID Format for the VM-Series Firewall
- Use Panorama-Based Software Firewall License Management
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- Maximum Limits Based on Memory
- Activate Credits
- Create a Deployment Profile
- Manage a Deployment Profile
- Register the VM-Series Firewall (Software NGFW Credits)
- Provision Panorama
- Migrate Panorama to a Software NGFW License
- Transfer Credits
- Renew Your Software NGFW Credits
- Amend and Extend a Credit Pool
- Deactivate License (Software NGFW Credits)
- Delicense Ungracefully Terminated Firewalls
- Set the Number of Licensed vCPUs
- Create and Apply a Subscription-Only Auth Code
- Customize Dataplane Cores
- Migrate a Firewall to a Flexible VM-Series License
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- Generate Your OAuth Client Credentials
- Manage Deployment Profiles Using the Licensing API
- Create a Deployment Profile Using the Licensing API
- Update a Deployment Profile Using the Licensing API
- Get Serial Numbers Associated with an Authcode Using the API
- Deactivate a VM-Series Firewall Using the API
- What Happens When Licenses Expire?
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- Supported Deployments on VMware vSphere Hypervisor (ESXi)
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- Plan the Interfaces for the VM-Series for ESXi
- Provision the VM-Series Firewall on an ESXi Server
- Perform Initial Configuration on the VM-Series on ESXi
- Add Additional Disk Space to the VM-Series Firewall
- Use VMware Tools on the VM-Series Firewall on ESXi and vCloud Air
- Use vMotion to Move the VM-Series Firewall Between Hosts
- Use the VM-Series CLI to Swap the Management Interface on ESXi
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- Supported Deployments of the VM-Series Firewall on VMware NSX-T (North-South)
- Components of the VM-Series Firewall on NSX-T (North-South)
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- Install the Panorama Plugin for VMware NSX
- Enable Communication Between NSX-T Manager and Panorama
- Create Template Stacks and Device Groups on Panorama
- Configure the Service Definition on Panorama
- Deploy the VM-Series Firewall
- Direct Traffic to the VM-Series Firewall
- Apply Security Policy to the VM-Series Firewall on NSX-T
- Use vMotion to Move the VM-Series Firewall Between Hosts
- Extend Security Policy from NSX-V to NSX-T
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- Components of the VM-Series Firewall on NSX-T (East-West)
- VM-Series Firewall on NSX-T (East-West) Integration
- Supported Deployments of the VM-Series Firewall on VMware NSX-T (East-West)
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- Install the Panorama Plugin for VMware NSX
- Enable Communication Between NSX-T Manager and Panorama
- Create Template Stacks and Device Groups on Panorama
- Configure the Service Definition on Panorama
- Launch the VM-Series Firewall on NSX-T (East-West)
- Add a Service Chain
- Direct Traffic to the VM-Series Firewall
- Apply Security Policies to the VM-Series Firewall on NSX-T (East-West)
- Use vMotion to Move the VM-Series Firewall Between Hosts
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- Install the Panorama Plugin for VMware NSX
- Enable Communication Between NSX-T Manager and Panorama
- Create Template Stacks and Device Groups on Panorama
- Configure the Service Definition on Panorama
- Launch the VM-Series Firewall on NSX-T (East-West)
- Create Dynamic Address Groups
- Create Dynamic Address Group Membership Criteria
- Generate Steering Policy
- Generate Steering Rules
- Delete a Service Definition from Panorama
- Migrate from VM-Series on NSX-T Operation to Security Centric Deployment
- Extend Security Policy from NSX-V to NSX-T
- Use In-Place Migration to Move Your VM-Series from NSX-V to NSX-T
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- Deployments Supported on AWS
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- Planning Worksheet for the VM-Series in the AWS VPC
- Launch the VM-Series Firewall on AWS
- Launch the VM-Series Firewall on AWS Outpost
- Create a Custom Amazon Machine Image (AMI)
- Encrypt EBS Volume for the VM-Series Firewall on AWS
- Use the VM-Series Firewall CLI to Swap the Management Interface
- Enable CloudWatch Monitoring on the VM-Series Firewall
- VM-Series Firewall Startup and Health Logs on AWS
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- Use Case: Secure the EC2 Instances in the AWS Cloud
- Use Case: Use Dynamic Address Groups to Secure New EC2 Instances within the VPC
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- What Components Does the VM-Series Auto Scaling Template for AWS (v2.0) Leverage?
- How Does the VM-Series Auto Scaling Template for AWS (v2.0 and v2.1) Enable Dynamic Scaling?
- Plan the VM-Series Auto Scaling Template for AWS (v2.0 and v2.1)
- Customize the Firewall Template Before Launch (v2.0 and v2.1)
- Launch the VM-Series Auto Scaling Template for AWS (v2.0)
- SQS Messaging Between the Application Template and Firewall Template
- Stack Update with VM-Series Auto Scaling Template for AWS (v2.0)
- Modify Administrative Account and Update Stack (v2.0)
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- Launch the Firewall Template (v2.1)
- Launch the Application Template (v2.1)
- Create a Custom Amazon Machine Image (v2.1)
- VM-Series Auto Scaling Template Cleanup (v2.1)
- SQS Messaging Between the Application Template and Firewall Template (v2.1)
- Stack Update with VM-Series Auto Scaling Template for AWS (v2.1)
- Modify Administrative Account (v2.1)
- Change Scaling Parameters and CloudWatch Metrics (v2.1)
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- Intelligent Traffic Offload
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- Deployments Supported on Azure
- Deploy the VM-Series Firewall from the Azure Marketplace (Solution Template)
- Deploy the VM-Series Firewall from the Azure China Marketplace (Solution Template)
- Deploy the VM-Series with the Azure Gateway Load Balancer
- Create a Custom VM-Series Image for Azure
- Deploy the VM-Series Firewall on Azure Stack
- Deploy the VM-Series Firewall on Azure Stack HCI
- Enable Azure Application Insights on the VM-Series Firewall
- Set up Active/Passive HA on Azure
- Use the ARM Template to Deploy the VM-Series Firewall
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- About the VM-Series Firewall on Google Cloud Platform
- Supported Deployments on Google Cloud Platform
- Prepare to Set Up VM-Series Firewalls on Google Public Cloud
- Create a Custom VM-Series Firewall Image for Google Cloud Platform
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- Deploy the VM-Series Firewall from Google Cloud Platform Marketplace
- Management Interface Swap for Google Cloud Platform Load Balancing
- Use the VM-Series Firewall CLI to Swap the Management Interface
- Enable Google Stackdriver Monitoring on the VM Series Firewall
- Enable VM Monitoring to Track VM Changes on Google Cloud Platform (GCP)
- Use Dynamic Address Groups to Secure Instances Within the VPC
- Use Custom Templates or the gcloud CLI to Deploy the VM-Series Firewall
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- Prepare Your ACI Environment for Integration
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- Create a Virtual Router and Security Zone
- Configure the Network Interfaces
- Configure a Static Default Route
- Create Address Objects for the EPGs
- Create Security Policy Rules
- Create a VLAN Pool and Domain
- Configure an Interface Policy for LLDP and LACP for East-West Traffic
- Establish the Connection Between the Firewall and ACI Fabric
- Create a VRF and Bridge Domain
- Create an L4-L7 Device
- Create a Policy-Based Redirect
- Create and Apply a Service Graph Template
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- Create a VLAN Pool and External Routed Domain
- Configure an Interface Policy for LLDP and LACP for North-South Traffic
- Create an External Routed Network
- Configure Subnets to Advertise to the External Firewall
- Create an Outbound Contract
- Create an Inbound Web Contract
- Apply Outbound and Inbound Contracts to the EPGs
- Create a Virtual Router and Security Zone for North-South Traffic
- Configure the Network Interfaces
- Configure Route Redistribution and OSPF
- Configure NAT for External Connections
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- Choose a Bootstrap Method
- VM-Series Firewall Bootstrap Workflow
- Bootstrap Package
- Bootstrap Configuration Files
- Generate the VM Auth Key on Panorama
- Create the bootstrap.xml File
- Prepare the Licenses for Bootstrapping
- Prepare the Bootstrap Package
- Bootstrap the VM-Series Firewall on AWS
- Bootstrap the VM-Series Firewall on Azure
- Bootstrap the VM-Series Firewall on Azure Stack HCI
- Bootstrap the VM-Series Firewall on Google Cloud Platform
- Bootstrap the VM-Series Firewall on OCI
- Verify Bootstrap Completion
- Bootstrap Errors
Software NGFW Credits
Learn about Software NGFW credits, and the licenses they
fund.
Software NGFW credits can be used to fund Software NGFWs
(VM-Series and CN-Series), Cloud-Delivered Security Services (CDSS),
or virtual Panorama appliances in networks with or without internet
access (air-gapped networks, for example).
Use Software NGFW Credit Estimator to
calculate the number of credits required for your deployment. The
Credit Estimator allows you estimate the credits required to license
the firewalls and enable the security services needed to secure
your deployment.
You create a deployment profile to configure one or more firewalls
based on PAN-OS version, the number of vCPUs per firewall, the total number
of firewalls supported by the deployment profile, Panorama management
or log collection, and security services. All the VMs created with
a deployment profile share the same authcode.
- Fixed vCPUs—Compatible with all PAN-OS versions. Based on VM-Series Models and security service bundles. Changing the model or service options requires a new license.
- Flexible vCPUs—Available on PAN-OS 10.0.4 and later. Select a flexible number of vCPUs, and a flexible selection of security services. You can modify the deployment profile to add or decrease the number of vCPUs, add new services as they become available, or remove services. The maximum number of vCPUs for a deployment profile is 32.
Software NGFW credits are term-based. Terms can be defined for
any amount of time between 1 and 5 years. Both allocated and unallocated credits
expire at the end of the agreed upon term. You can purchase additional
credits for a credit pool but the expiration date must be the same
as the target pool.
If you have an internet connection to the license server and
you stop using a firewall, a security service, or Panorama deployment,
the credits allocated to that resource are refunded to the credit
pool and can be reallocated to a new resource.
If you do not have an internet connection and cannot connect
to the Palo Alto Networks update server (for example, you are in
an air-gapped network) you can manage the VM-Series firewall locally
from its user interface, or from Panorama. Your administrator must
then log in to the Customer Support Portal to return the license
token so the funds can be reused.
Use the Supported Hypervisor table below and the Total
vCPUs on Dataplane tables that follow to ensure that you allocate
the necessary hardware resources for your chosen number of vCPUs.
Memory Profile | Supported Hypervisors | Minimum Hard Drive |
|---|---|---|
4.5GB, 5.5GB | ESXi, Hyper-V, KVM | 32GB (60GB at boot) |
6.5GB | AWS, Azure, ESXi, Google Cloud Platform,
Hyper-V, KVM, OCI, Alibaba Cloud, Cisco ACI, Cisco CSP, Cisco ENCS,
NSX-T | 60GB |
9GB | AWS, Azure, ESXi, Google Cloud Platform,
Hyper-V, KVM, OCI, Alibaba Cloud, Cisco ACI, Cisco CSP, Cisco ENCS,
NSX-T | 60GB |
16GB | AWS, Azure, ESXi, Google Cloud Platform,
Hyper-V, KVM, OCI, Alibaba Cloud, Cisco ACI, Cisco CSP, NSX-T | 60GB |
56GB | AWS, Azure, ESXi, Google Cloud Platform,
Hyper-V, KVM, OCI, Alibaba Cloud, Cisco ACI, Cisco CSP, NSX-T | 60GB |
For all memory profiles listed above, the minimum vCPUs is 2.
You can enable Lite mode if you choose 4.5GB. Lite mode is an alternative operating
mode for environments where resources are limited. See VM-50 Lite Mode for more information.
Lite mode requires minimum 32GB of hard drive space. However,
because the VM-Series base image is common for all vCPU combinations,
you must allocate 60GB of hard drive space until you license a VM-Series
firewall with 4.5GB memory.
To achieve the best performance, all of the required cores
should be available on a single CPU socket.
The distribution of vCPUs assigned to the management plane and
the dataplane differs depending on the total number of vCPUs assigned to
the VM-Series firewall. Refer to the following tables (1-16 vCPUs
and 17-32 vCPUs) to find out the number of dataplane vCPUs automatically
allocated for a particular combination of memory profile and total
vCPUs. For example, with a memory profile of 16GB and a total of 15
vCPUs, 11 are assigned to the dataplane and the remaining 4 are
assigned to the management plane.
| Memory Profile | Total vCPUs on Dataplane (1-16) | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | |
4.5GB | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 5.5GB | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
6.5GB | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| 9GB | 1 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
16GB | 1 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 |
56GB | 1 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 |
Memory Profile | Total vCPUs on Dataplane (17-32) | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | |
4.5GB | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 5.5GB | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
6.5GB | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| 9GB | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
16GB | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 |
56GB | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 |
Continue to Software NGFW tasks:
- Activate Credits
- Create a Deployment Profile
- Manage a Deployment Profile
- Register the VM-Series Firewall (Software NGFW Credits)
- Provision Panorama
- Migrate Panorama to a Software NGFW License
- Transfer Credits
- Renew Your Software NGFW Credits
- Amend and Extend a Credit Pool
- Deactivate License (Software NGFW Credits)
- Delicense Ungracefully Terminated Firewalls
- Set the Number of Licensed vCPUs
- Create and Apply a Subscription-Only Auth Code
- Customize Dataplane Cores
- Migrate a Firewall to a Flexible VM-Series License
- Software NGFW Licensing API