FortiGate VM Initial Configuration

FortiGate VM Initial Configuration

Before you can connect to the FortiGate VM web-based manager you must configure a network interface in the FortiGate VM console. Once an interface with administrative access is configured, you can connect to the FortiGate VM web-based Manager and upload the FortiGate VM license file that you downloaded from the Customer Service & Support website.

The following topics are included in this section: Set FortiGate VM port1 IP address

  • Connect to the FortiGate VM Web-based Manager
  • Upload the FortiGate VM license file
  • Validate the FortiGate VM license with FortiManager
  • Configure your FortiGate VM

 

Set FortiGate VM port1 IP address

Hypervisor management environments include a guest console window. On the FortiGate VM, this provides access to the FortiGate console, equivalent to the console port on a hardware FortiGate unit. Before you can access the Web-based manager, you must configure FortiGate VM port1 with an IP address and administrative access.

 

To configure the port1 IP address:

1. In your hypervisor manager, start the FortiGate VM and access the console window.

You might need to press Return to see a login prompt.

 

Example of FortiGate VM console access:

2. At the FortiGate VM login prompt enter the username admin. By default there is no password. Just press Return.

3. Using CLI commands, configure the port1 IP address and netmask. Also, HTTP access must be enabled because until it is licensed the FortiGate VM supports only low-strength encryption. HTTPS access will not work.

For example:

config system interface edit port1

set ip 192.168.0.100 255.255.255.0 append allowaccess http

end

You can also use the append allowaccess CLI command to enable other access protocols, such as auto-ipsec, http, probe-response, radius-acct, snmp, and telnet. The ping, https, ssh, and fgfm protocols are enabled on the port1 interface by default.

4. To configure the default gateway, enter the following CLI commands:

config router static edit 1

set device port1

end

set gateway <class_ip>

 

You must configure the default gateway with an IPv4 address. FortiGate VM needs to access the Internet to contact the FortiGuard Distribution Network (FDN) to validate its license.

5. To configure your DNS servers, enter the following CLI commands:

config system dns

set primary <Primary DNS server>

set secondary <Secondary DNS server>

end

The default DNS servers are 208.91.112.53 and 208.91.112.52.

6. To upload the FortiGate VM license from an FTP or TFTP server, use the following CLI command:

execute restore vmlicense {ftp | tftp} <VM license file name> <Server IP or FQDN> [:server port]

 

You can also upload the license in the FortiGate VM Web-based Manager. See Set FortiGate VM port1 IP address on page 2728.

 

Webbased Manager and Evaluation License dialog box

 

Connect to the FortiGate VM Web-based Manager

When you have configured the port1 IP address and netmask, launch a web browser and enter the IP address that you configured for port1. At the login page, enter the username admin and password field and select Login. The default password is no password. The Web-based Manager will appear with an Evaluation License dialog box.

 

Upload the FortiGate VM license file

Every Fortinet VM includes a 15-day trial license. During this time the FortiGate VM operates in evaluation mode. Before using the FortiGate VM you must enter the license file that you downloaded from the Customer Service & Support website upon registration.

 

To upload the FortiGate VM licence file:

1. In the Evaluation License dialog box, select Enter License.

You can also upload the license file via the CLI using the following CLI command:

execute restore vmlicense [ftp | tftp] <filenmame string>

<ftp server>[:ftp port]

The license upload page opens.

 

License upload page:

2. Select Browse and locate the license file (.lic) on your computer. Select OK to upload the license file.

3. Refresh the browser to login.

4. Enter admin in the Name field and select Login. The VM registration status appears as valid in the License Information widget once the license has been validated by the FortiGuard Distribution Network (FDN) or FortiManager for closed networks.

 

Validate the FortiGate VM license with FortiManager

You can validate your FortiGate VM license with some models of FortiManager. To determine whether your FortiManager unit has the VM Activation feature, see Features section of the FortiManager Product Data sheet.

 

To validate your FortiGate VM with your FortiManager:

1. To configure your FortiManager as a closed network, enter the following CLI command on your FortiManager:

config fmupdate publicnetwork set status disable

end

2. To configure FortiGate VM to use FortiManager as its override server, enter the following CLI commands on your

FortiGate VM:

config system central-management set mode normal

set type fortimanager

set fmg <IPv4 address of the FortiManager device>

set fmg-source-ip <Source IPv4 address when connecting to the FortiManager device>

set include-default-servers disable

set vdom <Enter the name of the VDOM to use when communicating with the FortiManager device>

end

3. Load the FortiGate VM license file in the Web-based Manager. Go to System > Dashboard > Status. In the License Information widget, in the Registration Status field, select Update. Browse for the .lic license file and select OK.

4. To activate the FortiGate VM license, enter the following CLI command on your FortiGate VM:

execute update-now

5. To check the FortiGate VM license status, enter the following CLI commands on your FortiGate VM:

get system status

 

The following output is displayed:

Version: Fortigate-VM v5.0,build0099,120910 (Interim) Virus-DB: 15.00361(2011-08-24 17:17)

Extended DB: 15.00000(2011-08-24 17:09) Extreme DB: 14.00000(2011-08-24 17:10) IPS-DB: 3.00224(2011-10-28 16:39)

FortiClient application signature package: 1.456(2012-01-17 18:27) Serial-Number: FGVM02Q105060000

 

License Status: Valid

BIOS version: 04000002

Log hard disk: Available Hostname: Fortigate-VM Operation Mode: NAT

Current virtual domain: root

Max number of virtual domains: 10

Virtual domains status: 1 in NAT mode, 0 in TP mode

Virtual domain configuration: disable

FIPS-CC mode: disable Current HA mode: standalone Distribution: International Branch point: 511

Release Version Information: MR3 Patch 4

System time: Wed Jan 18 11:24:34 2012

diagnose hardware sysinfo vm full

The following output is displayed: UUID: 564db33a29519f6b1025bf8539a41e92 valid: 1

status: 1

code: 200 (If the license is a duplicate, code 401 will be displayed)

warn: 0 copy: 0 received: 45438 warning: 0

recv: 201201201918 dup:

 

Configure your FortiGate VM

nce the FortiGate VM license has been validated you can begin to configure your device. You can use the Wizard located in the top toolbar for basic configuration including enabling central management, setting the admin password, setting the time zone, and port configuration.

For more information on configuring your FortiGate VM see the FortiOS Handbook at http://docs.fortinet.com.


Having trouble configuring your Fortinet hardware or have some questions you need answered? Check Out The Fortinet Guru Youtube Channel! Want someone else to deal with it for you? Get some consulting from Fortinet GURU!

This entry was posted in FortiGate, FortiOS, FortiOS 5.4 Handbook on by .

About Mike

Michael Pruett, CISSP has a wide range of cyber-security and network engineering expertise. The plethora of vendors that resell hardware but have zero engineering knowledge resulting in the wrong hardware or configuration being deployed is a major pet peeve of Michael's. This site was started in an effort to spread information while providing the option of quality consulting services at a much lower price than Fortinet Professional Services. Owns PacketLlama.Com (Fortinet Hardware Sales) and Office Of The CISO, LLC (Cybersecurity consulting firm).

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