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VM-Series Deployment Guide

VM-Series Firewall Bootstrap Workflow

Table of Contents

VM-Series Firewall Bootstrap Workflow

Use the following workflow to bootstrap your VM-Series firewall. Refer to the following figure for an overview of both complete and basic bootstrapping procedures.

(Optional) For security reasons, you can only bootstrap a firewall when it is in factory default state. If you want to use the bootstrap package to bootstrap a VM-Series firewall that has been previously configured, reset the firewall to factory default settings.
Choose a bootstrap method.
After you familiarize yourself with the bootstrap package, assess whether you want to use a complete configuration, or use a basic configuration and optionally use Panorama to manage the bootstrapped firewall.
If you choose a basic configuration, decide whether to use the bootstrap package, or enter the configuration parameters as key-value pairs in user data.
(Optional) If you want to use Panorama to manage the VM-Series firewalls being bootstrapped, generate the VM auth key on Panorama. You must include this key in the init-cfg.txt file (vm-auth-key) or enter the key-value pair as user data.
Prepare the licenses for bootstrapping.
If you choose the basic configuration and you plan to bootstrap with user data, skip to Step 7.
If you plan to use the basic configuration and the bootstrap package, create the init-cfg.txt file and prepare the bootstrap package.
If you choose the complete configuration, create the bootstrap.xml file and prepare the full bootstrap package.
Prepare the bootstrap package and save the bootstrap package in the appropriate delivery format for your hypervisor.
Bootstrap the VM-Series firewall.
Verify bootstrap completion.

Choose a Bootstrap Method

Bootstrap Package