HA configurations

FortiGate-5020 base backplane communication

Heartbeat failover between channels

To configure your HA cluster with a heartbeat that fails over between the two base backplane interfaces, both base backplane interfaces must be enabled and:

if priorities are not equal, must have the highest priorities of all heartbeat interfaces

if priorities are equal, be the first interfaces on the indexed Heartbeat Interface list

If you also want to specify which base backplane channel is used as the primary or failover, its priority must be greater than the failover interface, or it must have a higher position in the Heartbeat Interface list. Position in the Heartbeat Interface list varies by the model of the FortiGate modules.

You can satisfy these requirements in multiple ways by adjusting interface priority or by disabling heartbeats over other interfaces. Required steps vary by the model of your FortiGate modules, and the number and Heartbeat Interface list position of other interfaces enabled as heartbeat interfaces.

Default heartbeat interfaces vary by the model of the FortiGate modules, and are not always base backplane interfaces. For example, FortiGate-5005FA2 modules use the fabric backplane (fabric1 and fabric2), rather than the base backplane, by default. If this is the case, to send heartbeat traffic through the base backplane, you must enable and adjust the priority of the base backplane interfaces. Conversely, FortiGate-5001SX and FortiGate-5001FA2 modules use base backplane heartbeat interfaces by default, and do not require modification.

Figure 33: HA cluster with two available base backplane heartbeat interfaces (directly connected through the base backplane)

base backplane channel 1

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Fortinet 5003A manual HA configurations

5003, 5003A specifications

Fortinet's FortiGate 5003 and 5003A are high-capacity, next-generation firewalls designed for enterprises that require advanced security solutions with a strong focus on performance and scalability. These models are part of Fortinet's expansive line of FortiGate appliances, which leverage innovative technologies to provide robust protection against a variety of cyber threats while maintaining seamless network operations.

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