Fortinet FortiGate-800 manual Managing an HA cluster, To add a new unit to the cluster

Managing an HA cluster High availability

2Power on all the FortiGate units in the cluster.

As the units power on they negotiate to choose the primary cluster unit and the subordinate units. This negotiation occurs with no user intervention.

When negotiation is complete the you can configure the cluster as if it was a single FortiGate unit. Use the information in “NAT/Route mode installation” on page 41 or “Transparent mode installation” on page 59 to configure the cluster interfaces, configure your network, and complete the cluster configuration.

Note: Do not change the HA interface IP address. The HA interface of each FortiGate unit in the cluster is assigned an IP address during cluster negotiation.

Use the information in “Managing an HA cluster” on page 78 to log into and manage the cluster.

Adding a new FortiGate unit to a functioning cluster

You can add a new FortiGate unit to a functioning cluster at any time. The new FortiGate unit must be the same model as the other units in the cluster and must be running the same firmware version.

To add a new unit to the cluster

1Configure the new FortiGate unit for HA operation with the same HA configuration as the other units in the cluster.

See “Configuring FortiGate units for HA operation” on page 74.

2If the cluster is running in Transparent mode, change the operating mode of the new FortiGate unit to Transparent mode.

See “Changing to Transparent mode” on page 109.

3Connect the new FortiGate unit to the cluster. See “Connecting the cluster” on page 76.

4Power on the new FortiGate unit.

When the unit powers on it negotiates to join the cluster. After it joins the cluster, the cluster synchronizes the new unit configuration with the configuration of the primary unit.

Managing an HA cluster

The configurations of all of the FortiGate units in the cluster are synchronized so that the FortiGate units can function as a cluster. Because of this synchronization, you manage the HA cluster instead of managing the individual FortiGate units in the cluster. You manage the cluster by connecting to the web-based manager or CLI using any interface configured for management access (except the HA interface). All units in the cluster are synchronized with the same interface IP addresses. Connecting to any interface IP address configured for management access connects to that cluster interface, which automatically connects you to the primary FortiGate unit in the cluster.

78 Fortinet Inc.