Practice Free 156-836 Check Point Certified Maestro Expert (CCME) R81.X Exam Questions Answers With Explanation

In a Check Point Maestro environment, a splitter is used to divide a single high-speed port (e.g., QSFP or QSFP28) into multiple lower-speed ports (e.g., SFP or SFP+). However, a splitter cannot be used to connect a single port on an Orchestrator to the same Appliance, as this would not align with the purpose of a splitter, which is to expand connectivity to multiple devices or ports, not to loop back to a single device.

Exact Extract:

“A splitter is used to divide a single high-speed port on the Orchestrator (e.g., QSFP or QSFP28) into multiple lower-speed ports (e.g., SFP or SFP+). Splitters are typically used to connect a single Orchestrator port to multiple ports on an external switch or to multiple Appliances. However, a splitter cannot be used to connect a single Orchestrator port to the same Appliance, as this does not align with the splitter’s purpose of expanding connectivity.”

—Check Point Certified Maestro Expert (CCME) R81.X Courseware, Module 3: Dual Orchestrator Environment, Lesson 3.2: Connectivity Options, page 3-10

—Check Point R81 Maestro Administration Guide, Chapter 3: Working with Security Group Modules, Section: Connectivity, page 3-10

Explanation of Options:

A. To connect a single port on an Orchestrator to the same Appliance: Correct, as a splitter is not designed for this purpose and cannot be used to connect an Orchestrator port to a single Appliance.

B. To connect a single port on an Orchestrator to multiple ports on an external switch: Incorrect, as this is a valid use case for a splitter.

C. To connect a single port on an Appliance to multiple ports on the Orchestrator: Incorrect, as splitters can be used in configurations where an Appliance connects to multipleOrchestrator ports.

D. To connect a single port on an Orchestrator to multiple Appliances: Incorrect, as this is another valid use case for a splitter.

The asg_perf_hogs command is a script that displays the processes that are consuming excessive system resources, such as CPU, memory, disk, and network, on the orchestrator and the appliances. It can help identify performance issues and bottlenecks in the Maestro environment.

References

•Software Provision and Performance hogs failed - Check Point CheckMates1

•CHECK POINT MAESTRO EXPERT, page 33

According to the Port Mapping for the Check Point Maestro HyperScale Orchestrator MHO-175 document1, ports 1 - 4 are Management ports that are used to connect the MHO to the customer’s management infrastructure, such as SmartConsole or SmartDomain Manager. Ports 5 - 26 are Uplink ports that are used to connect the MHO to the customer’s network infrastructure, such as switches, routers, or firewalls. Ports 27 - 47 are Downlink ports that are used to connect the MHO to the Security Group Modules (SGMs) in the Security Group. Ports 49 - 55 are Backplane ports that are used to connect the MHO to another MHO in a Dual Orchestrator environment.

Network mode is the distribution mode that assigns packets to an SGM based solely on the packet destination IP. In this mode, the Orchestrator uses a hash function to map each destination IP to a specific SGM. This mode ensures that all packets with the same destination IP are processed by the same SGM, regardless of the source IP or port. This mode is suitable for scenarios where the destination IP is the main factor for load balancing, such as NAT or VPN.

References

•Check Point Certified Maestro Expert (CCME) R81.X Courseware, Module 2: Maestro Security Groups, Lesson 2.4: Traffic Flow, page 2-19

•Check Point R81 Maestro Administration Guide, Chapter 2: Maestro Security Groups, Section: Traffic Distribution, page 2-7

•Maestro basic setup documentation - Page 2 - Check Point CheckMates

Auto-topology is the default distribution mode for Maestro Security Groups. In this mode, the Orchestrator assigns packets to a Security Group Member based on the topology of the port defined in the gateway object. Each port is either in user mode or network mode depending on the topology. User mode means that the port is connected to the internal network and network mode means that the port is connected to the external network. The Orchestrator uses a hash function to map each source IP or destination IP to a specific SGM, depending on the mode of the port. This mode ensures that all packets with the same source IP or destination IP are processed by the same SGM, regardless of the port or protocol.

References

•Check Point Certified Maestro Expert (CCME) R81.X Courseware, Module 2: Maestro Security Groups, Lesson 2.4: Traffic Flow, page 2-18

•Check Point R81 Maestro Administration Guide, Chapter 2: Maestro Security Groups, Section: Traffic Distribution, page 2-7

•Lari Luoma | Lead Consultant | Maestro SME | Check Point Evangelist1, slide 16

The maximum number of appliances within the same security group is 31. This is because a security group can have up to 31 Security Group Modules (SGMs) of the same or different models, and each SGM is an appliance that runs the Check Point software. A security group can span across multiple chassis, and each chassis can have up to 16 SGMs. However, the total number of SGMs in a security group cannot exceed 31.

References =

•Check Point Maestro R81.X Administration Guide, page 64, section “Correction Layer” 1

•Check Point Maestro R81.X Getting Started Guide, page 26, section “Correction Layer” 2

•Check Point Maestro Under the Hood presentation by Lari Luoma, slide 23

•Check Point Maestro Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ), question 9

1: https://www.manualslib.com/manual/2031661/Check-Point-Maestro-R80-20sp.html 2: https://sc1.checkpoint.com/documents/R81/WebAdminGuides/EN/CP_R81_Maestro_GettingStarted/html_frameset.htm : https://community.checkpoint.com/fyrhh23835/attachments/fyrhh23835/maestro/1191/1/Check%20Mates%20Maestro%20under%20the%20hood%202022.pptx :https://supportcenter.checkpoint.com/supportcenter/portal?eventSubmit_doGoviewsolutiondetails= &solutionid=sk147853&partition=Basic&product=Maestro

In a Maestro Dual Site environment, there are two sites that can host Security Group Members (SGMs) for each Security Group (SG). The Active Site is the one that is currently processing the traffic for a specific SG, while the Standby Site is the one that is ready to take over in case of a failover. The Active Site and the Standby Site can be different for different SGs, depending on the load balancing and failover policies. The Active Site and the Standby Site are synchronized by the Maestro Orchestrators (MHOs) using the Site-Sync port and VLANs.

References =

•Solved: Maestro dual site failover - Check Point CheckMates

•Maestro Dual Site configuration with a direct connection through L2 switches

Security groups are used to simplify management and policy enforcement across multiple devices or network segments, often offering redundancy and load balancing features

Orchestrators in many network environments do not require separate licenses, as they primarily function to manage and distribute network traffic.

References

•Check Point Certified Maestro Expert (CCME) R81.X Courseware, Module 1: Introduction to Check Point Maestro, Lesson 1.2: Maestro Licensing, page 1-8

•Check Point R81 Maestro Administration Guide, Chapter 1: Introduction to Check Point Maestro, Section: Maestro Licensing, page 1-6

•Activation of a Quantum Maestro Orchestrator - Check Point Software

The sx_api_ports_dump.py command should be run on the Orchestrator, which is the device that manages the communication and the configuration of the Security Groups and the SGMs. The command shows the port mapping and the traffic distribution for each Security Group, as well as the backplane bonds and the Orchestrator ports. The command does not work on the Management server, the Security Group, or the SMO Appliance, as they do not have the same role and functionality as the Orchestrator.

References

•R81.20 Maestro Cheat Sheet version 7 - Check Point CheckMates, page 2

•Maestro Expert (CCME) Course - Check Point Software, page 31

•Check Point Certified Maestro Expert (CCME) R81.X - Global Knowledge, page 3

The Orchestratoris a device that connects multiple security gateways into a unified system, called a security group. It manages the configuration, policy, software, and routing of the security group, and distributes the network traffic among the security gateways using a load-balancing algorithm. It also acts as a network switch for the internal and external networks.

References = Maestro Hyperscale Orchestrator Datasheet - Check Point Software, Check Point Maestro Hyperscale Network Security, 7 Reasons to Use Check Point Maestro and … - Check Point Software

The Orchestrator MHO-170 supports QSFP and QSFP28 transceivers on its 32x 100 GbE ports. QSFP stands for Quad Small Form-factor Pluggable and QSFP28 is an enhanced version of QSFP that supports up to 28 Gbps per lane. These transceivers can provide high-speed and high-density connectivity for the Maestro environment.

References

•Maestro Hyperscale Orchestrator Datasheet - Check Point Software1, page 2

•Maestro Transceiver & DAC Inventory - Check Point CheckMates

A Security Group (SG) requires at least one management port and one uplink port to function properly. The management port is used to connect the SG to the Maestro Hyperscale Orchestrator (MHO) and the customer’s management infrastructure, such as SmartConsole or SmartDomain Manager. The uplink port is used to connect the SG to the customer’s network infrastructure, such as switches, routers, or firewalls. The uplink port is also used to send and receive traffic from the customer’s network to the SG.

One of the benefits of a Dual MHO environment is that it can provide both scalability and redundancy to the Maestro system. Scalability means that the system can handle more traffic and SGMs as the demand grows, and redundancy means that the system can survive the failure of one or more components without losing functionality or performance. Dual MHOs can achieve these benefits by distributing the load and the management tasks among two orchestrators, and by providing backup and failover mechanisms for each other.

References

•Maestro Expert (CCME) Course - Check Point Software, page 251

•CheckPoint Certified Maestro Expert (CCME) - Skillzcafe, page 22

•Check Point Certified Maestro Expert (CCME) R81.X, page 23

The cpinfo command is a tool that collects diagnostic information about the orchestrator, such as hardware, software, network, configuration, and logs. The cpinfo command generates a file that can be sent to Check Point Support for analysis and troubleshooting. The cpinfo command can be run on the orchestrator’s CLI or WebUI.

References =

•Check Point Maestro R81.X Administration Guide, page 68, section “cpinfo” 1

•Check Point Maestro R81.X Getting Started Guide, page 30, section “cpinfo” 2

•Maestro Hyperscale Orchestrator Datasheet - Check Point Software 3

1: https://www.manualslib.com/manual/2031661/Check-Point-Maestro-R80-20sp.html 2: https://sc1.checkpoint.com/documents/R81/WebAdminGuides/EN/CP_R81_Maestro_GettingStarted/html_frameset.htm 3: https://www.checkpoint.com/downloads/products/maestro-hyperscale-orchestrator-datasheet.pdf

The Maestro Hyperscale Orchestrator MHO-140 supports a variety of transceivers to provide high-speed and high-density connectivity. Specifically, it supports SFP, SFP+, QSFP, and QSFP28 transceivers, which cater to different port speeds and connectivity requirements in the Maestro environment.

Exact Extract:

“The Orchestrator MHO-140 supports SFP, SFP+, QSFP, and QSFP28 transceivers on its ports. SFP stands for Small Form-factor Pluggable, SFP+ supports up to 10 Gbps, QSFP (Quad Small Form-factor Pluggable) supports up to 40 Gbps, and QSFP28 supports up to 100 Gbps per port.”

—Check Point Certified Maestro Expert (CCME) R81.X Courseware, Module 1: Introduction to Check Point Maestro, Lesson 1.2: Maestro Licensing and Hardware, page 1-8

—Check Point R81 Maestro Administration Guide, Chapter 1: Introduction to Check Point Maestro, Section: Maestro Licensing, page 1-6

—Check Point Quantum Maestro Orchestrator Datasheet, page 3

Explanation of Options:

A. SFP, QSFP, QSFP28: Incorrect, as it omits SFP+, which is supported by the MHO-140.

B. SFP+, SFP28, QSFP: Incorrect, as SFP28 is not explicitly listed as supported on the MHO-140, and SFP is missing.

C. SFP, SFP+, SFP28: Incorrect, as SFP28 is not supported, and QSFP and QSFP28 are omitted.

D. SFP, SFP+, QSFP, QSFP28: Correct, as this option includes all transceivers supported by the MHO-140, as per the official documentation.

The correction rate is the percentage of connections that require correction by the correction layer, which is a mechanism that ensures that the traffic is processed by the correct SGM in the Security Group. The correction rate depends on the distribution mode (Layer 3 or Layer 4) and the traffic pattern. In some scenarios, such as when the traffic is asymmetric or when the distribution mode is Layer 4, the correction rate can approach 100 percent of all connections. This is not a problem, as the correction layer is designed to handle such situations without affecting the performance or availability of the Security Group1.

References = Maestro Expert (CCME) Course - Check Point Software, page 16.