FMC Firepower management interface

[Richard Persaud]

Hello,

On an FMC 4000, is it a requirement to use the copper managment interface or is it possible to use a fiber interface as management?

If so, how is that accomplished?

[Marvin Rhoads · Accepted solution]

You have to do the initial configuration to define the copper eth0 interface for management. Once you've done the bootstrap installation and configuration you can change to use other interfaces as described in the configuration guide:

http://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/security/firepower/620/configuration/guide/fpmc-config-guide-v62/system_configuration.html#ID-2241-00000370

[prashant dwivedi]

HI Marvin,

Does that mean default management port will be used just for the initial configuration ? 

later on, we could use one of 10 Gig ports to access FMC 4000 and using the same port all the Firepower and FTD devices communicating with FMC. 

Can we able to configure port-channel on 10 Gig ports for FMC ?  I am asking this as I Can see it has multiple 10 gig ports on it.

Thanks

Prashant

[Marvin Rhoads]

You need to leave eth0 up as certain processes look for it. 

You can setup the 10 Gbps interfaces in addition and split management and eventing across them if that makes sense in the context of your overall system.

You cannot currently bond them into an Etherchannel for any purpose.

As of the current 6.2 release, if you need high availability it needs to be via separate appliances deployed in an HA pair. 

If your interest in an Etherchannel is for high throughput it wouldn't help because the FMC server software application is not capable of ingesting events at that rate. 

[robertkessler]

Hello Marvin,

I am currently trying to bond the 10G ports on my FMC 2500 for LACP. is it possible to do that? also can you let me know the process to do the same?

[jeremiah.wood]

Hello,

Is there any way to create a port channel on the FMC4500?  

Thanks in advance!