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Configuring System Settings > Configuring an appliance cluster
Configuring an appliance cluster
Administrator Help | Forcepoint Email Security | Version 8.5.x
An email appliance operates in standalone mode by default, but can be configured in a cluster of appliances to manage a large volume of email traffic. After you have added an appliance to the appliances list on the Email Appliances page, you can change its mode from the default standalone to either primary or secondary on the page Settings > General > Cluster Mode.
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Some platform limitations apply to appliances in a cluster:
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A V10000 appliance cannot be configured in a cluster with a V5000 appliance.
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A virtual appliance may be clustered with other virtual appliances, but not with a physical appliance.
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Platform versions must match in a cluster.
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Appliances in a cluster should also have the same message queue configurations. Messages in a secondary appliance queue may be lost if that queue is not configured on the primary machine before the cluster is created.
 
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Important 
If you are deploying email protection in an appliance cluster and want to use DLP policies, be sure to register all the primary and secondary cluster machines with the Data Security module before you deploy DLP policies.
If you deploy DLP policies on the primary appliance while you are registering a secondary machine with the Data Security module, the registration process for the secondary machine may not complete.
Designating a primary appliance in a cluster
A primary appliance maintains and displays the configuration settings for all the appliances in its cluster.
Specify a primary appliance in a cluster
1.
On the page Settings > General > Cluster Mode, select the appliance mode Cluster (Primary).
A Cluster Properties box opens with the primary appliance IP address displayed in the field Cluster communication IP address. Secondary appliances use this IP address for cluster communications.
 
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Note 
Use of the C appliance interface IP address for communication requires you to define a route in the appliance CLI.
You need to stop and restart email services on the appliance each time you add or delete a route on the appliance.
2.
Click Add.
The page Add Secondary Appliance displays, where you can designate the secondary appliances in this cluster.
3.
From the list of standalone appliances on the left, select the secondary appliances to add to this cluster (up to seven appliances).
(Optional) Add a new appliance that is not already on the list; click Add New Appliance.
The Add Appliance page displays.
4.
Click the arrow button to add the appliances to the Secondary Appliances list.
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Click OK.
The appliance is added to the Secondary Appliances list along with its status.
6.
On the page Cluster Mode, click OK.
The appliance is added to the cluster.
View appliance details
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From the Secondary Appliances list, click the appliance name.
The Appliance Properties dialog box displays with details about the appliance.
Remove a secondary appliance from a cluster
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From the Secondary Appliances list, select the appliance and click Remove.
The appliance is removed from the cluster.

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Configuring System Settings > Configuring an appliance cluster
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