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Monitoring
You can use the SMC to monitor system components and third-party devices. You can also view and filter logs, and create Reports from them.
Reports
Reports are summaries of logs and statistics that allow you to combine large amounts of data into an easily viewable form.
Restricting a report's scope
There are various tools you can use to focus the scope of your Reports.

About this Help
This online help was created for Forcepoint Next Generation Firewall (Forcepoint NGFW), version 6.11.0.
Introduction to the Forcepoint Next Generation Firewall solution
Before setting up Forcepoint Next Generation Firewall (Forcepoint NGFW), it is useful to know what the different components do and what engine roles are available.
Deployment
Before you can set up the system and start configuring elements, you must consider how the different SMC components should be positioned and deployed.
Setting up
After deploying the SMC components, you are ready to start using the Management Client and carrying out some of the first configuration tasks.
Monitoring
You can use the SMC to monitor system components and third-party devices. You can also view and filter logs, and create Reports from them.
- Monitoring Forcepoint NGFW components
  You can monitor Forcepoint NGFW components and view system summaries in the Management Client.
- Monitoring third-party devices
  The SMC can be configured to log and monitor other manufacturers’ devices in much the same way as SMC components are monitored.
- Viewing and exporting logged data
  You can view log, alert, and audit entries through the log browsing views. You can view data from SMC servers, all types of engines, and from third-party components that are configured to send data to the SMC.
- Reports
  Reports are summaries of logs and statistics that allow you to combine large amounts of data into an easily viewable form.
  - Getting started with reports
    The Management Client provides extensive reporting tools for generating reports on information stored in the SMC. The summaries that make up the reports can be illustrated with different types of charts and tables.
  - Restricting a report's scope
    There are various tools you can use to focus the scope of your Reports.
    - Data filters for reports
      Filters are the main tool for increasing the granularity of reports.
    - Reports within administrative Domains
      If there are administrative Domains configured, the reports are Domain-specific.
    - Reporting on the configuration database and audit logs
      While other reports are based on logs and statistics, the System Report is based on information collected from the Management Server’s configuration database and audit logs.
  - Designing reports
    Report Designs determine how to process the data and how the results are displayed.
  - Generate and view reports
    Reports are generated from the Report Designs that are under the Reports tree of the Monitoring Configuration view.
  - Exporting reports
    You can export PDF, HTML, and text reports manually for previously generated reports or automatically when generating the report.
  - Status reporting
    Create status reports on NGFW Engines or VPN
  - Example of reports
    The example illustrates a common use for reports and general steps on how the scenario in question is configured.
- Filtering data
  Filters allow you to select data based on values that it contains. Most frequently, you use filters when viewing logs, but filters can also be used for other tasks, such as exporting logs and selecting data for reports.
- Working with Diagram elements
  Diagrams allow you to visualize your network security environment.
- Incident Case elements
  When suspicious activity is detected, it is important to collect information about the incident and act quickly. The Incident Case element is a tool for investigating incidents of suspicious activity.
Controlling NGFW Engines
You can command and set options for engines through the Management Client or on the engine command line. You can also stop traffic manually.
SMC configuration
Security Management Center (SMC) configuration allows you to customize how the SMC components work.
NGFW Engine configuration
You can create and modify Firewalls, IPS engines, Layer 2 Firewalls, Master NGFW Engines and Virtual NGFW Engines. You can configure the NGFW Engine properties, activate optional features, and configure advanced NGFW Engine settings.
Routing
Use the Management Client to configure static or dynamic routing, and use a Multi-Link configuration to manage and distribute inbound and outbound connections.
Traffic inspection policies
Policies are key elements that contain rules for allowing or blocking network traffic and inspecting the content of traffic.
Users and authentication
User accounts are stored in internal databases or external directory servers. You can use Forcepoint NGFW in the Firewall/VPN role or external authentication servers to authenticate users.
Virtual private networks
Forcepoint NGFW supports both policy-based and route-based VPN (virtual private network) tunnels between VPN gateways. For full remote access, Forcepoint NGFW supports both IPsec and SSL VPN tunnels for VPN clients.
Maintenance and upgrades
Maintenance includes procedures that you do not typically need to do frequently.
Troubleshooting
Troubleshooting helps you resolve common problems in the Forcepoint NGFW and SMC.
Appendices

Restricting a report's scope

There are various tools you can use to focus the scope of your Reports.

Data filters for reports
Filters are the main tool for increasing the granularity of reports.
Reports within administrative Domains
If there are administrative Domains configured, the reports are Domain-specific.
Reporting on the configuration database and audit logs
While other reports are based on logs and statistics, the System Report is based on information collected from the Management Server’s configuration database and audit logs.