Select NetLinks for Outbound Multi-Link elements

NetLink elements represent ISP connections in Outbound Multi-Link elements.

Before you begin

You must have NetLink elements that represent your ISP connections.

To use the round trip time NetLink selection method for load balancing, you must configure the probing settings in the Static NetLink or Dynamic NetLink properties.

Each NetLink element contains the IP addresses used for source IP address translation (NAT), ensuring that outgoing connections receive the correct IP address for the respective ISP. This configuration enables correct routing of return packets. Each NetLink must have a unique IP address space.

A NetLink can be either static or dynamic. Dynamic NetLinks are supported only for Single Engines, and are the only supported option when configuring Multi-Link using mobile broadband modems with a Single Engine. The same NetLink can be used with multiple Engines. For an Engine with multiple interfaces using dynamic IP addresses, you must create a separate Dynamic NetLink element for each such interface.

Steps

  1. Select Secure SD-WAN Configuration.
  2. Browse to Traffic Handlers.
  3. Right-click the Outbound Multi-Link element, then select Properties.
  4. On the General tab of the Outbound Multi-Link Properties dialog box, click Add.
  5. From the NetLink drop-down list, select a NetLink element.
  6. From the Network drop-down list, select the Network element that represents the IP address space in the directly connected external network of this network link.
  7. In the Selected Range fields, specify the IP address range for dynamic source address translation (NAT) for the internal source IP addresses on this NetLink.
    To define a single IP address, enter the same address in both fields.
  8. From the Type drop-down list, select an option to specify how traffic is routed through the NetLink.
  9. (Optional) Select the QoS Classes for traffic handled by this NetLink, then click Add.
    You can use the QoS classes to assign the NetLink with or without activating the actual QoS features.
    • You can select the same QoS class for several NetLinks to balance the traffic between the NetLinks. If none of the NetLinks with the appropriate QoS class are available, or if the traffic has not been assigned a QoS class, the traffic is distributed between the NetLinks according to the Method you specify in the Outbound Multi-Link element properties.
    • QoS classes are assigned based on ToS codes in network traffic or in the Access rules. Traffic that has been assigned the selected QoS class uses this NetLink if the NetLink is available.
  10. Click OK.
    The NetLink is listed in the Multi-Link Members list.
  11. Click OK in the Outbound Multi-Link Properties dialog box.

Next steps

Continue in one of the following ways:
  • (Optional) Define how information about the performance of each NetLink is cached.
  • If you manually configured Outbound Multi-Link elements, define NAT rules using the source NAT addressing defined in the Outbound Multi-Link element.