General Information on Tunnels

A Tunnel is a mechanism provided by the Firewall that allows secure communications between secure networks over an nonsecure intervening network like the Internet. It constructs a virtual private network (VPN) between two different sites providing authentication and encryption. When you create a tunnel, a complete IP packet, including its header information, is encapsulated in a new IP packet only seen by the source and destination hosts. The original IP packet is protected during the transmission between hosts, according to user specified policy.

Further Information

Creating a Virtual Private Network
Example of Virtual Private Networks

Tunnel List

The list shows the current values used by the Firewall for this function. To select, click on the row desired and then select an action by clicking a button on the right.

Icon Key

Create new
Activated tunnel
Deactivated tunnel

Open

After selecting an item on the list, press the "Open" button to view or modify that item. To add a new item, select "NEW" item on the list and press "Open".

Copy

The "Copy" button helps save time when adding new items to the list. After selecting an item on the list, press the "Copy" button to create an item that is similar to the selected item. Pressing the "Copy" button will open a new item that will copy field values from the item that was selected on the list. You will then be able to modify field values as needed for the new item.

Import

As a tunnel partner, you will receive tunnel context definitions that have been exported to you. When you receive these tunnel context definitions from a tunnel partner, you will place these files in a directory of your choice. Select Import, then enter the name of the directory where you have restored the files you have imported from your tunnel partner.

OK (Selection)

Press the "OK" button to populate the field on the previous panel with your current selection and to close the window.

Apply

Press the "Apply" button to populate the field on the previous panel with your current selection. The "Apply" button will not cause the window to disappear. (Note that Apply will not appear if the to-be-populated field on the previous panel holds only one item.)

Cancel

Press the "Cancel" button to close the window without saving any changes.