Prerequisites for a High Availability SystemFirebox Vclass User Guide 427In HA Active/Standby mode, you configure the standbyappliance to mirror the primary appliance. The standbyappliance will be functionally inactive, waiting for a signalfrom the primary that it has failed. If this occurs, thestandby appliance takes over all network managementtasks within a very short interval, replacing the faileddevice.How High Availability worksThe WatchGuard High Availability (HA) system is bothautomatic and transparent. Switching to a backup appli-ance occurs almost instantaneously.When active, the primary appliance regularly sends a“heartbeat” to the standby appliance. If the primary appli-ance fails, the heartbeat ceases. When the standby appli-ance detects three consecutive missed heartbeats, itassumes full network functions and operations within afew seconds.Prerequisites for a High Availability SystemTo set up a High Availability Active/Standby system, youneed the following:• Two Firebox Vclass appliances of the same model,running the same software version.• The appliance you use as the standby appliance mustbe in the factory default configuration. If you justunpacked this appliance, it is in a factory default state.If the appliance that will be used as the standby devicehas already been configured, you must reset it to thefactory default configuration using Vcontroller or theCommand Line Interface. For more information, see“Restoring to Factory Default” on page 407.
