SPLAT/SPLAT/SPLAT or SPLAT/SPLAT/WIN?

[runcmd]

We are currently planning for the upgrade/replacement of our existing CheckPoint firewall configuration. In the new configuration, we will have a total of three servers. We are trying to decide between to separate configurations, proposed by vendors:

SPLAT/SPLAT/SPLAT - Three SPLAT servers, one of which is the administration server.

SPLAT/SPLAT/WIN - Two SPLAT servers and one Windows server--the Windows Server being the "SmartCenter" administration server.

My current understanding is that system administrators use workstations with the GUI installed to communicate with the SmartCenter Server, which stores the rules. The SmartCenter Server is then used to install the policies on the actual firewall servers.

Not being very familiar with SPLAT, does anyone have any comments on the benefits of one configuration option over the other? We use Tivoli Backup and have concerns about backing up the "all SPLAT" option. Does anyone know if Tivoli can backup SPLAT configuration, if the SmartCenter Server is running SPLAT? Also, my previous understanding of SPLAT was that it could not be used as a "SmartCenter" administration server. Is that incorrect?

Any insight would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

[kva.kva]

If i right remember Tivoli can backup linux platforms. SPLAT is linux redhat based platform. May be it's possible to install backup agent for SPLAT.
Other path use standard backup, snapshot commands for backup SPLAT on another ftp, scp server. And then backup files from this backup server.

About SPLAT or Windows for SmartCenter... SPLAT can use like SmartCenter without any problem. And for me SPLAT is best then Windows. Because, for example, it has simple way to restore server from backup or snapshot. But if you have troubles with linux-like platforms you can use Windows.

[intehnet]

otherwise; there's a backup scheduler on SPLAT, it can backup using upgrade_export and ssh it to a server, let that server be a windows server (open ssh for windows will work) and back that up using any software you need

[Sergej]

According to CheckPoint engineer it is better to use platform you have more experience with for the management server. I recomend you to use Windows on management if you are not a Linux guru.
From the same source I get an information that SPLAT ensures better logging and reporting speeds. But this is not a big deal on Ghz Pentiums.
Out of the box support for backup agents (veritas, tivoli, etc) is hot topic in checkpoint development wish list.

[runcmd]

Thanks so much for all the feedback! It's greatly appreciated. Since we are more familiar with the Windows environment, we will most likely go with a SPLAT/SPLAT/Windows configuration. Thank you all, again!