SPLAT R65 on 2.6 kernel now available

[RayPesek]

At the Download Center. The release notes are a bit sparse, listing only hardware compatibility stuff. I didn't see anything about which HFA level it's supposed to be at.

Ray

[chillyjim]

I'm not sure what you mean but it is being distributed as a HF. It is supported on R65 only (No HFA required, but I do recommend using HFA2)

[mcnallym]

About time they moved to a 2.6 kernel. Still I don't see any point in moving to it specifically unless desperate to use the hardware in the list of the release notes.

The release notes are sparse and they could do with listing any improvements over and above the 2.4 standard kernel version, for instance does it support memory, enhanced routing protocol etc.

[suber]

where in the download center ?

[mcnallym]

Software Subcription Browse

http://downloads.checkpoint.com/dc/s...n=1149&os=1123

Select VPN-1 Power/UTM
Select SecurePlatform

Is top option SecurePlatform 2.6

[Porter]

waiting for hfa2/3 :/

[mamakos]

Here is an answer from CheckPoint's forum (from a CheckPoint representative)

The main point of moving to the 2.6 linux kernel is increased hardware compatibility. Check Point recommends that you stay on the standard R65 SecurePlatform unless you have hardware that is not supported by the standard R65 release.

If you have hardware that is not supported by R65 standard, but is supported by the 2.6 kernel release, then use it.

See the Hardware Compatability List:
Check Point Software: Hardware Compatibility List -
Check Point Software: Certified Network Interfaces - All Products

Please note that there are a few systems not supported by the 2.6 release...

The initial SecurePlatform 2.6 release includes all standard release HFA 01 and HFA 02 fixes. Moving forward, the HFAs will be released separately - e.g., HFA 03 for R65 may be released in a month, and HFA 01 for SecurePlatform 2.6 may be released 3 months later. With different code trees, its recommended to stay with the "main branch" if you can. Same goes for the R65 management "plug-ins"... they're not available for SecurePlatform 2.6.

You cannot upgrade "in-place" from standard R65 to the 2.6 release, but you can upgrade in-place from prior versions. For standard R65 you can perform and export/import to move the SecurePlatform 2.6 release.

Hope this is useful info for everyone.

-Erik

So :
1) Strange as it may be, SPLAT 2.6 and SPLAT R65 differ from more than just the kernel
2) This will be another branch of developpment... it is still under devel...
3) Wait and see

[chillyjim]

Originally Posted by mamakos

H
1) Strange as it may be, SPLAT 2.6 and SPLAT R65 differ from more than just the kernel
2) This will be another branch of developpment... it is still under devel...
3) Wait and see

This is the first public release of the 2.6 kernel build, so not everything has been QA'ed for it yet.

Sometime next year (2008) the main-line code (VPN-1, SmartCenter and P1) should be fully moved to SPLAT 2.6. VSX may take longer, as there are a lot more kernel changes for it.

What you're rep told you is exactly what I'm being told, if you don't need 2.6, don't go there yet.

[JohnMH]

I just replaced the hardware on two cluster firewalls. I have been waiting for SPLAT to work with the Intel Pro/1000 PT quad port cards, these machines have two in each (needed 10 interfaces in the firewalls).

SPLAT 2.6 fixed the issue with the Intel Pro/1000 PT cards.

I have these two firewalls in production and it was a surprisingly easy upgrade. (SPLAT 2.4 kernel R65 HFA02 on DL380 G3 and G4 to SPLAT 2.6 R65 HFA02 on DL380 G5).

I needed it, we have not been able to replace these two firewalls for the last 9 months or so, since 2.4 did not work with the Intel PT cards.

John

[RayPesek]

Was this specifically a problem with those cards on the HP hardware? I'm asking because the Pro 1000PT card is listed in the HCL: Check Point Software: Certified Network Interfaces - All Products

Ray

[JohnMH]

On HP DL380 G5 with SPLAT (2.4 kernel) the Pro 1000 PT quad cards would not work

They look like they do, but no traffic will pass through them. The other symptom is high CPU for softirq.

With the 2.6 kernel of SPLAT Pro 1000 PT quad cards now work fine on HP DL380 G5 servers.

John

[RayPesek]

Thanks for the clarification,

Ray

[Tommo]

Just to confirm, the comments re the Intel PCIe 100PT Quad cards are true, you need the 2.6 kernel if on HP or IBM. If you click on the link for the NIC you see this condition"This network server adapter is not compatible with HP/IBM open servers. For these servers please check for a compatible and certified HP/IBM server adapter. " .

I had this on a customer site who uses HP and had Intel NICs, so had to go to 2.6 R65. If you install the 2.4, you do "see" the NIC, but it could not negotiate with a HP switch running at 100meg. Using eth_set interface_name, rather than the card being configured to a speed (e.g. 100f), and reporting the same speed, it just reported it as "on".... rubbish ;-)

2.6 kernel on, and it just worked.