FortiManager
FortiManager supports network operations use cases for centralized management, best practices compliance, and workflow automation to provide better protection against breaches.
madhan
Staff
Staff
Article Id 416269
Description

This article describes FortiManager behavior when importing Remote Certificate from multiple FortiGate.

Scope FortiManager.
Solution

FortiManager is designed to be a central management unit that can manage different versions and platforms of FortiGate. Most objects can be dynamic, which means FortiManager is able to create a per-device mapping so a different FortiGate can have a different value set for the object.

The remote Certificate does not have an attribute as a dynamic object, which means that FortiManager is unable to create per-device mapping. As a result, when importing a Remote Certificate from multiple FortiGate that have the same name but unique values could cause an issue.

 

In this example, 2 FortiGate (FGT1 and FGT2) of which have a Remote Certificate named REMOTE_Cert_1 and is configured to be used in the Firewall Policy:

 

FGT1-CERT.png

 

FGT2-CERT.jpg

 

Add both FortiGate as a managed device in the FortiManager and ensure the Config Status is 'Synchronized':

 

chrome_7Sawf2TNAp.jpg

 

 

After importing one of the FortiGate, in this example, FGT1 Policy Package Status will be synchronized, and REMOTE_Cert_1 can be seen in Policy & Objects -> Advanced -> Remote Certificate:

 

After-FGT1-Import.png

 

After-FGT1-Import2.png

 

Proceed to import configuration for the second FortiGate (FGT2), and FortiManager will pop up a prompt notifying of the Object Conflict.

 

Object-Conflict.png

 

Note:

The conflict object means the object name is the same across FortiGate, but each one has a different value. FortiManager is unable to create a per-device mapping for such an object because it does not have a dynamic attribute

 

Complete the import process, and from the Device Manager, only the latest imported FortiGate will be synchronized, while the other will be modified:

 

After-FGT2-Import.png

 

This is because, during the previous steps, the REMOTE_Cert_1 value was changed and updated with the latest value from the latest import. Verify the value in Policy & Objects -> Advanced -> Remote Certificate:

 

After-FGT2-Import2.png

 

Note:

Compare the 'CN' value from the first import and the second import. Import, the value is CN=FGT1, and the second import, the value is CN=FGT2.

 

Since the value of the same object has changed, FortiManager will try to install the updated value in the first FortiGate.

To avoid installation of unwanted configurations, a unique object name needs to be configured to accommodate a unique value.

 

Note:

The name REMOTE_Cert_1 is the default certificate name given by FortiGate when importing the remote certificate. To rename it, the following command can be run:

 

config vpn certificate remote
    rename REMOTE_Cert_1 to <Certificate_New_Name>
end

 

After the command is run on all FortiGate to change the certificate name, all FortiGate can be synchronized without issue:

 

New-Run-Command.png

 

Retrieve the configuration of the FortiGate and import the configuration again:

 

After-Change.png

 

Both FortiGates are now synchronized in both Config Status and Policy Package Status. Verify further in Policy & Objects -> Advanced > Remote Certificate:

 

New-Final.png

 

FortiManager will have 2 unique remote certificates with unique values, and subsequent installs will not try to change the remote certificate.

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