What is WAN attribute?

Hi guys, I'm new to Sangfor products such as NGFW. Just wondering what is WAN attribute used for?

1.Does the WAN attribute is a method to find its next hope or default gateway?

2.Does the WAN attribute only used for internet access or other things as well?

A WAN attribute is a characteristic of a wide area network (WAN) that is agreed upon by the service provider and the subscriber. It describes some aspect of the service behavior, such as the bandwidth, latency, or security. The values of WAN attributes are determined by agreement between the subscriber and service provider, subject to constraints imposed by the service description.

Here are some examples of WAN attributes:

Bandwidth: The maximum amount of data that can be transferred over the WAN in a given unit of time.
Latency: The time it takes for a packet of data to travel from one end of the WAN to the other.
Security: The measures in place to protect data from unauthorized access or modification.
Availability: The percentage of time that the WAN is available for use.
Reliability: The likelihood that data will be delivered without errors.
Cost: The price of the WAN service.
The specific WAN attributes that are agreed upon will depend on the needs of the subscriber. For example, a business that needs to transfer large amounts of data quickly will need a WAN with a high bandwidth. A business that needs to ensure the security of its data will need a WAN with strong security measures in place.

WAN attributes are important because they help to ensure that the service provider and subscriber are on the same page about what the WAN can and cannot do. This can help to avoid problems and misunderstandings down the road.

WAN connection features (like speed, reliability). Used for setting up and managing efficient long-distance network links.

HiHi,


Q1. Does the WAN attribute is a method to find its next hope or default gateway?
A1. Yes, WAN attributes can be used to determine the default gateway or next hop for traffic exiting the internal network towards the internet or other external networks. The firewall uses metrics like bandwidth, latency, reliability etc. of the WAN links to select the best path.


Q2. Does the WAN attribute only used for internet access or other things as well?
A2. The WAN attribute is primarily used to designate external internet interfaces, but can also be used for interfaces connecting to other WANs like MPLS networks, leased lines, etc.

The WAN attribute in Sangfor NGFW is used to identify the type of WAN connection that is being used. This information is used by the firewall to route traffic appropriately.

The WAN attribute can be used to find the next hop or default gateway for a particular network traffic. It can also be used to determine the type of traffic that is allowed or denied on a particular WAN connection.

The WAN attribute can be used for both internet access and other types of WAN connections, such as VPNs and MPLS.

Here are some of the things that the WAN attribute can be used for:

• Routing traffic to the correct destination.
• Applying security policies to traffic based on the WAN connection.
• Monitoring WAN traffic usage.
• Troubleshooting WAN connectivity problems.
  
  

The WAN attribute is a valuable tool for managing and securing WAN connections. It can be used to improve the performance and security of your network.

Here are the answers to your questions:

• Yes, the WAN attribute is a method to find the next hop or default gateway. The firewall uses the WAN attribute to determine the IP address of the next router that traffic should be sent to.
• The WAN attribute can be used for both internet access and other things as well. For example, you can use the WAN attribute to configure a VPN connection or an MPLS connection.
  
  

I hope this helps!

WAN attributes generally refer to the characteristics, properties, and features that define the behavior and capabilities of a wide area network. These attributes play a crucial role in determining the performance and usability of the network for various applications and users.