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How Does Modularity Work?
Figure 1: Optional modules to support the appropriate M4600 or M5600 configuration.
The image above is from the modular configuration tool on the WatchGuard website at
http://www.watchguard.com/wgrd-products/firebox-m4600-m5600/overview
. This tool displays the
modules that are available for each appliance, and allows the user to interactively drag a module to an
empty bay to explore configuration options.
Note that the base configuration for an M4600 includes 8 x 1 G Ethernet ports. The maximum
throughput for that appliance is limited by the line speed of the network ports to a total of 8 Gbps.
Adding more ports with network modules unlocks the performance capacity of the appliance, allowing it
to achieve its maximum potential firewall throughput of 40 Gbps. Firewall throughput is measured using
1518 byte UDP packets through multiple port pairs.
The Firebox automatically detects installed interface modules when it is powered on. Interface modules
are not hot-swappable. To avoid damage to the system, admins need to power off the Firebox before
installing or removing interface modules.
