156-836 Checkpoint Check Point Certified Maestro Expert (CCME) R81.X Free Practice Exam Questions (2025 Updated)

A downlink interface is a physical or virtual interface that connects a security gateway to an orchestrator. It allows the security gateway to send and receive configuration updates, policy changes, and other data from the orchestrator.

References = [Check Point R81.10 for Scalable Platforms - Check Point Software], [Scalable Platforms (Maestro and Chassis) comparison between versions - Check Point Software], [Check Point R81.10 AI & ML Driven Threat Prevention and Security Management - Check Point Blog].

•The Quantum Maestro Orchestrator uses the Distribution Mode to assign incoming traffic to Security Group Members.

•Reference: Working with the Distribution Mode

MHOs process traffic in Active-Active mode, which means that both MHOs are active and share theload of the traffic that is sent to and from the SGMs. Active-Active mode provides better performance and scalability than Active-Standby mode, which only uses one MHO at a time and keeps the other as a backup. Active-Active mode also allows for faster failover and recovery in case of an MHO failure, as the surviving MHO can take over the traffic without interruption.

References

•Maestro Expert (CCME) Course - Check Point Software, page 25

•CheckPoint Certified Maestro Expert (CCME) - Skillzcafe, page 2

•Check Point Certified Maestro Expert (CCME) R81.X - Global Knowledge, page 2

The asg perf -v command is used to find bottlenecks in the system that are affecting performance, even functionality in some cases. The asg perf -v command displays the performance statistics of the Security Group Modules (SGMs) in the Security Group, such as throughput, packet rate, CPU utilization, memory usage, and more. The asg perf -v command also shows the distribution mode and the correction rate of each SGM, which can indicate potential issues with asymmetric routing or load balancing. The asg perf -v command can help identify which SGMs are overloaded, underutilized, or misconfigured, and provide insights for troubleshooting and optimization.

References =

•Check Point Maestro R81.X Administration Guide, page 67, section “asg perf” 1

•Check Point Maestro R81.X Getting Started Guide, page 29, section “asg perf” 2

•Check Point Maestro Under the Hood presentation by Lari Luoma, slide 26

1: https://www.manualslib.com/manual/2031661/Check-Point-Maestro-R80-20sp.html 2: https://sc1.checkpoint.com/documents/R81/WebAdminGuides/EN/CP_R81_Maestro_GettingStarted/html_frameset.htm : https://community.checkpoint.com/fyrhh23835/attachments/fyrhh23835/maestro/1191/1/Check%20Mates%20Maestro%20under%20the%20hood%202022.pptx

The Correction Layer is a Maestro component that ensures that packets from the same connection are handled by the same Security Group Module (SGM) in a multi-appliance system. This is especially important when NAT is involved, as packets sent from the client to the server can be distributed to a different SGM than packets from the same session sent from the server to the client. The Correction Layer must then forward the packet to the correct SGM.

Page 313 from the training manual:

- Restart the service:

orchd restart

- Restart the service without confirmation

service orchd restart

Network mode is the distribution mode that assigns packets to an SGM based solely on the packet destination IP. In this mode, the Orchestrator uses a hash function to map each destination IP to a specific SGM. This mode ensures that all packets with the same destination IP are processed by the same SGM, regardless of the source IP or port. This mode is suitable for scenarios where the destination IP is the main factor for load balancing, such as NAT or VPN.

References

•Check Point Certified Maestro Expert (CCME) R81.X Courseware, Module 2: Maestro Security Groups, Lesson 2.4: Traffic Flow, page 2-19

•Check Point R81 Maestro Administration Guide, Chapter 2: Maestro Security Groups, Section: Traffic Distribution, page 2-7

•Maestro basic setup documentation - Page 2 - Check Point CheckMates

Dual Orchestrators work as an Active-Active cluster, which means that both Orchestrators are active and share the load of the traffic that is sent to and from the Security Group Members (SGMs). Active-Active cluster provides better performance and scalability than Active-Standby cluster, which only uses one Orchestrator at a time and keeps the other as a backup. Active-Active cluster also allows for faster failover and recovery in case of an Orchestrator failure, as the surviving Orchestrator can take over the traffic without interruption.

References

•Maestro Expert (CCME) Course - Check Point Software, page 25

•CheckPoint Certified Maestro Expert (CCME) - Skillzcafe, page 2

•Check Point Certified Maestro Expert (CCME) R81.X - Global Knowledge, page 2

A Dual Site setup can have either two or four orchestrators, depending on the scenario. However, the maximum number of orchestrators per Security Group is four, regardless of the number of sites. This is because each Security Group can have up to two orchestrators on each site, and each site can have up to two orchestrators. Therefore, the maximum number of orchestrators in a Dual Site setup is four per Security Group.

References =

•Maestro Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

•Maestro Dual Site configuration with a direct connection through L2 switches

•Dual Site Single Maestro Hyperscale Orchestrator Cluster (Dual Site Single MHO Redundancy)

The SMO Master is the SGM that is responsible for synchronizing the configuration and policy with the other SGMs in the security group. The SMO Master is automatically designated as the SGM with the lowest member ID, which is usually the first one added to the security group. The SMO Master can be changed manually if needed.

"Asg stat -v" could be a part of the core diagnostic tools, providing valuable statistics and information for manual diagnostics.

References =

•Maestro Expert (CCME) Course - Check Point Software 3

•Check Point Maestro R81.X Administration Guide 1

•Check Point Maestro R81.X Getting Started Guide 2

3: https://www.checkpoint.com/downloads/training/ccme-maestro-expert-r81.10-course.pdf 1: https://www.manualslib.com/manual/2031661/Check-Point-Maestro-R80-20sp.html 2: https://sc1.checkpoint.com/documents/R81/WebAdminGuides/EN/CP_R81_Maestro_GettingStarted/html_frameset.htm

One of the benefits of a Dual MHO environment is that it can provide both scalability and redundancy to the Maestro system. Scalability means that the system can handle more traffic and SGMs as the demand grows, and redundancy means that the system can survive the failure of one or more components without losing functionality or performance. Dual MHOs can achieve these benefits by distributing the load and the management tasks among two orchestrators, and by providing backup and failover mechanisms for each other.

References

•Maestro Expert (CCME) Course - Check Point Software, page 251

•CheckPoint Certified Maestro Expert (CCME) - Skillzcafe, page 22

•Check Point Certified Maestro Expert (CCME) R81.X, page 23

The Pre-Upgrade Verifier is a tool that checks the compatibility and readiness of the Maestro environment for the upgrade process. It verifies the current version, the target version, the hardware requirements, the configuration settings, and the license validity of the Maestro Orchestrators and the Security Groups. It also identifies any potential issues or risks that might affect the upgrade and provides recommendations on how to resolve them. The Pre-Upgrade Verifier should be run before importing the R81.10 software package and before performing the actual upgrade.

References =

•Check Point R81.10 for Scalable Platforms - Check Point Software

•CHECK POINT MAESTRO EXPERT

In a Maestro Dual Site environment, the Standby Site is defined as the site that is not currently handling traffic for a specific Security Group (SG). Instead, it maintains synchronized connections with its Security Group Members (SGMs) via the Maestro Hyperscale Orchestrators (MHOs), ensuring it is ready to take over in the event of a failover. This setup enhances high availability and disaster recovery.

Exact Extract:

“In a Maestro Dual Site environment, the Standby Site is the site that is not handling any traffic for the specific Security Group, but its connections are synced to its Security Group Members (SGMs) from the Maestro Hyperscale Orchestrators (MHOs) to be ready in the event of a failover. This ensures high availability and seamless failover capabilities.”

—Check Point Certified Maestro Expert (CCME) R81.X Courseware, Module 3: Dual Orchestrator Environment, Lesson 3.1: Introduction to Dual Orchestrator Environment, page 3-7

—Check Point R81 Maestro Administration Guide, Chapter 3: Working with Security Group Modules, Section: Dual Site Configuration, page 3-9

Explanation of Options:

A. The Standby Site is the site that is not handling any traffic…: Correct, as this accurately describes the role of the Standby Site in a Dual Site environment, per the documentation.

B. There is no such thing as an active site…: Incorrect, as Maestro Dual Site environments explicitly define Active and Standby Sites, not load-balanced traffic across both sites.

C. The Standby Site is the second site to have been defined…: Incorrect, as the Standby Site is defined by its role (not handling traffic), not the order of configuration.

D. The Standby Site is the site currently handling the enforcement…: Incorrect, as this describes the Active Site, not the Standby Site.

The sx_api_ports_dump.py command is used to display port mapping and traffic distribution details for Security Groups and Orchestrator ports. This command must be run on the Maestro Hyperscale Orchestrator (MHO), as it is the device responsible for managing communication and configuration of Security Groups and Security Group Members (SGMs). It does not function on the Management server, Security Group, or SMO Appliance, as these components do not have the same role or access to Orchestrator-specific port data.

Exact Extract:

“The sx_api_ports_dump.py command should be run on the Orchestrator, which is the device that manages the communication and the configuration of the Security Groups and the SGMs. The command shows the port mapping and the traffic distribution for each Security Group, as well as the backplane bonds and the Orchestrator ports. The command does not work on the Management server, the Security Group, or the SMO Appliance, as they do not have the same role and functionality as the Orchestrator.”

—Check Point Certified Maestro Expert (CCME) R81.X Courseware, Module 2: Maestro Security Groups, Lesson 2.4: Traffic Flow, page 2-20

—Check Point R81 Maestro Administration Guide, Chapter 2: Maestro Security Groups, Section: Traffic Distribution, page 2-8

Explanation of Options:

A. Management server: Incorrect, as the Management server does not manage Orchestrator port configurations or traffic distribution.

B. Security Group: Incorrect, as Security Groups (SGMs) do not have direct access to Orchestrator port data.

C. Orchestrator: Correct, as the Orchestrator is the device where this command is executed to retrieve port and traffic distribution information.

D. SMO Appliance: Incorrect, as the Single Management Object (SMO) Appliance does not handle Orchestrator-specific port management.