How to use App Rules to Limit Bandwidth of Windows Updates on SonicOS 5.9.x.x and 6.2.x.x

Resolution for SonicOS 6.5

This release includes significant user interface changes and many new features that are different from the SonicOS 6.2 and earlier firmware. The below resolution is for customers using SonicOS 6.5 firmware.

How to use App Rules to Limit Bandwidth of Windows Updates on SonicOS 5.9.x.x and 6.2.x.x

This article will show how to limit the bandwidth of Windows Updates by using an App Rules Policy.

Procedure:
Step 1: Enable Bandwidth Management on the WAN interface.
Step 2: Create an Application List Object.
Step 3: Create a Bandwidth Object.
Step 4: Create an Action Object.
Step 5: Create an App Rule Policy to Enforce Bandwidth Limitation.


Step 1: Enable Bandwidth Management on the WAN interface.
In order to enable Bandwidth Management on SonicOS 6.5.x.x  first go into Manage | Firewall Settings | BandWidth Management and select the Advanced radio button.

Next, navigate to Manage | Network| Interfaces and configure the X1, or WAN, interface.  On the Advanced tab check the boxes to enable ingress and egress bandwidth limitation. Then enter the maximum ingress and egress speeds of the WAN connection.  In the example below, the upload and download speeds are both 100,000kbps or 100mbps.

Step 2: Create an Application List Object.
Once Bandwidth Management is enabled, navigate to Mange | Objects | Match Objects and select the Add > Application List Object 

In the new window that pops up, check the APP-UPDATE category, then select the Microsoft Windows Updates option.  This will then be added to the Application Group.  Then click the Save Application Match Object button to add the object.

The object will then be displayed as a Match Object.

 
Step 3: Create a Bandwidth Object.
Once the Match Object has been created, select Bandwidth Objects from the Firewall section of SonicOS. Go to Manage | Objects | Bandwidth Objects

Click Add to create the Bandwidth Object that will limit the bandwidth of Windows updates.

Step 4: Create an Action Object

Under Manage | Objects | Action Objects, click to add a new action object.  Select the Action to be Bandwidth Management, and populate the Bandwidth Object boxes with the object created in step 3.

Step 5: Create an App Rule Policy to Enforce Bandwidth Limitation.
Go to Manage > Rules > Application Control, select Add New Policy. On the App Control Policy Settings page, set the Policy Type as App Control Content, and add in the Match Objects and Action Objects created in step 2 and 4.  When the settings are as desired, click Ok.

Once the App Rules Policy is created it will be listed as a policy.  Finally, make sure the boxes are checked to enable the policy and App Rules itself.

Resolution for SonicOS 6.2 and Below

The below resolution is for customers using SonicOS 6.2 and earlier firmware. For firewalls that are generation 6 and newer we suggest to upgrade to the latest general release of SonicOS 6.5 firmware.

How to use App Rules to Limit Bandwidth of Windows Updates on SonicOS 5.9.x.x and 6.2.x.x

This article will show how to limit the bandwidth of Windows Updates by using an App Rules Policy.

Procedure:
Step 1: Enable Bandwidth Management on the WAN interface.
Step 2: Create an Application List Object.
Step 3: Create a Bandwidth Object.
Step 4: Create an Action Object.
Step 5: Create an App Rule Policy to Enforce Bandwidth Limitation.


Step 1: Enable Bandwidth Management on the WAN interface.
In order to enable Bandwidth Management on SonicOS 5.9.x.x and6.2.x.x first go into Firewall Settings | BWM and select the Advanced radio button.

Next, navigate to Network| Interfaces and configure the X1, or WAN, interface.  On the Advanced tab check the boxes to enable ingress and egress bandwidth limitation. Then enter the maximum ingress and egress speeds of the WAN connection.  In the example below, the upload and download speeds are both 100,000kbps or 100mbps.

Step 2: Create an Application List Object.
Once Bandwidth Management is enabled, navigate to Firewall | Match Objects and select the Add Application List Object button.

In the new window that pops up, check the APP-UPDATE category, then select the Microsoft Windows Updates option.  This will then be added to the Application Group.  Then click the Save Application Match Object button to add the object.

The object will then be displayed as a Match Object.
 
Step 3: Create a Bandwidth Object.
Once the Match Object has been created, select Bandwidth Objects from the Firewall section of SonicOS. Click Add to create the Bandwidth Object that will limit the bandwidth of Windows updates.

Step 4: Create an Action Object.
Under Firewall | Action Objects, click to add a new action object.  Select the Action to be Bandwidth Management, and populate the Bandwidth Object boxes with the object created in step 3.

Step 5: Create an App Rule Policy to Enforce Bandwidth Limitation.
Under the App Rules section of the Firewall, under App Rules Policies, select Add New Policy.  On the App Control Policy Settings page, set the Policy Type as App Control Content, and add in the Match Objects and Action Objects created in step 2 and 4.  When the settings are as desired, click Ok.

Once the App Rules Policy is created it will be listed as a policy.  Finally, make sure the boxes are checked to enable the policy and App Rules itself.