Chapter 10: Working with Network Address Translation

While commonly referred to as Network Address Translation (NAT), this term covers both NAT and Port Address Translation (PAT). In this chapter, we will learn how to use NAT (and PAT) to ensure that our traffic can reach its destinations. We will explore both automatic and manual NAT options. Additionally, we will see when the use of static or dynamic NAT is appropriate and look at a few specific cases where additional configuration in Gaia might be required to achieve the desired address translation. As you read about various configuration examples, you’ll be instructed to either apply the relevant ones to our lab or not, for those that are used for demonstration and explanation. While NAT is a universal subject in networking, it is important to understand Check Point’s implementation specifics.

In this chapter, we are going to cover the following main topics:

• The need for NAT
• NAT policies, rules, and...