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HeikoAnkenbrand
MVP Gold
MVP Gold
Tuesday

ClusterXL vs. ElasticXL

In the past few weeks, I’ve worked on several projects where I had to decide whether to continue using ClusterXL or switch to ElasticXL.

That’s why I keep asking myself: what is the ideal choice to use at the moment?

What are your experiences, and which path are you choosing?


ClusterXL 
R82 ClusterXL Administration Guide - ClusterXL Modes
Advantages Disadvantages
Mature and proven technology – ClusterXL has been around for many versions and is well-documented. Limited scalability: Sync overhead grows with the number of cluster members, especially in Load Sharing mode.
Supports both High Availability (HA) and Load Sharing (Active/Active) modes. IPv6 limitations: Historically limited in Load Sharing mode.
HA mode provides simple redundancy: one active member and one standby, ideal for traditional failover setups. Less future-oriented: Not designed for dynamic scaling or on-the-fly resource expansion.
Load Sharing mode allows multiple members to process traffic simultaneously, increasing throughput.  
Extensive field experience – well-understood by admins and supported by many best practices.  
VSX support  

 


ElasticXL
R82 Scalable Platforms Administration Guide - Working with ElasticXL Cluster
Advantages Disadvantages
Modern architecture: Introduced in Check Point R82 as a next-generation clustering model. New technology: Still relatively new, so there’s less real-world experience and potential early-stage issues.
Single Management Object (SMO): The cluster is managed as one unified gateway object, simplifying administration. Feature limitations: Some traditional modes (like “Traditional VSX”) are not yet supported.
Simplified scalability: Members can be added or removed on the fly, cloning configuration and software automatically from the SMO. Migration effort: Moving from ClusterXL to ElasticXL requires planning and possibly new tools or workflows. 
The conversion tool from VSX to VSNext will be released later.
Dual-site support: Enables deployment across two physical locations. Operational learning curve: ElasticXL introduces new management and deployment concepts that differ from classic clusters.
Improved flexibility and scaling: Designed for elastic, cloud-like environments with dynamic growth.  
VSNext support  

 

 

➜ CCSM Elite, CCME, CCTE ➜ www.checkpoint.tips
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