About Feature Keys

A feature key enables a set of licensed features on your Firebox. When you get a new device, you must activate the device on the WatchGuard website to create a feature key. Then you must install the feature key on your device to enable all the device functions.

Many features are enabled by the feature key that is created when you activate your device. You can purchase upgrades and services to add functionality to your device. When you purchase a new option, upgrade, or renewal, you must activate it on the WatchGuard website to associate it with your device. WatchGuard then creates an updated feature key for your device, which you must update on the device to enable the new functionality. If your device does not have a feature key, you can use the Feature Key Wizard in Fireware Web UI to add it to your device.

For information about activation and how to get a feature key for your device, go to Get a Firebox Feature Key.

Review Features Enabled in the Current Feature Key

To review the features enabled in the current feature key on your device, from Fireware Web UI:

Connect to Fireware Web UI.
Select System > Feature Key.
The Feature Key page opens.

Screenshot of the Feature Key page.

For a FireCluster, the Web UI shows only the feature key of one cluster member. It shows the feature key of the cluster master, or, if you use the management IP address to connect to a specific member, it shows the feature key of that member. You cannot use the Feature Key page to remove the Feature Key for a member of a FireCluster.

To review the feature keys for both cluster members, you must use Policy Manager. For more information, go to About Feature Keys and FireCluster.

To review the features enabled in the current feature key on your device, from Policy Manager:

Open Policy Manager.
Select Setup > Feature Keys.
The Firebox Feature Key dialog box opens.

Screen shot of the Firebox Feature Key dialog box

The Summary section includes:

The device model number and serial number
The licensed software edition
A signature that uniquely identifies the feature key
For some feature keys, an expiration date for the entire feature key

If an expiration date appears in the Summary section, the key expires the day after this date at 12:00 am, based on the local time of the Firebox. When the feature key expires, some licensed features and capacities revert back to the values they had before the feature key was applied.

The Features section includes:

A list of available features
Whether the feature is enabled
Value assigned to the feature such as the maximum number of Mobile VPN users
For services, the expiration date, and time left until the service expires

About Feature Keys for a FireCluster

When you configure a FireCluster, you import feature keys for each cluster member. The FireCluster has a set of Cluster Features, which apply to the whole cluster. The Cluster Features are based on the feature keys for all devices in the cluster.

To manage the feature keys for a FireCluster

Open the device configuration in Policy Manager.
Select FireCluster > Configure.

For more information, go to About Feature Keys and FireCluster.

Enable Feature Key Synchronization and Expiration Notification

To enable the device to automatically download the latest feature key from the WatchGuard website when a feature is about to expire, you can select the Enable automatic feature key synchronization check box.

In Fireware 12.4 and higher, when automatic feature key synchronization is enabled, the device also synchronizes the feature key after you upgrade or downgrade Fireware OS or restore a backup image.

You can also configure the Firebox to send an alarm notification when a feature has expired, or is about to expire.

For more information, go to Enable Feature Key Synchronization and Alarm Notification.

Update the Feature Key

You can use Fireware Web UI or Firebox System Manager to download the latest feature key from your account on the WatchGuard website and install it on your device. For more information, go to Get a Firebox Feature Key.

You can also manually add or remove a feature key. For more information, go to Manually Add or Remove a Feature Key.

You cannot use Fireware Web UI to update the Feature Key for a member of a FireCluster.

Verify Feature Key Compliance

To make sure all configured features on your device are enabled in your feature key, from Policy Manager:

In the Policy Manager toolbar, click .
The Feature Key Compliance dialog box opens. The description indicates whether all configured features are in compliance with the feature key, or if a service has expired.
To update the feature key, in the Feature Key Compliance dialog box, click Add Feature Key.
The Firebox Feature Key dialog box opens.
Update the feature key. For more information, go to Manually Add or Remove a Feature Key or Download a Feature Key.