Object group

This help contains the following topics:

·     Introduction

¡     Object groups

¡     Time ranges

·     Restrictions and guidelines

Introduction

Object groups

An object group is a group of objects that can be used by other service modules to identify packets. Object groups are divided into the following types:

·     IPv4 address object group—A group of IPv4 address objects used to match the IPv4 address in a packet.

·     IPv6 address object group—A group of IPv6 address objects used to match the IPv6 address in a packet.

·     MAC address object group—A group of MAC address objects used to match the MAC address in a packet.

·     Service object group—A group of service objects used to match the protocol type and protocol characteristics (such as TCP/UDP source/destination port and ICMP message type and code) in a packet.

A packet is considered matching an object group if it matches an object in the group.

For simplicity purposes, object groups support object group nesting to allow one object group to use another object group as an object.

Time ranges

You can implement a service based on the time of the day by applying a time range to it. A time-based service takes effect only in time periods specified by the time range. If a time range does not exist, the service based on the time range does not take effect.

The following basic types of time ranges are available:

·     Periodic time range—Recurs periodically on a day or days of the week.

·     Absolute time range—Represents only a period of time and does not recur.

A time range is uniquely identified by the time range name. You can create a maximum of 1024 time ranges, each with a maximum of 32 periodic statements and 12 absolute statements. The active period of a time range is calculated as follows:

1.     Combining all periodic statements.

2.     Combining all absolute statements.

3.     Taking the intersection of the two statement sets as the active period of the time range.

Restrictions and guidelines

·     The system supports a maximum of five object group hierarchy layers. For example, if groups 1, 2, 3, and 4 use groups 2, 3, 4, and 5, respectively, group 5 cannot use another group and group 1 cannot be used by another group.

·     Two object groups cannot use each other at the same time.