Can I use PA Policy Based Forwarding to forward user Http and https port traffic to a squid proxy server (tcp port: 8080)?

[SHKP]

Can I use PA Policy Based Forwarding to forward user Http and https port traffic to a squid proxy server (tcp port: 8080)?

[vkelley · Accepted solution]

Yes, Policy Based Forwarding will work for forwarding traffic passing through the PA based on the PBF rules setup.  Would suggest reviewing the following:

Special notes:

PBF Takes place before route look-up (routing table)

PBF does not function for host bound traffic, IPSec Tunnel to the PA, Global Protect Connection, so forth.  Any traffic destined to or from a PA interface will not match a PBF rule

When using Applications for PBF rules be aware Application signature match for TCP traffic comes after the 3-way handshake.  So PBF rule may not match the initial 3-way handshake

and thus traverse the PA based on route look-up. 

For the specific question would suggest service (http/https) for matching criteria in rule.

[mikand]

So uhm... what CAN a PBF based on appid be used for?

[ericgearhart]

Wait a second... what you describe sounds as if you're trying to transparently have web traffic make it over to your squid proxy.

Normally you'd use WCCP for this... is policy based forwarding how you'd do this with Palo Alto?

[vkelley]

Comment of TCP was a word of caution based on application signature match. 

TCP:

syn->

syn-ack <-

ack->

All standard TCP packets no payload to run signature match on. After the 3-way signature match will come into play

and a l7 processing completed.  If rule is based on TCP app-sig will not match until l7 processing done.  Note so

far this is TCP.  UDP is different matter since initiating packets will have a payload to that can be l7 processed. 

Also if company is using any application overrides (skipping l7 processing) these can also match based on initial packet.

TCP: Caution

UDP: Okay

App-Override (l7 skipped): Okay

Most PBF I have seen in cases is more for source based routing and ISP redundancy.  Not for load balancing of applications.

Not to say though forcing UDP sessions or TCP (with service setup) would not work.  For example in the initial question in this discussion if setup for port 8080.