Setting Up Port Mirroring with Remote Mirroring Destination in vSphere 7 to Arctic Wolf Virtual Sensor

Here’s a guide on setting up port mirroring with a remote mirroring destination in vSphere 7 to an Arctic Wolf virtual sensor:

Prerequisites:

• vCenter Server 7
• Distributed Switch configured on the ESXi host where the source VMs reside
• Arctic Wolf virtual sensor deployed and running on a separate VM
• Network connectivity between the ESXi host and the Arctic Wolf virtual sensor

Steps:

1. Access vCenter Server: Login to vCenter Server using the vSphere Client.

2. Navigate to Distributed Switch: Locate the distributed switch connected to the ESXi host where the source VMs reside. Right-click on the switch and select “Settings.”

3. Configure Port Mirroring:

   • Under “Security,” select “Port Mirroring.”
   • Click “New” to create a new port mirroring session.
   • Choose “Remote Mirroring Destination” as the session type.

4. Specify Session Details:

   • Enter a descriptive name for the session (e.g., “Mirror to Arctic Wolf Sensor”).
   • (Optional) Add a description for further clarification.
   • Leave “Status” set to “Disabled” for now.

5. Select Source VLANs:

   • Click “Add” to specify the VLANs or uplink ports you want to mirror traffic from.
   • Select the desired VLANs or uplink ports from the list.
   • You can choose multiple VLANs or ports for mirroring.

6. Configure Destination:

   • Click “Browse” next to “Destination Port.”
   • Navigate to the VM where the Arctic Wolf virtual sensor is deployed.
   • Select the network adapter connected to the network where the Arctic Wolf sensor expects mirrored traffic.

7. Review and Enable:

   • Review all the configuration details you’ve entered.
   • Ensure the source VLANs, destination port, and session type are correct.
   • Click “OK” to save the port mirroring session configuration.

8. Enable Port Mirroring:

   • Right-click on the newly created port mirroring session and select “Start.”

9. Verify Traffic Flow (Optional):

   • Consult the Arctic Wolf documentation for instructions on how to verify if traffic is being received by the virtual sensor. This might involve checking logs or using specific tools provided by Arctic Wolf.

Additional Notes:

• Ensure the Arctic Wolf virtual sensor is configured to receive mirrored traffic on the selected port. Refer to their documentation for specific configuration steps.
• Consider enabling promiscuous mode on the destination port of the Arctic Wolf virtual sensor to ensure it captures all traffic, including non-unicast packets.
• Packet capture tools on the Arctic Wolf virtual sensor can be used to confirm if traffic is being mirrored correctly.

Troubleshooting:

• Double-check the network connectivity between the ESXi host and the Arctic Wolf virtual sensor.
• Verify the Arctic Wolf virtual sensor is configured to accept mirrored traffic on the selected port.
• If using promiscuous mode, ensure it’s enabled on the correct network adapter of the Arctic Wolf virtual sensor.
• Consult the vSphere documentation and Arctic Wolf documentation for specific troubleshooting steps related to port mirroring and virtual sensor configuration.
• Contact your network administrator or Arctic Wolf support team for further assistance if the issue persists.

Security Considerations:

• Port mirroring copies all traffic on the selected port(s), including sensitive data.
• Ensure the network path between the source and destination is secure to prevent unauthorized access to mirrored traffic.

By following these steps and considering the security aspects, you should be able to successfully set up port mirroring with a remote mirroring destination to your Arctic Wolf virtual sensor in vSphere 7.