Today I will show you how to configure PfSense NetFlow export on one of the more popular open source firewalls.
It is a great firewall that includes a long list of related features, as well as a package system that allows for further expandability. One of the many packages available is pfflowd, which converts OpenBSD PF status messages into Cisco NetFlow datagrams. This allows you export it to an external collector and gives historical reporting of your network activity. Installing this package is very easy and takes very little time, here are three steps to get you going:
- Simply navigate to System > Packages > Available Packages.
- Click on the plus box to the right of pfflowd to begin the installation.
- You can find its configuration at the following location: Services > pfflowd. In this menu you need to set the host IP and change the NetFlow Version to 5, and NetFlow is now being exported to your flow collector.
Do you know what, where and who has been hogging the bandwidth on your network? If not, what is stopping you? Even open source software supports NetFlow, so there’s no excuse to ignore its full potential. Call us today if you need help configuring your PfSense NetFlow export!