Comprehensive and Detailed In-Depth Step-by-Step Explanation:Panorama is Palo Alto Networks’ centralized management platform for managing firewalls, including VM-Series, across various environments. The Palo Alto Networks Systems Engineer Professional - Software Firewall documentation outlines the requirements for integrating and managing VM-Series firewalls with Panorama.
VM-Series firewall plugin (Option C): To manage VM-Series firewalls with Panorama, the VM-Series firewall plugin must be installed and enabled in Panorama. This plugin allows Panorama to recognize and manage VM-Series instances, enabling centralized policy enforcement, configuration management, logging, and monitoring. The documentation specifies that the plugin is essential for integrating virtual firewalls into Panorama, ensuring compatibility and functionality for both public cloud and on-premises deployments.
Options A (VPN connection from the firewall to Panorama), B (VM-Series REST API script), and D (Panorama template) are incorrect. A VPN connection (Option A) is not required for management; Panorama communicates with VM-Series via secure channels (e.g., HTTPS) over the network, not necessarily a VPN. A VM-Series REST API script (Option B) is used for automation, not for general management integration with Panorama, which relies on the plugin. Panorama templates (Option D) are used for configuration management but are not a requirement for managing VM-Series; the plugin is the critical component for integration.
References: Palo Alto Networks Systems Engineer Professional - Software Firewall, Section: Panorama Management, VM-Series Integration Guide, Panorama Plugins Documentation.