7.2.2. Saving and Restoring iptables Rules

Firewall rules are only valid for the time the computer is on; so, if the system is rebooted, the rules are automatically flushed and reset. To save the rules so that they are loaded later, use the following command:

/sbin/service iptables save

The rules are stored in the file /etc/sysconfig/iptables and are applied whenever the service is started or restarted, including when the machine is rebooted.