What end-of-life really means
When a firewall reaches end-of-support, the vendor stops releasing firmware fixes and, eventually, threat signatures. The box keeps passing traffic, so nothing looks wrong, but it stops getting protection against new vulnerabilities, including ones in the firewall itself.
Why it's a security problem
Edge devices such as firewalls and VPN gateways have been a favourite target for attackers because they're internet-facing and often patched slowly. An unsupported edge device is an open invitation.
Plan the migration 6 to 9 months out
- Check end-of-sale and end-of-support dates for every firewall and VPN appliance.
- Re-size for today's traffic with SSL inspection on. Needs have usually grown.
- Use the migration to clean up the rule base, not just copy it.
- Align the new subscription term with your budget cycle.
- Book a cutover window and keep the old unit as rollback for a short period.
How we help
Our firewall migration service converts and optimises your rules, and our buying guide explains sizing.