Policy review
Identify required traffic, obsolete rules and remote access dependencies with the system owners.
Firewall Upgrades
A next generation firewall controls traffic by application, user and content as well as by address and port, and can add intrusion prevention and encrypted traffic inspection. Umbrella Tech plans and delivers firewall upgrades for Australian organisations replacing an ageing or unsupported business firewall: we review the existing rules, design a clean policy and manage a tested cutover with full documentation.
The problem
The challenge we help you address
Years of rule changes leave redundant access, undocumented exceptions and remote access added as an afterthought. Copying every old rule into new hardware carries those problems forward, and a firewall nobody understands is hard to change safely during an incident.
The outcome
What the engagement should deliver
A firewall replacement that leaves a clearer policy than the one it replaced, an environment your operating team can maintain, and evidence that business services work after cutover. Required connectivity is preserved, while exceptions and administrative responsibilities become visible.
How we can help
Target configuration
Plan zones, application rules, inspection, administration, logging and configuration backup.
Remote access
Review VPN and remote user access and bring it under the same policy where the platform allows.
Cutover and validation
Test business services, confirm rule behaviour and document the deployed policy.
What makes a firewall next-generation
A traditional firewall allows or blocks traffic by IP address and port. A next-generation firewall (NGFW) also identifies the application and the user behind the traffic, and typically adds intrusion prevention, URL filtering and inspection of encrypted traffic. These features only help if the policy is designed to use them, which is why the rule review matters as much as the hardware. We recommend a platform on fit rather than brand; Palo Alto Networks Security describes one platform we design and implement.
How we deliver
How a firewall upgrade runs
01
Capture
Export the current configuration, record traffic in use and test the services that work today.
02
Rebuild the policy
Translate required rules into the new design, removing what nobody can justify.
03
Cut over
Swap the firewall in an agreed window, with the old unit ready for rollback.
04
Validate
Test each business service with users and record the result.
Proof from a recent replacement
For an IT provider's client in Western Australia, we replaced the firewall, switch and Wi-Fi access points onsite in one visit, tested internet, VPN, printing and phones with staff, and handed over a complete record. Read the Rosh Tech case study.
Frequently asked questions
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What is a next-generation firewall?
A firewall that makes decisions using the application, user and content of traffic, not only its address and port. Most also include intrusion prevention, web filtering and encrypted traffic inspection, which need deliberate configuration to be useful.
When should a business upgrade its firewall?
When the current unit reaches end of vendor support, runs out of throughput, cannot support the remote access you need, or when the rule base can no longer be explained. A firewall audit can tell you whether a clean-up or a replacement is the better step.
Will you reuse our existing firewall rules?
We review each rule against current requirements. Necessary rules are carried forward, while redundant or unclear access is checked with the relevant system owners before it is removed.
How long does a firewall upgrade take?
It depends on the size of the rule base, the number of sites and remote access arrangements, equipment lead times and available change windows. Scope and timing are confirmed in discovery.
What are the main security or governance considerations?
Who can administer the firewall, how changes are approved and logged, where logs are kept, and how the configuration is backed up. Each rule should have an owner and a reason.
Plan the next improvement
Tell us about your current firewall, your sites and how people connect remotely. We will help define a practical starting point.