Firewall management · Canada
Service group: Managed ITFirewall management with reviewed rules, current firmware and a record of every change
Your firewall decides what reaches your network from the internet and what leaves it. We keep its rules lean, its firmware patched, its VPNs working and its configuration documented.
At a glance
- Service
- Recurring administration of business firewalls and VPN gateways, delivered remotely by Podium Catchers
- Best suited to
- Canadian organizations of roughly 5 to 200 employees with one or more business-grade firewalls and remote staff or multiple sites
- Core inclusions
- Rule base reviews, firmware updates, VPN administration, security subscription management, configuration backups and change control (as scoped)
- Not included by default
- Firewall hardware, vendor subscription renewals, penetration testing, continuous alert response and after-hours changes unless written into the proposal
- Pricing basis
- Per firewall per month, confirmed in a written quotation; published figures are proposals pending approval
- Change control
- Every rule change is requested, approved by a named contact, backed up beforehand and logged with its business reason
- How to start
- Book a consultation or a Network Health Assessment that includes a firewall configuration review
What firewall management involves
A business firewall is configured once at installation and then, too often, left alone for years. Meanwhile, rules are added for a vendor who needed remote access in 2019, a port is opened for a camera system, and firmware falls several versions behind while the manufacturer publishes advisories about vulnerabilities in its VPN service. Edge devices are a common target for attackers precisely because they are internet-facing and rarely watched.
Firewall management is the disciplined upkeep of that device. We review the rule base on a schedule and remove what is no longer needed, apply firmware updates after checking release notes, administer client and site-to-site VPNs, keep intrusion prevention and web filtering subscriptions active and tuned, and back up the configuration before every change.
The defining part of the service is change control. No rule is added or removed without a request, an approval from your named contact, a recorded reason and a rollback plan. Over time that gives you a firewall whose every exception can be explained.
Firewall risks we commonly find
Rules nobody can explain
Port forwards and any-to-any allow rules created for long-gone vendors, cameras or tests, still exposing internal systems to the internet.
Outdated firmware on an internet-facing device
Firewalls several releases behind, missing fixes for published vulnerabilities in SSL VPN or management interfaces.
Lapsed security subscriptions
Intrusion prevention, gateway antivirus or web filtering licences expired quietly, so features shown on the dashboard no longer do anything.
Weak remote access
VPN accounts shared between staff, former employees still able to connect, and no multifactor authentication on remote access.
Key capabilities
Scheduled rule base reviews
Periodic review of every policy and NAT rule against its documented purpose, with unused, shadowed and overly broad rules removed after your approval.
Firmware lifecycle
Tracking vendor advisories, testing and applying firmware updates in maintenance windows, and expediting critical security fixes.
VPN administration
Client VPN profiles with multifactor authentication tied to Microsoft Entra ID or the vendor’s identity integration, plus site-to-site tunnels between offices.
Security service tuning
Intrusion prevention, application control, DNS and web filtering profiles configured for your business and reviewed when they block legitimate work.
Change control and backups
Requests, approvals, pre-change configuration backups and a change log that records who asked for what and why.
Log and alert review
Review of firewall logs and vendor alerts during covered hours, with suspicious activity escalated to your contact and our security team.
Scope at a glance
Each managed firewall is listed in your proposal along with review frequency.
Typically included
- Rule base and NAT review on an agreed schedule
- Firmware updates for listed firewalls in maintenance windows
- Client and site-to-site VPN configuration and user administration
- Security subscription monitoring and renewal reminders
- Configuration backups before and after every change
- Change requests handled with named-contact approval and logging
- Firewall log and alert review during covered hours
Requires separate scope or quotation
- Firewall hardware and vendor subscription purchases
- Penetration testing and formal vulnerability assessments
- Continuous 24/7 security monitoring and incident response
- Firewall replacements and migrations between vendors as projects
- Changes outside business hours unless written into the plan
Firewalls we commonly manage
We confirm model, firmware branch and subscription status during discovery.
- Fortinet FortiGate with FortiClient VPN and FortiGuard services
- SonicWall TZ and NSa series with Capture and content filtering services
- WatchGuard Firebox with Total Security subscriptions
- Cisco Meraki MX security appliances
- Ubiquiti UniFi gateways for smaller offices
- Microsoft Entra ID and RADIUS for VPN multifactor authentication
- WireGuard and IPsec site-to-site tunnels
Who this service fits
Firms with remote staff
Organizations whose employees connect through a VPN to reach files, line-of-business software or remote desktops.
Offices hosting internet-facing services
Businesses publishing a server, camera system, phone system or remote access portal through the firewall.
Organizations with privacy obligations
Clinics, accounting and legal practices that need documented control over network access as part of privacy-aware operations, alongside advice from their own qualified advisers.
What changes
- A smaller attack surface because unneeded rules are removed
- Firmware kept current on the device most exposed to the internet
- Remote access protected by multifactor authentication
- Every firewall exception documented with a business reason
- Security subscriptions you pay for actually enabled and tuned
- Fast rollback when a change has unintended effects
How we take over a firewall
Configuration capture
We back up the current configuration and record firmware, subscriptions and administrator accounts.
Baseline review
Every rule, NAT entry, VPN account and exposed service is reviewed and classified as needed, questionable or unused.
Proposal and clean-up plan
You receive a written scope and a list of recommended changes, each awaiting your approval.
Remediation
Approved clean-up, firmware updates and VPN multifactor authentication are implemented with rollback plans.
Ongoing management
Change requests, firmware cycles and scheduled rule reviews continue, with findings reported at each review.
Ways to engage
All options are confirmed by a written quotation.
Firewall review
A one-time configuration and rule review, delivered as part of the Network Health Assessment.
Managed firewall plan
Recurring management per firewall, combinable with network management and network monitoring.
Within a security-focused package
Firewall management alongside managed endpoint security and Microsoft 365 security in the Advanced package.
Frequently asked questions
How often are firewall rules reviewed?
Review frequency is set in your scope, commonly quarterly or semi-annually. Ad hoc reviews also happen after major changes such as a staff departure, vendor change or new site.
Can we request changes ourselves?
Yes. Your named contacts submit change requests through our ticketing process. We assess the risk, confirm approval, back up the configuration and then make the change.
Do you monitor the firewall around the clock?
Log and alert review happens during covered hours defined in your scope. Continuous monitoring and after-hours response are not included unless written into the proposal.
Our firewall is old. Can you still manage it?
If it still receives firmware updates from the manufacturer, generally yes. If it is end-of-life, we recommend replacement because security fixes will no longer be released.
Does managing the firewall make us secure?
It reduces risk at the network edge, but it is one layer. Endpoint protection, Microsoft 365 security, backups and staff awareness all matter, and we can scope those too.
Related services
Products and packages
Industries we support
Service areas
Find out what your firewall is really allowing
Book a consultation or a Network Health Assessment with a firewall review. You will receive findings and a written scope before any commitment.