Remember your security services
With COVID-19 causing workplaces to shift from on premises to remote, network admins have had their hands full keeping employees connected and secure. We know there are plenty of factors to consider to make that happen. But one consideration that can’t get lost in the shuffle: security services subscriptions. These subscriptions have a shelf life, and if allowed to expire, that may render a lot of the effort to protect workplace data – and offer reliable remote access – moot.
Allow me to explain further. Firewalls – the cornerstone of any secure network – are not fully optimized security machines without a suite of security services to enhance their hardware. Those services can include (but are certainly not limited to):
- Advanced Threat Protection
- Antivirus
- Antispam
- Application Control
- Content filtering
- Data loss prevention
- Enhanced management capabilities
- Sandboxing
- SD-WAN services
- Web application firewalling
- Web surfing protection
- 24×7 Technical Support and Updates
This is just a partial list relating to firewalls, with services depending on the manufacturer. But when a security services subscription expires, it could leave your network vulnerable to all of the threats these services address – and leave you out in the cold when it comes to certain networking features you rely on.
What does this have to do with remote employees?
Service subscriptions extend beyond the firewall, with offerings like endpoint protection. This protection is a vital component to a secure remote workforce both to keep data from prying eyes and to offer enhanced visibility into remote devices for network admins. And of course the secure access offered by VPN clients or secure mobile access appliances benefits greatly from active support subscriptions as well. Network security pros can help troubleshoot any of the myriad issues that can arise when most of your employees are connecting remotely.
Additional subscriptions cover a variety of appliances from wireless access points to email gateways to network switches, as well as virtual appliances and other standalone services. Regardless, it’s vital to keep them up to date and renew before they expire to avoid interruptions that can stop your network in its tracks.
How do I know when expiration is nearing?
If you’re a Firewalls.com customer, we’ll send you email notifications starting 90 days from your service expiration date. So even with everything else going on, it’s another reason to keep up with your inbox. If you don’t receive these emails from either us or directly from your service provider, simply visit your manufacturer portal, reach out to your IT consultant, or start a chat on Firewalls.com and we’ll be happy to help too.
How do I renew?
Regardless of where you initially purchased service, this is an easy answer. Go to our Renewals & Licensing locator, choose your product and subscription type, and choose your preferred subscription length. Firewalls.com offers renewals and licensing for SonicWall, Fortinet, Sophos, WatchGuard, Ruckus, Cisco Meraki, and Barracuda.
A few things to keep in mind:
- You’ll pay a lower yearly cost and guard against any increases in subscription rates with a longer-term renewal
- Some services like Barracuda licenses come in month-to-month terms, while some come in 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5 year lengths
- If you upgrade to a new firewall, you can migrate your existing service subscriptions with you
If you have a question while you’re on the renewals page, wait for the chat popup, and one of our experts will be happy to assist you. Either way, it’s a quick and easy process, and your term will be extended before you know it. However you choose to renew, just remember, expired services hurt your network’s performance and security, so keep your subscriptions active!