Network maintenance
We keep your network and security devices up to date under a custom agreement, within a scope agreed with you.
Why it needs looking after
What builds up in a network left unattended
Even a well-configured network falls out of date if nobody looks after it. These problems build up slowly, and it usually takes an incident or an outage to bring them to light.
Network devices that get overlooked
Firewalls, switches, and access points all run software, and vulnerabilities get found in it. Many organizations check only their servers, while attackers often get in through the very network and edge devices that run outdated firmware. We covered this in our article on vulnerability management.
Expiring vendor support
Once vendor support for a device ends, it stops receiving security updates. If you find out in time, the replacement can be scheduled before a failure forces it.
Rule set sprawl
Every new request brings a new rule, but rules that are no longer needed rarely get removed. Within a few years the rule set reaches a point where nobody dares to touch it. Regular reviews keep it in order without replacing anything.
Configuration with no backup
For a full recovery, the data alone is not enough: without the firewall rules and the network configuration, there is nothing to restore it to.
What maintenance covers
What you get under the agreement
activities
- Firmware and software updates
- Periodic rule set review
- Handling vendor support cases
- Configuration backups and a change log
Related services
Deployment, audits, and operating system updates
Maintenance keeps an existing network in order. Deploying the devices, auditing the rule set in more depth, and updating operating systems are covered by separate services.
Firewall and VPN
Design, installation, and configuration of next-generation firewalls, together with VPN for site-to-site and remote access.
Switching and routing
Design and build of the switching and routing infrastructure of the local network, with redundancy.
Firewall configuration hardening audit
An audit of the rule sets and settings of your existing firewalls against accepted security recommendations, with remediation proposals ranked by priority.
Patch and update management
Centralized, scheduled management of updates for operating systems and third-party applications.
Frequently asked questions
What people usually ask about maintenance
What exactly does the agreement cover?
The agreement sets out which devices the maintenance covers, how often we review the rule set, and the time windows in which updates can be installed.
Do you also maintain networks built by someone else?
Yes. We take on the maintenance of a network built by someone else after an assessment.
What does handling vendor support cases mean?
If a device malfunctions or the vendor's help is needed, we open the case with the vendor and follow it through to closure. Your staff do not have to learn how each vendor's support system works.
Why keep a change log alongside configuration backups?
The configuration backup preserves the earlier state, and the change log records what changed and when. If a problem appears after a modification, the log points to the change that caused it, and the previous settings can be restored from the backup. We covered backups in general in our article on the 3-2-1 rule.
Does it also cover protection devices in industrial environments?
Maintaining protection devices installed in OT environments is a separate service, OT protection platform maintenance. It also runs under a custom agreement and does not include alert monitoring. Our industrial services are collected on the OT security page.
