“I’ve managed my own firewall for 20 years, so why change now?”
This is a question we hear many people asking themselves.
To start, the shift to cloud computing means most, if not all, of your applications are now operating on remote servers. This 24/7 dependence on constant internet access is a stark contrast to earlier times. Previously, losing internet meant limited external emails, but now it can halt entire operations, forcing employees to work from home, which isn’t always feasible in settings like hospitals or factories. The need for instant, automated decision-making due to rising energy costs makes any downtime extremely costly. Moreover, with AI in industrial setups linking to numerous external data sources, downtime due to a firewall issue can escalate into a significant business setback, in both time and money.
Yet despite the evolution of firewalls, they can often be overlooked in terms of their efficiency. Many organisations still manage their firewalls in-house, often unaware of the infrastructure management overheads they create. This can prevent IT teams from focusing on other essential activities, leading to vulnerabilities that go unnoticed until they become significant risks. Firewalls are a vital part of any cyber security posture, but their complexity and management demands can easily overwhelm teams without the right resources.
This is where Sapphire steps in. With our team of specialists, we provide the skilled resources to not merely install and configure your firewall, but to proactively manage it. We ensure that the necessary actions are taken before they become a risk to your organisation.
Sapphire’s Approach to Firewall Management
Our comprehensive service includes:
Aligning with Best Practice: ensure your firewall setup and management are configured to the latest industry standards.
Proactive 24/7 Monitoring and Maintenance: Our team constantly monitors your firewall to detect and respond to threats in real-time, preventing issues before they can cause disruption.
Threat Mitigation: We actively identify and block threats, ensuring your network remains secure against the ever-evolving cyber threat landscape.
Managing Complexity: Firewalls have grown more complex with modern technology, and we take the burden off your shoulders, handling the intricate management so you can focus on core operations.
Audit and Compliance: We ensure your firewall is always up to date with the latest software versions and compliance standards such as Cyber Essentials and ISO 27001.
The other critical aspect is less technical and more practical. Skilled staff are increasingly rare and need to focus on the most crucial tasks. Recent incidents that crippled global IT systems underline the importance of checking updates before deployment and gradually implementing changes to ensure business continuity. In the realm of firewalls, keeping up with the latest stable software version is vital not only for defence but also for compliance. Given that most ransomware incidents occur when staff are off-hours or working remotely, round-the-clock support is essential. When ransomware strikes, waiting until regular business hours or for on-call staff to respond can be far too late.
By choosing Sapphire’s firewall management service, you’ll benefit from our deep expertise, allowing you to focus on growing your business while we ensure your infrastructure remains secure and compliant.
For further information around how Sapphire can help you to secure your infrastructure, please contact us on 0845 58 27001
