Step 1: Inventory
Export rules from every firewall. Record what each rule protects and who owns it.
Step 2: Clean up
Remove rules that never match, consolidate duplicates and replace port-based rules with application-based ones where possible.
Step 3: Pick a starting point
Branches are often the easiest first move: their policies are similar and their appliances are expensive to maintain.
Step 4: Parallel run
Route a pilot site’s traffic through FWaaS while monitoring logs closely. Compare results with the old firewall.
Step 5: Cut over and expand
Move sites in waves. Keep rollback options until each wave is stable.
Step 6: Retire hardware
Decommission appliances as their sites move, avoiding the next refresh cycle.
