GMS End of Life and NSM Transition FAQ

NOTE: SonicWall announces End-of-Life for GMS. For more details, please click here :GMS EOL Announcement 

Product Life Cycle

What are the key dates in the GMS End of Life process?

• Last Order Day Announcement: 5/1/2025 
• Last Order Day (LOD): 10/1/2025
• Active Retirement Mode (ARM) and Limited Retirement Mode (LRM): 10/1/2025
• End of Support (EOS): 9/30/2026

Define End of Sale, End of Support, LRM, ARM, LOD.

• https://www.sonicwall.com/support/product-lifecycle-tables/sonicwall-gms/software/

Can I continue using GMS after the Last Order Day?

• Yes, you can still use GMS after the Last Order Day.

Will SonicWall continue to develop new features until the end of support?

• SonicWall will only provide updates for security vulnerabilities until the EOS date.

What are the risks of continuing to use GMS after EOL?

• Using unsupported software may pose security risks and compliance issues and cause compatibility issues with newer SonicWall devices or features.

Are there any alternatives when GMS is EOS, and I can’t transition to NSM?

• No, there are no other alternatives. You can continue to use GMS, but it will not receive support after the EOS date.

Where can I find information on GMS End of Sale?

• SonicWall's website provides detailed EOL and EOS bulletins. You can search for the specific GMS version, find critical dates, and view transition options. https://www.sonicwall.com/support/product-lifecycle-tables/sonicwall-gms/software/

How will I be informed of new product updates during the End of Sale period?

• SonicWall will do periodic product updates to keep you informed.

Software Support & Service

Which version of GMS is currently supported?

• Please refer to the Product Life Cycle table here for the latest supported version.

I have many firewalls in GMS that don’t have active support. Are they eligible to move to NSM?

• No. Only firewalls with active support are eligible to be moved to NSM. Please get in touch with your sales representative to renew the firewall support license.

I just renewed GMS, and the support is active beyond the EOS date 9/30/26. Will I continue to get support on GMS?

• No additional support will be provided once GMS reaches End of Support (EOS).

Can I still get hardware support for my firewalls managed by EOL GMS software?

• If your firewall is under active support contract, you will continue to get support on the firewalls.

Product Compatibility

Which version of NSM is most compatible with GMS?

• NSM 3.0.0 is the most compatible version with GMS.

What if I have custom configurations built into GMS software? How can I transition them to NSM?

• Please get in touch with your Sales/SE representative for a quote on professional services engagement.

Product Features & Functionality

What are the similarities and differences between GMS and NSM?

• Refer to the feature matrix document for details

Orderability & Licensing

How is NSM licensing different from GMS?

• GMS software is a perpetual license and requires you to purchase a subscription for support.

• • Licensed based on # of nodes managed
• NSM is a subscription license that includes support.
• • Licensed based on # of nodes managed for management only
  • Licensed per FW model for reporting and analytics. Includes management

Refer to the datasheet for licensing details.

Are any discounts or software transition offers available to transition from GMS to NSM?

• Yes, refer to the “Transition Programs” section in the FAQ document for details on the available offers and programs.

I have unused node licenses in GMS. Will they be moved to NSM?

• No, no unused nodes on GMS will be moved to NSM. Only firewalls with active support are eligible for transition to NSM.

What happens to my existing GMS licenses after EOS/EOL?

• If your GMS product is EOS, you may continue to use your licenses until the support ends. After the EOL date, no updates will be provided, but your existing licenses will remain functional for the version of GMS you are running.

Deployment

How can I move my firewalls from GMS to NSM SaaS?

• Refer to this KB here.

How can I move my firewalls from GMS to NSM On-Prem?

• Refer to the GMS to NSM transition document (In Progress) for details.

Replacement Product and Transition Path

What is the replacement product for GMS?

• Network Security Manager (NSM) replaces GMS, offering both SaaS and On-Prem deployment options.

What should I do when GMS reaches EOS/EOL?

• Transition to NSM. Plan transition steps, training, and license management.

What are the benefits of moving to NSM?

• Management of new versions of SonicOS: NSM offers full support for all new features of SonicOS as and when they become available.
• New Features: Utilize advanced features and functionality that NSM offers for centralized management of SonicWall firewalls
• Robust Roadmap and Technical Support: NSM has a robust roadmap for adding and improving features and functionality. NSM offers full technical support from SonicWall, ensuring you get assistance when needed
• Integration with SonicPlatform: SonicPlatform is SonicWall’s next-generation unified management platform, offering seamless management, visibility, and alerting across all SonicWall products. NSM will be integrated with SonicPlatform.
• Improved Performance: Optimization for newer devices, better scalability, and more efficient management tools

How can I learn about NSM and its functionality?

• SonicWall University offers several training modules on NSM features and functionality. For all the available courses on NSM, go to https://www.sonicwalluniversity.com/.

Does NSM offer trial licenses for me to get trained?

• Yes, NSM offers a 30-day trial license.

Do I transition to NSM SaaS or NSM On-Prem?

• NSM SaaS and NSM On-Prem offer the same management, reporting, and analytics features and functionality.  Your choice depends on
  • SonicWall hosts NSM SaaS and is responsible for the availability of the infrastructure and upgrading of the software (features and maintenance). NSM SaaS offers more frequent updates to address defects reported by customers, removing the OPEX of maintaining a server infrastructure in-house.
  • NSM On-Prem requires you to deploy, maintain, and upgrade the server infrastructure to manage SonicWall firewalls.

If I choose not to transition, will I still be able to use GMS?

• SonicWall recommends you transition from GMS to NSM before the End-of-Support (EoS) date. Using unsupported software may pose security risks and compliance issues and cause compatibility issues with newer SonicWall devices or features.

Where can I get more help or speak to someone directly about the transition process?

• GMS Transition Guide (In Progress), Mailer (TBD)

Transition Programs

What are the requirements for the Technology Migration Program?

• You must have active support on GMS.

What if I don’t have active support on GMS but want to take advantage of the Technology Migration Program?

• You must purchase one year of support on GMS by the Last Order Day (LOD) of 10/1/2025.

Will training or resources be available to help me transition to NSM?

• SonicWall University offers several training modules on NSM features and functionality. For all the available courses on NSM, go to https://www.sonicwalluniversity.com/.
• You can also contact your SE for a detailed overview of NSM.

How will my existing configurations, licenses, and reporting data be handled during the transition?

• Configurations
  • NSM On-Prem: Refer to the GMS to NSM transition document for details on the configurations that will be transitioned.
  • NSM SaaS: No configuration from GMS can be moved to NSM SaaS
• Licenses
  • NSM SaaS and On-Prem have different license models. GMS licenses can’t be moved
• Reporting Data
  • Reporting data will not be moved to NSM SaaS or NSM On-Prem

Can I deploy a new NSM On-prem with existing GMS licenses (Serial Number), or do I need a new NSM On-Prem license to start with?

• No. Before transitioning from GMS, you need a new Serial Number for NSM On-Prem. Please get in touch with your sales representative for instructions on how to purchase it.

What platforms are supported for NSM On-Prem?

• NSM On-Prem supports ESXi, Hyper-V, KVM, and Azure platforms. If you are on Windows-based GMS deployment, you can use Hyper-V for NSM deployment.

How can I move my existing Comprehensive GMS license to NSM?

• NSM doesn’t offer a comprehensive license, and your existing GMS Comprehensive license can’t be transferred to NSM On-Prem or NSM SaaS. Contact your sales representative.

Do I need to be on a specific version of GMS to migrate the data from GMS to NSM On-Prem?

• Yes, you need to be on the GMS version 9.4.4.

What data can be moved from GMS to NSM On-Prem, and how?

• Transition Support in GMS
  • The GMS super admin can generate a GMS Transition Snapshot file directly from the GMS user interface.
  • The GMS Transition Snapshot file will include all essential data required to acquire and manage the firewalls in NSM.
  • Tenant and User information from GMS
  • Details required for firewall acquisition.
  • Schedule report settings.
  • Other user-defined settings.
• Once the file has been successfully generated, the user can download it directly from the GMS user interface.
  • Transition Support in NSM
  • The NSM super admin can upload the GMS snapshot file directly into NSM via the user interface.
  • The NSM super admin can initiate data import from the uploaded snapshot file.
• The following changes will be implemented once the GMS snapshot has been successfully imported into NSM.
  • NSM will auto-assign the reporting agents depending on the Firewall licenses.
  • NSM will auto-create GMS – NSM integration is required to view historical GMS reports on NSM.
  • NSM will update GMS to turn off Firewall Management services on its side
• GMS DATA CAN’T BE MIGRATED TO NSM SAAS.

Will my GMS logs and reporting data be migrated to NSM On-Prem

• No, Logs and Reporting data will not be migrated.

Do I need to move my Firewall under the same MSW Tenant before moving them to NSM? GMS allows to manage FW under different MSW Tenant together

• NSM also allows the management of firewalls in different tenants.
• • When you add tenants in NSM On-Prem, keep the firewalls under the same tenants as they are in MySonicWall.
  • NSM SaaS automatically creates the same tenants as they are in MySonicWall.

Will the NSM node licenses to manage and report (No. of FWs) be applied on the NSM console or agents?

• NSM On-Prem node licenses need to be applied on the NSM On-Prem Console.

Can the GMS group-level data (policies / Inheritance filters) move to NSM?

• No, GMS group-level data can’t be moved to NSM. You must reconfigure the grouping of firewalls using Device Groups in NSM and Policies using templates. Refer to the NSM Administration Guide for details on these features.

How can I view, compare, or validate the template configuration against the running firewall configuration in NSM?

• Yes, this is available as part of SonicWall’s MSS offering. Contact your sales representative to learn about the MSS options.

How do we enable FW reporting on NSM On-prem?

• Refer to NSM 3.0 FAQ for details.

Use Case:

I have GMS deployment running on the Windows platform. Since Windows is not a supported Platform for NSM On-Prem, which one is recommended?

• Hyper-V is the alternate option for deploying NSM On-Prem.

I have distributed GMS deployment with 1 Console and two agents; how many NSM licenses do I need?

• The NSM license is divided into an NSM Management Base License and a per-firewall Reporting & Analytics license. For details, refer to the NSM 3.0 FAQ.

We have hundreds of daily/weekly and monthly scheduled reports in GMS. Is it possible to move (migrate) those over to NSM?

• Yes, this is covered as part of the GMS to NSM data transition procedure.

We are running Syslog-based reports and noticed that NSM only does Flow-based reporting. How can we set up similar (as in GMS) reporting in NSM?

• Please refer to the feature matrix document for details.