Getting Started with MPSS

Welcome to SonicWall’s Managed Professional Security Services (MPSS) onboarding process. This guide will walk you through the steps required to get your firewall ready for full MSS management and eligibility under the included Cyber Warranty.

MPSS Getting Started Process Overview

This section provides a brief overview of the MPSS onboarding process. Additional details for each step are outlined below.

Prerequisites

You must have a valid Org-Based MySonicWall account.

1. If you do not already have an active MySonicWall (MSW) account, visit MySonicWall.com and click Sign Up to create it.
   1. An ORG-Based MSW account will be created for you.
2. If you currently have an existing MSW account, confirm it is an Org-Based account by navigating to Settings > My Account and ensuring you see an Organization ID..
   1. If no Organization ID is listed, complete the steps in our MySonicWall Organization Account and Migration Steps to convert your MSW account.

Step 1. Register Your Firewall

To properly ensure that your MPSS firewalls are properly registered, activated and you have the correct tenant structure in MSW, follow the steps in our MPSS - Registering & Affiliating Units KB.

Step 2. Configure Your Firewall

Important: If you are activating MPSS on an existing firewall that is already protecting the network, this step can be skipped. At a minimum, the firewall must be configured and online in NSM to the point where it is actively connected and visible.

Who Configures the Firewall?

• You are responsible for basic firewall setup before we can begin management.
  • Configure environment-specific items such as:
  • Network Interfaces, DHCP Settings, Static Routes, Firewall Rules, NAT Policies, etc.
  • For guidance on how to configure your firewall, refer to MSS - How to Configure a Firewall (START HERE)

Tip: You are welcome to configure security services (Gateway AV, IPS, etc.) if you would like, but MSS will enable and apply them according to best practices during onboarding.

Step 3. Begin Onboarding

3a. Is the Firewall Online in NSM?

1. The firewall must be online in NSM before reaching out to SonicSentry for onboarding. For help troubleshooting offline units in NSM, see: Troubleshoot steps if a firewall status is Offline on NSM SaaS

3b. Ready to Onboard a New Unit?

1. We recommend that you first review the complete list of Best Practice Configuration items, see: MSS Managed Firewall Best Practice Configurations.
2. Click this link: MPSS Onboarding Email Link.
   1. This will open a new email with the required template.
   2. Type the name and serial number of the unit
   3. If you believe that certain configuration items from the Best Practices (for example GEO-IP, Content Filtering, UDP Flood Protection) may cause conflicts, note this in your onboarding request.
   4. Hit Send!
   5. Since each firewall will have different requirements and details, please submit a separate request for each serial number. This ensures that all information and updates remain tied to the correct firewall.
3. You will receive a response acknowledging your request and providing instructions on how to contact support after the firewall has been onboarded

Note: This email is only for MPSS onboarding requests. Do not use it for technical support. For support, follow the “Contacting MSS Support” instructions.

3c. Review Initial Health Check Report for Required Changes

Once you provide the serial number(s) for onboarding, the SonicSentry team will:

• Confirm visibility in NSM
• Configure weekly configuration (EXP) backups
• Schedule monthly Security Assessment Reports
• Provide an Initial Health Check Report
• This Health Check Report outlines whether the firewall configuration meets the required best practices to ensure Cyber Warranty eligibility.

Your responsibilities

1. Review the report and reply to the SonicSentry team to authorize changes to remediate the failed checks.
2. The Health Check report will only list configuration items that did not pass. To review the complete list of Best Practice Configuration items, see: MSS Managed Firewall Best Practice Configurations.
3. Confirm none of these changes will conflict with your environment. If you have noted any items in your onboarding request, the SonicSentry team will hold those specific items until they can review them with you or schedule a testing window. Some settings can be adjusted while still maintaining Cyber Warranty compliance, allowing for fine-tuning.
4. The SonicSentry team will send up to 3 reminders awaiting your authorization – after the final reminder, it will be deemed that the changes are authorized, and they will be implemented.

Important: Until the required configurations are applied, the firewall is not eligible for Cyber Warranty.

Once changes are applied, the SonicSentry team will run a final Health Check Report. If the firewall passes, you will receive confirmation of Cyber Warranty eligibility and onboarding completion.

Ongoing Firewall Management & Configuration Changes

• MPSS includes 24/7 monitoring and proactive management by the MSS Network Security Team.
• To maintain compliance, all configuration changes must be submitted through MSS Support.
• If a requested change impacts best practices or Cyber Warranty compliance, the MSS team will provide an explanation and work with you to find an appropriate solution.

For details on what is and is not included in ongoing management, see: Service Plan SonicWall Managed Protection Security Suite (MPSS)

Contacting MSS Support

For ongoing firewall support after deployment, the MSS Network Security Support team is available to assist you. To request support, please submit a service ticket directly with that team.

To do that, all you need to do is head over to the SonicWall MSS Ticket Portal

1. Once you’re logged in, click Submit New Ticket.
2. Choose the following options:
3. Category: Network Security
4. Service: MPSS

By following this guide, you can successfully register, configure, and onboard your MPSS firewall. For any issues or further assistance, reach out to MSS Support.