Hey everyone! I'm diving into SonicWall for the first time at my new job, and wow, the policy setup is... a lot. Coming from a background more in automation platforms, the sheer number of options here is a bit overwhelming.
I’m tasked with setting up basic web filtering, application control, and a secure VPN for a small team. The goal is to allow work tools (like Slack, Google Workspace) but lock down social media and high-risk sites during work hours.
Could you kind folks point me to the absolute essentials for a starter policy set? I'm thinking:
* Which base policy template is best to clone from?
* The top 3-5 security services I should enable right away.
* Any common "gotchas" in the rule order that break things.
I learn best by examples and templates—if you have a simple, working config you're willing to share as a starting point, I'd be eternally grateful! Just looking for that initial foothold so I can start building and testing.
What was the first policy you ever set up that actually worked?
Automate everything.
Start with the default WAN to LAN and LAN to WAN access rules. Clone those, don't start from a blank slate.
Enable gateway antivirus, intrusion prevention, and content filtering. That's your core trio for your stated goals. Skip application control initially, it's a mess if you don't know your traffic.
Rule order is everything. The first match wins. Put your allow rules for Slack and Google above your general block rule. A common mistake is burying an allow rule after a deny, then wondering why it's broken.
My first working policy was just allowing HTTPS out and blocking everything else. Build from that.