Automation Where You’re Ready. Guidance Where You Need It.

Firewall change automation has come a long way. Rule recommendation is one of the biggest leaps forward, helping teams move faster, reduce errors, and standardize change decisions.

At FireMon, we promote rule recommendation because it works. And for many changes, it works exceptionally well. But we also recognize that automation alone does not solve the full complexity of firewall change management, especially in large, evolving enterprise environments.

But enterprise networks are not static. They evolve unevenly. They grow through mergers, cloud adoption, legacy systems, and vendor sprawl. That means not every environment is equally ready for full automation at every moment. And experienced firewall engineers know that expecting 100% automation across every change is unrealistic.

That reality shaped how we built Policy Workbench.

Rule Recommendation Is a Strength. Flexibility Is the Multiplier.

Rule recommendation shines when environments are well understood and consistently modeled. It identifies the right rule, suggests the best action, and accelerates change design.

Policy Workbench does not replace that strength. It extends it.

Policy Workbench is designed for the moments when engineers need more context, more visibility, or more control because the environment, not the automation, is still catching up. In these moments, Policy Workbench empowers firewall engineers with AI-driven insights and decision-support tools to confidently design and validate changes.

Automation Is a Journey, Not a Switch

Most teams sit somewhere between manual change management and full automation.

Some rules are clean and predictable. Others carry years of history. Some segments are fully modeled. Others are still evolving.

Policy Workbench recognizes that automation adoption happens in stages:

• Early stages where visibility is improving
• Transitional stages where some changes automate cleanly and others require review
• Advanced stages where automation handles most changes with confidence

Policy Workbench adapts to all three. It gives teams the ability to move forward without waiting for perfection.

How Policy Workbench Adapts to Real-World Environments

Policy Workbench adds a flexible design layer that works alongside rule recommendation.

Here’s what that looks like in practice.

1. When Rule Recommendation Is Clear

When recommendation logic has the confidence it needs, engineers can move quickly.

Policy Workbench presents the recommendation with supporting context, making it easy to review, trust, and proceed. Engineers remain in control, but without unnecessary friction.

Outcome: Faster approvals and consistent, complete designs.

2. When More Context Is Needed

In more complex scenarios, engineers may want to explore the environment before finalizing a change.

Policy Workbench provides deeper visibility into related rules, objects, services, and dependencies so engineers can understand the “why” behind the recommendation.

Outcome: Better decisions without slowing down the workflow.

3. When the Environment Is Still Evolving

In environments where data is incomplete or environmental complexity exists, Policy Workbench allows engineers to take a more guided, hands-on approach.

They can evaluate options, explore alternatives, and design the change manually within a structured workspace.

Automation continues where it makes sense, and expert judgment fills the gaps where it doesn’t.

Outcome: Progress without risk.

Why This Matters to Engineers

Policy Workbench respects how engineers actually work.

It does not force automation when confidence is low.

It does not force manual chaos when automation is possible.

Instead, it treats engineers as the decision-makers, supported by automation, not replaced by it.

Instead, it gives engineers:

• A consistent place to work
• Clear insight into rule behavior and dependencies
• Control when they need it
• Automation when they are ready for it

This balance delivers the same value teams expect from automation: time savings, faster business enablement, and stronger security outcomes.

Why This Matters to Security Leaders

For leaders, the goal is not automation for automation’s sake.

The goal is:

• Reduced risk
• Faster change cycles
• Fewer errors
• Predictable outcomes
• Audit-ready processes

Policy Workbench supports those outcomes by meeting teams where they are today and helping them move forward at a sustainable pace.

This is how automation adoption actually scales.

A More Realistic Model for Automation Success

The industry often presents automation as all or nothing. FireMon takes a different approach.

We believe automation should adapt to the organization, not the other way around. Policy Workbench embodies that philosophy. It strengthens rule recommendation, expands its reach, and ensures teams always have a safe, structured path forward.

That is how you win the infinite game of network security.

See Policy Workbench in Action

If your team is adopting rule recommendation today or preparing for it tomorrow, Policy Workbench helps you move forward with confidence.

Learn how Policy Workbench adapts to your environment, your data, and your automation journey.

Request a demo and see how FireMon helps you automate at your pace.