Decommissioning NGFWs is a critical operational process that requires systematic planning and execution to maintain security integrity and proper asset management. When NGFWs reach end-of-life, undergo replacement, or are removed from service, administrators must follow specific procedures to protect sensitive configuration data, ensure secure data destruction, and properly update licensing and inventory systems.

Two primary decommissioning methods and available to accommodate different operational needs: Single Asset decommissioning for individual NGFW removals, which walks administrators through a step-by-step process for safely retiring a specific device; and Bulk Asset decommissioning for large-scale projects, allowing security teams to efficiently process multiple NGFWs simultaneously when performing data center migrations, hardware refresh cycles, or organizational restructuring. Both approaches ensure that sensitive data is securely erased, support entitlements are properly adjusted, and the NGFWs are completely removed from management systems like Panorama or Strata Cloud Manager, maintaining the integrity of the remaining security infrastructure while properly concluding the asset life cycle.