Services
Cloudflare onboarding and tuning
Moving onto Cloudflare, or already on it and not sure it’s right? I plan the move, set up DNS, SSL, firewall rules and caching to best practice, and tune them with you – without breaking your website, or the DNS records your email and other services rely on.
At a glance
Who it’s for
Businesses moving onto Cloudflare, and setups that were switched on and never tuned.
Plans
Free, Pro, Business and Enterprise.
Cost
A one-off project, quoted up front so you know the cost before I start.
Under attack?
Call +61 2 8363 3348. I take on urgent onboarding in the middle of an incident.
Who it’s for
Where you’re starting from
A planned move
Moving onto Cloudflare on your schedule. Before anything switches, I check the things that usually bite: every DNS record copied across, including the ones your email relies on (MX, SPF, DKIM and DMARC); SSL working end to end, so visitors don’t get certificate errors or redirect loops; and DNSSEC turned off or moved across properly, so an old setting at your registrar can’t take your domain offline.
Then the cutover happens at a quiet time we agree. Most moves are invisible to your visitors.
An urgent move
Under a DDoS attack or bot flood, there’s no waiting for a quiet time. Getting you behind Cloudflare comes first, to stop the damage. I still run the checks that matter most – DNS records, SSL and DNSSEC – but fast, and in the order that gets you protected soonest.
Once it’s calm, I tighten everything up properly. Call +61 2 8363 3348 – don’t wait on a form.
Already on Cloudflare
Plenty of setups are switched on and never tuned. I review your DNS, SSL, firewall rules and caching, tell you what matters and what doesn’t, and fix it with you.
A common gap is an origin server that attackers can still reach without going through Cloudflare at all.
What’s included
Set up properly, and written down
Every change is planned with you, tested, and has a way back. I fit in with your change control and approvals, and you get notes on what changed and why, so your team can look after it.
Rules get clear names your team will understand later. The naming convention I use is on the blog: naming conventions for Cloudflare WAF rules.
I help with
- End-to-end Cloudflare setup and migration
- DNS configuration and cutover, with your email records checked
- SSL/TLS: Full (strict) mode, edge certificates and HTTPS redirects
- DNSSEC, handled safely during the move
- Origin lockdown, so attackers can’t go around Cloudflare
- Custom WAF and firewall rules
- Rate limiting and bot protection
- Security headers
- Secure caching and CDN configuration
- Turnstile on your website’s forms
- Working directly with your IT team or MSP
How it runs
From first look to handover
1
Review
With only the access the job needs – usually an invite to your Cloudflare account with a limited role, never your password – I look at your domains, DNS, hosting and email.
2
Plan and quote
A written plan: what changes, in what order, how it’s tested and how to roll back, with a quote up front. Nothing changes until you approve it.
3
Switch over
DNS records copied and checked, SSL tested and DNSSEC sorted, then the cutover at a quiet time we agree – or straight away if you’re under attack. I check your site and email straight after.
4
Tune and hand over
Firewall rules, rate limits and caching tuned to your real traffic, then handover notes your team can maintain.
Good to know
Before you start
Which plan do you need?
Most of this works on Cloudflare’s Free, Pro and Business plans. I’ll tell you honestly which plan fits, and I won’t push you to upgrade.
After it’s live
Rules need adjusting as your site changes. I can stay on for monitoring and regular reviews, or you can call me when you need me.
Moving onto Cloudflare, or want a second opinion on your setup? Tell me what you have, and I’ll tell you what it needs.
Under attack right now? Call +61 2 8363 3348.