content: <PAGE>
  
  
                                    UNITED STATES
  
                         SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
  
                                Washington, DC 20549
  
  
                                      FORM 8-K
  
  
                               Current Report Pursuant
                            to Section 13 or 15(d) of the
                           Securities Exchange Act of 1934
  
         Date of Report (Date of earliest Event Reported): October 18, 2001
  
  
                                   SONICWALL, INC.
          ----------------------------------------------------------------
               (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)
  
  
          California                     000-27732                 77-0270079
  (State or Other Jurisdiction    (Commission File Number)      (I.R.S. Employer
       of Incorporation)                                    Identification Number)
  
                                 1160 Bordeaux Drive
                                 Sunnyvale, CA 94089
                                   (408) 745-9600
  
         -------------------------------------------------------------------
   (Addresses, including zip code, and telephone numbers, including area code, of
                            principal executive offices)
  
  ITEM 5.  OTHER EVENTS.
  
  
  On October 18, 2001 SonicWALL, Inc. announced the appointment of Cosmo Santullo
  as its President and Chief Executive Officer and a member of SonicWALL's Board
  of Directors. Sreekanth Ravi will continue to serve as Chairman of the Board of
  Directors and an executive of the Company, assuming a broader role in defining
  the future technology roadmap of the Company. SonicWALL also announced that
  Michael Sheridan will assume the role of the Company's Senior Vice President of
  Strategy and will continue as its Chief Financial Officer.
  
  On October 18, 2001 SonicWALL announced its financial results for the fiscal
  quarter ending September 30, 2001. A portion of SonicWALL's press release
  announcing these financial results is attached as Exhibit 99.1 hereto and
  incorporated by reference herein.
  
  The press release filed as an exhibit to this report includes "safe harbor"
  language pursuant to the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as
  amended, indicating that certain statements about the Company's business
  contained in the press release are "forward-looking" rather than "historic." The
  press release also states that these and other risks relating to SonicWALL's
  business are set forth in the documents filed by SonicWALL with the Securities
  and Exchange Commission, specifically the most recent report on Form 10-K, and
  the other reports filed from time to time with the Securities and Exchange
  Commission.
  
  <PAGE>
  
  ITEM 7.  FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, PRO FORMA FINANCIAL INFORMATION AND EXHIBITS.
  
  99.1 Portion of Press Release dated October 18, 2001 related to the September
  30, 2001 quarterly results.
  
                                          SIGNATURES
  
           Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
  the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
  undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
  
  Dated:  October 19, 2001
  
  
                                                   SONICWALL, INC.
  
                                                   By: /s/ Gregory K. Miller
  
                                                   Gregory K. Miller
                                                   Senior Vice President, Legal
                                                   and Corporate Affairs
  
  
  
  <PAGE>
  
                                  INDEX TO EXHIBITS
  
  Exhibit Number      Description
  
       99.1           Portion of Press Release dated October 18, 2001 relating to
                      the September 30, 2001 quarterly results
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metadata_filer: {"company-data": {"conformed-name": "SONICWALL INC", "cik": "0001093885", "assigned-sic": "7389", "irs-number": "770270079", "state-of-incorporation": "CA", "fiscal-year-end": "1231"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "8-K", "act": "34", "file-number": "000-27723", "film-number": "1762767"}, "business-address": {"street1": "1160 BORDEAUX DRIVE", "city": "SUNNYVALE", "state": "CA", "zip": "94089", "phone": "4087459600"}, "mail-address": {"street1": "5400 BETSY ROSS DR", "city": "SANTA CLARA", "state": "CA", "zip": "95054"}}
text: UNITED STATES
  
                         SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
  
                                Washington, DC 20549
  
                                      FORM 8-K
  
                               Current Report Pursuant
                            to Section 13 or 15(d) of the
                           Securities Exchange Act of 1934
  
         Date of Report (Date of earliest Event Reported): October 18, 2001
  
                                   SONICWALL, INC.
          ----------------------------------------------------------------
               (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)
  
          California                     000-27732                 77-0270079
  (State or Other Jurisdiction    (Commission File Number)      (I.R.S. Employer
       of Incorporation)                                    Identification Number)
  
                                 1160 Bordeaux Drive
                                 Sunnyvale, CA 94089
                                   (408) 745-9600
  
         -------------------------------------------------------------------
   (Addresses, including zip code, and telephone numbers, including area code, of
                            principal executive offices)
  
  ITEM 5.  OTHER EVENTS.
  
  On October 18, 2001 SonicWALL, Inc. announced the appointment of Cosmo Santullo
  as its President and Chief Executive Officer and a member of SonicWALL's Board
  of Directors. Sreekanth Ravi will continue to serve as Chairman of the Board of
  Directors and an executive of the Company, assuming a broader role in defining
  the future technology roadmap of the Company. SonicWALL also announced that
  Michael Sheridan will assume the role of the Company's Senior Vice President of
  Strategy and will continue as its Chief Financial Officer.
  
  On October 18, 2001 SonicWALL announced its financial results for the fiscal
  quarter ending September 30, 2001. A portion of SonicWALL's press release
  announcing these financial results is attached as Exhibit 99.1 hereto and
  incorporated by reference herein.
  
  The press release filed as an exhibit to this report includes "safe harbor"
  language pursuant to the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as
  amended, indicating that certain statements about the Company's business
  contained in the press release are "forward-looking" rather than "historic." The
  press release also states that these and other risks relating to SonicWALL's
  business are set forth in the documents filed by SonicWALL with the Securities
  and Exchange Commission, specifically the most recent report on Form 10-K, and
  the other reports filed from time to time with the Securities and Exchange
  Commission.
  ITEM 7.  FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, PRO FORMA FINANCIAL INFORMATION AND EXHIBITS.
  
  99.1 Portion of Press Release dated October 18, 2001 related to the September
  30, 2001 quarterly results.
  
                                          SIGNATURES
  
           Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
  the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
  undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
  
  Dated:  October 19, 2001
  
                                                   SONICWALL, INC.
  
                                                   By: /s/ Gregory K. Miller
  
                                                   Gregory K. Miller
                                                   Senior Vice President, Legal
                                                   and Corporate Affairs
  INDEX TO EXHIBITS
  
  Exhibit Number      Description
  
       99.1           Portion of Press Release dated October 18, 2001 relating to
                      the September 30, 2001 quarterly results