SonicWall NSa dispenses advanced threat protection using a high-performance security platform. The NSa series implements intuitive deep learning technologies in the SonicWall Capture Cloud Platform to dispatch the automated real-time threat detection and deterrence enterprise organizations need today. SonicWall Network Security appliance (NSa) series is best for mid-sized organizations to distributed enterprises and data centers.
SonicWall NSa series next-generation firewalls (NFGWS) combine two very robust security ideologies to deliver advanced threat protection to keep users’ networks safe. Boosting SonicWall’s multi-engine advanced threat protection (ATP) is their Real-time Deep Memory Inspection (RTDMI™). The RTDMI intuitively identifies and stops aggressive zero-day threats and vicious malware by investigating memory directly. This real-time process allows SonicWall RTDMI to be accurate, lessen false positives and discover and alleviate malicious threats and attacks. SonicWall’s single-pass Reassembly-Free Deep Packet Inspection (RFDPI) will audit every byte of each and every packet by investigating both outbound and inbound traffic on the firewall. By combining the SonicWall Capture Cloud Platform along with on-box offerings such as intrusion prevention, web/URL filtering, and anti-malware, the NSa series is able to block the most malicious and dangerous threats at the gateway.
| Product | Market Share (%) |
|---|---|
| SonicWall NSa | 1.7% |
| Fortinet FortiGate | 20.8% |
| Netgate pfSense | 12.0% |
| Other | 65.5% |
| Type | Title | Date | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Category | Firewalls | Aug 25, 2025 | Download |
| Product | Reviews, tips, and advice from real users | Aug 25, 2025 | Download |
| Comparison | SonicWall NSa vs Netgate pfSense | Aug 25, 2025 | Download |
| Comparison | SonicWall NSa vs Fortinet FortiGate | Aug 25, 2025 | Download |
| Comparison | SonicWall NSa vs OPNsense | Aug 25, 2025 | Download |
| Title | Rating | Mindshare | Recommending | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fortinet FortiGate | 4.2 | 20.8% | 91% | 412 interviewsAdd to research |
| Netgate pfSense | 4.3 | 12.0% | 93% | 218 interviewsAdd to research |
| Company Size | Count |
|---|---|
| Small Business | 51 |
| Midsize Enterprise | 20 |
| Large Enterprise | 22 |
| Company Size | Count |
|---|---|
| Small Business | 400 |
| Midsize Enterprise | 135 |
| Large Enterprise | 297 |
Additionally, SonicWall firewalls supply absolute protection by executing complete inspection and decryption of SSH and TLS/SSL encryption connections - no matter the port or protocol. The firewall takes a deep dive into each and every packet (the header and data) routing out any anomalies, zero-day intrusions, threats, and protocol non-compliance. Users can also define unique criteria specific to their organization to ensure their networks remain safe. This aggressive deep packet inspection is able to identify and block malicious attacks, stop dangerous malware downloads, prevent the spread of infections, and defeat command and control (C&C) communications and data exfiltration. Protocols involving inclusion and exclusion allow users complete control to decide, based on specific governance policies, organizational policies, or government or legal compliance, which traffic is to be investigated for decryption or inspection.
SonicWall Nsa offers enterprise organizations the network control and fluid flexibility they desire using an intrusion prevention system (IPS), VPN, real-time visualization, and other advanced powerful security features, making it a popular firewall solution in today's marketplace.
Reviews from Real Users
“The features that I have found most valuable are the firewalling, which is very good, and the GUI which is very intuitive. It is easy to use and provides great security.” - Network Engineer at a maritime company
“What's valuable in SonicWall NSa is the ATP (advanced threat protection). It can protect users from malicious links. SonicWall NSa also has a Sandboxing service that is very helpful for us, especially when end users accidentally click on malicious links. Another valuable feature of this solution is that it is very useful for site-to-site VPN connectivity issues. SonicWall NSa has very good hardware. I also love that SonicWall has very good technical support, who are very knowledgeable, provide good suggestions, and they're easy to reach.” - Mohammed M., Network Administrator at Transgulf Readymix
SonicWall NSa was previously known as NSA 250M, NSA 2600, NSA 3600, NSA 4600, NSA 5600, Dell SonicWALL NSA.
Orange County Rescue Mission, First Source, Michaels & Taylor, Green Clinic Health System, Aspire Chiltern Skills and Enterprise Centre, UnitedStack, Faith Lutheran College Redlands, Celtic Manor Resort, Star Kay White, Air Works, Unimat Life, NHS Yorkshire and Humber Commissioning Support (YHCS), Hutt City Council, Mato Grosso do Sul, Nspyre
| Author info | Rating | Review Summary |
|---|---|---|
| Product manger at Asbis Mediteranean | 4.0 | I use SonicWall NSA as a next-generation firewall for network security, protecting operations for over 250 people. Its valuable features include SD-WAN and RTBI for attack prevention. However, dashboard customization could be improved. It saves us around 20% in operational costs. |
| Channel Account Manager at a tech services company with 1,001-5,000 employees | 4.0 | I use SonicWall NSA for data center and perimeter security, appreciating its simple licensing and effective GUI. While its throughput and memory inspection are valuable, I'd like more VPN licenses, improved analytics, and better AI integration. I switched from Fortinet due to its support issues and security concerns. |
| CEO at Kapstone Technological Services LLP | 4.5 | I find SonicWall NSa effective for large enterprises, offering strong performance, security features, and easy setup, though its support could improve. It’s stable, scalable, and cost-effective, making it a reliable firewall solution I confidently recommend. |
| Senior Manager INFOSEC AND Risk ASSESSMENT Engineering at Atlas Systems | 4.5 | I find the SonicWall NSa to be a user-friendly, scalable firewall with excellent integration with Active Directory. Its performance is reliable, and its features like SSL VPN and content filtering are valuable. The return on investment is very good. |
| System Administrator at Ador Powertron Ltd. | 3.5 | I've used the SonicWall NSa for its security capabilities, finding its user interface and configuration modules very effective. While I've seen cost and time savings, improvements are needed in reporting and endpoint security, and I've faced hardware issues. |
| IT Support Engineer at Mantra | 4.5 | I use SonicWall NSa for threat management and security operations, appreciating its user-friendliness and ease of management over Sophos. However, I find the lack of direct connection with SonicWall's support team a significant drawback. |
| Chief Commercial Officer at InnovAge Home Care | 5.0 | We use the SonicWall NSa as a firewall in our office to prevent vulnerabilities, cyberattacks, and malware. Its alert system for vulnerabilities and monitoring VPN and site-to-site connections are valuable, though packet tracking needs enhancement. We switched from CyberOam. |
| Presales Consultant at a tech vendor with 1,001-5,000 employees | 4.5 | I mainly use the SonicWall NSa to secure customer perimeters. It's easy to configure and offers excellent logging and alarms, though configuring SD-WAN can be confusing. SSL VPN should be standard. We considered Fortinet, but both are comparable. |
