What is our primary use case?
My main use case for Check Point Harmony Email & Collaboration is for protecting emails which are incoming and outgoing, for any attachments or malicious email, protecting from malicious email, phishing emails, and any malicious attachments coming from the emails. HEC is implemented inline and is integrated with Office 365, protecting around 34,000 users who are behind HEC.
Additionally, the DLP feature is implemented for the users, allowing control over whatever the users are trying to upload on the SaaS applications or anything else that can be controlled by HEC.
How has it helped my organization?
Check Point Harmony Email & Collaboration has positively impacted my organization by ensuring that only clean emails are delivered to users, around 34,000 users are being protected by HEC. If HEC finds any malicious content in the email, that will be blocked, and only clean emails will be delivered, saving time from unnecessary disruptions in the network, and eventually helping the organization to grow.
I have definitely noticed a reduction in phishing mails and other malicious attachments because HEC is set inline, blocking all kinds of malicious emails and only delivering safe mail to the end users. I can say that thousands of malicious or phishing mails are getting blocked at the edge for around 34,000 users.
What is most valuable?
The best features Check Point Harmony Email & Collaboration offers in my experience include integration with the sandbox HEC in the backend, which uses checkpoint sandboxing capabilities to detect zero-day attacks, and it has a unique capability of protecting password-protected files, being able to scan for password-protected attachments. Furthermore, internal scanning and impersonation are also good features about the Check Point HEC.
Administering Check Point Harmony Email & Collaboration is easy, as the policies are straightforward and we can simply go with the standard best practice options which are predefined. These options are easy to implement and configure, with the integration with Office 365 also being straightforward.
What needs improvement?
Currently, Check Point HEC supports only Microsoft Office 365 and Google Sheets. In today's world, some clients are using old email service provider solutions, so it would be better if HEC also provides support for third-party email service solutions, such as IBM HCL Notes, creating more opportunities.
The UI is user-friendly, which seems fine, and I don't have any additional thoughts about needed improvements.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Check Point Harmony Email & Collaboration for the past two years as an administrator, and I have implemented Check Point HEC.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
In my experience, Check Point Harmony Email & Collaboration is stable, and there are no downtimes noted.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Check Point Harmony Email & Collaboration scalability is good, as it allows integration with SaaS applications as well.
How are customer service and support?
For customer support, I would rate it around eight, as sometimes we get delayed responses. We understand that with respect to SLA, but we expect they can go beyond SLA and provide quick support for the client.
I rate customer support at eight.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I did not previously use a different solution before Check Point Harmony Email & Collaboration.
How was the initial setup?
The deployment of Check Point Harmony Email & Collaboration in my environment is straightforward. Initially, we have to register at the Infinity portal, and after successful registration, we have to log in. Since it supports only Office 365, it requires only global admin credentials for integration, which is a straightforward process that can be completed within a few clicks.
The configuration process after deployment is easy, as the setup, rules, and policies are predefined, allowing us to use best practice and default settings that are simple and easy to implement.
The initial setup with Check Point Harmony Email & Collaboration was straightforward without any hesitations, with configuration steps being very easy to implement.
What was our ROI?
I have seen a return on investment since implementing Check Point Harmony Email & Collaboration. The time saved for around 34,000 users, protecting and delivering safe emails to users, reduces unnecessary disruption in the network, allowing users to focus on their desired tasks and helping the organization grow.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The pricing, setup cost, and licensing for Check Point Harmony Email & Collaboration are okay; however, it might be higher compared to other vendors, but it's justifiable regarding the security features provided by Check Point.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
I have no knowledge about evaluating other options before choosing Check Point Harmony Email & Collaboration.
What other advice do I have?
My advice for others looking into using Check Point Harmony Email & Collaboration is to go with the best practice, which is already predefined and to select options while configuring policies based on those suggestions.
I chose to rate Check Point Harmony Email & Collaboration nine out of ten because I'm expecting some reduction in false positives, as it's AI-driven, and I understand that AI-based false positive detections happen, so I recommend improving that in the future.
My company is a partner with this vendor. I have not been offered a gift card or incentive for this review. I do not have any additional thoughts about Check Point Harmony Email & Collaboration.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Public Cloud
If public cloud, private cloud, or hybrid cloud, which cloud provider do you use?
Other
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer. Partner