Cyber Security Manager at H2O Power Limited Partnership
Real User
Scalable with a unified platform and good integration
Pros and Cons
  • "The solution has been solid for me for over five years."
  • "The ability to allow split-tunneling while still following our corporate policy needs to be on the table."

What is our primary use case?

In our environment, we have many users working remotely. It's important to control the flow of traffic coming and going to these remote employees, and isolate traffic when used for business purposes. We have to allow our remote users to access services from home as though they were in the office. However, at the same time, we need to control that traffic and make sure it conforms to our policy. Our environment is complex and requires advanced policies to look at traffic in very unique ways from different users. Check Point's policy management has allowed us to do that.

How has it helped my organization?

At the beginning of the pandemic, everyone rushed to get their employees working from home. Luckily for us, we already had a strong structure around how remote access would work and had it set up for many employees. 

With the groundwork in place, the transition to remote work was made easy by simply adjusting the policy (configuration). In part, this is because we were already prepared for a remote workforce, and that preparation came from within our organization, however, if it weren't for Check Point enabling us to adjust rapidly, then it would not have been an easy transition.

What is most valuable?

The unified platform view is great. Being able to manage NGFW alongside our Remote Access Policies allows us to control traffic in one way. Be it if our users are at home or in the office the same policy applies to them allowing us to have one corporate view on the traffic within our organization.

Being able to integrate the policy with things like Active Directory groups, Azure cloud objects, RADIUS integration, and load balancing capabilities is wonderful. All of these things are built into their NGFW policy which we leverage to implement on our Remote Access policy.

What needs improvement?

The ability to allow split-tunneling while still following our corporate policy needs to be on the table. Right now, in order to allow the same policy to apply, the users' traffic must be routed up to our NGFW before going out to the internet. Having a method to apply the same policy to the client for outbound traffic while connected to the VPN would be huge.

Some things like the compliance aspect of the VPN Client can be updated to bring it a little more modern. It's very useful for checking things like Windows Updates levels before connecting, however, it could use a facelift since it's still quite old-looking.

Buyer's Guide
Check Point Remote Access VPN
March 2024
Learn what your peers think about Check Point Remote Access VPN. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: March 2024.
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For how long have I used the solution?

I've been managing Check Point's Remote Access VPN for five years at my current employment, and had used it before at a previous employer.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The solution has been solid for me for over five years.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

I get the impression this could scale up to whatever you need. Scaling issues might only be moving to clustered resources and setting up load balancing on gateways. Once you get big enough you should be able to scale up to your needs.

How are customer service and support?

Support has been great 98% of the time. There's always one bad experience, yet, overall I wouldn't rate them based on that. If they need to get their experts online to help solve a problem, they have plenty and are willing to work through really deep subjects. I never worry with their support.

How would you rate customer service and support?

Positive

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

At our organization, we did not use another solution before this. That said, I have used other products in the past. It's been many years, so I'm sure those other vendors have had time to update their products too, however, since I've been managing Remote Access with Check Point, I've always been really impressed.

How was the initial setup?

Setting up the VPN Clients is simple once you've already got the gateway in place. If you have to setup the Gateway, it will take a bit of knowledge and expertise.

What about the implementation team?

Our in-house team set it up. That said, I have been working with network devices for a long time.

What was our ROI?

ROI on the VPN User license itself returns within a couple of months of you using it. However, if you have to make the investment into buying gateways for the product, then the ROI could be one year (if your whole organization is working from home), or up to three years if you barely use it.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

You need to be an NGFW customer already. Otherwise, you'll need to purchase the gateways in order to terminate the VPN. That much should be obvious to anyone. Once you have the gateway in place, there is a VPN User license you need to purchase, however, it is very minimal in cost compared to other infrastructure.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

We inherited the Check Point when we took over. Then, when the topic of remote access came up, it made sense to use what we had and just buy additional licensing rather than buy a whole new product.

What other advice do I have?

Check Point products are typically not cheap, however, I've found it's often due to the fact that you can do a lot with it. 

I recommend Check Point products to anyone who is going to have the time and expertise to administer them. You're going to be able to do what you want to do, engineer a design that works for you. If you want to just plug it in and forget about it, then this might not be the product for you. That said, for those who do just want to plug something in and forget about it, I warn you to be cautious. When it comes to Remote Access, you don't want to ignore this. You want to be looking at it and you want to monitor it, otherwise attackers will take advantage of that weakness. This is where Check Point allows you to monitor the edge, while granularly controlling it.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

Private Cloud
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
Eladio José Sibaja Trejos - PeerSpot reviewer
Administrador Junior Level 1 at Compuguana
Real User
Top 10
Easy to install, and makes it quick and easy to connect
Pros and Cons
  • "Among its most valuable features is how it quickly and easily connects everyone to the VPN service."
  • "It would be good to have Remote Access VPN solutions for Check Point edge services."

What is our primary use case?

Currently, as we are a company that constantly imports and exports solutions. We have needed to give our salespeople access to our executives since that part of retail is constantly on the move inside and outside our organization. This makes it somewhat necessary to figure out how everyone can access data since the information is being used and managed every day inside and outside of our institution. We have come to use the Check Point security services so that users can have the same access as we have inside when they are outside the organization.

How has it helped my organization?

The capacity that Check Point Remote Access VPN offers is one of the best. It has made it easier for us and the team to have great mobility inside and outside the organization. If anyone must consult the services internally, they can connect quickly and simply. The agent that allows the connection is very fast to install and very fast to configure. It has streamlined a lot of the complexity that we had faced before.

What is most valuable?

Among its most valuable features is how it quickly and easily connects everyone to the VPN service. It quickly installs an agent on the computers, so that our users do not have to worry about their mobile devices being configured. It is easy to install and can run and install as a client on devices whether the user has Mac or Windows.

What needs improvement?

In the future, if this service could be installed in a faster and simpler way (rather than having it directly connected to the appliances), that would be ideal. Today, many of the solutions are not what was needed when we had perimeter security. It would be good to have Remote Access VPN solutions for Check Point edge services.

For how long have I used the solution?

We have been using the solution for three months.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

Hybrid Cloud
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
Buyer's Guide
Check Point Remote Access VPN
March 2024
Learn what your peers think about Check Point Remote Access VPN. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: March 2024.
765,234 professionals have used our research since 2012.
Jonathan Ramos G. - PeerSpot reviewer
Cloud Engineer at ITQS
Real User
Top 5Leaderboard
Good security, protects identity, and allows full access even in different regions
Pros and Cons
  • "The VPN hides your IP address and encrypts your online traffic and it essentially ensures that your fingerprints cannot be traced on the Internet."
  • "The maximum it is giving us is only 5 licenses and if you need more, they must be purchased separately."

What is our primary use case?

Remote Access VPN (Remote Access VPN) allows users in our organization to connect to a private network to access services and resources remotely. This connection is secure and is made through the Internet. It came to support us so that users, whenever they were outside the organization and were supporting customers from any region, could have secure access to the corporation's data. 

Another important point is when our executives travel to regions where certain access to services is blocked. The VPN helps us bypass that block. Since a VPN can hide your real IP address, it can help you bypass geo-blocks, as the platform the one you want to access will think it is from the “correct” geographic region.

How has it helped my organization?

The solution is giving us security when it comes to sharing our data safely through the private and secure tunnel that is created when creating the VPN. The VPN hides your IP address and encrypts your online traffic and it essentially ensures that your fingerprints cannot be traced on the Internet. Online hackers won't be able to use your real IP address to discover your personal data, and government surveillance agencies and ISPs won't be able to monitor what you do online by snooping on your traffic.

In addition to helping you avoid government surveillance, it also helps keep your privacy safe from advertisers.

What is most valuable?

In terms of the way they ensure traffic, an example is when we use Wi-Fi in public areas.

WiFi is everywhere nowadays and it is extremely convenient to use, especially if you have a tight mobile data plan. The only problem with free WiFi is that it's often unsecured, which means you're putting your personal data at risk every time you use it. After all, cybercriminals can find out a lot about you, which can lead to them stealing your:

  • Credit card details
  • Bank account details
  • Email login credentials

However, if you use a VPN, you won't have to worry about those dangers. A VPN uses encryption to protect your online communications, making sure no one can monitor it. Basically, if a hacker tried to see your connection traffic, they would just see nonsense.

What needs improvement?

That the level of Remote access VPN was higher by default as other brands do it that way. In the case of Check Point, they are not like that. The maximum it is giving us is only 5 licenses and if you need more, they must be purchased separately. From my perspective, it should be added to the same cost as the general license, and that well explained makes the product more attractive. Many organizations would have this need, as many are moving off-premise. We have great executives and entire corporate teams that perform work tasks from home.

For how long have I used the solution?

I've used the solution for about 2 years.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises

If public cloud, private cloud, or hybrid cloud, which cloud provider do you use?

Other
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
Implementation Specialist at NTT Security
Real User
Top 5
Highly secure with good support and multiple factor authentication layers
Pros and Cons
  • "It is easy to install the Endpoint Remote Access VPN client on different platforms."
  • "Bug Fixes and enhancement requests should be remediated earlier."

What is our primary use case?

Check Point Remote Access VPN is a highly secure and seamless software that provides end-to-end security solutions.

We can connect anywhere in the world over possible ways to secure the infrastructure.

Check Point Remote Access VPN is the best available solution in the market for providing endpoint management solutions by ensuring adherence to strict compliance and multiple scanning of the data to ensure no data theft or leakage and security and compliance are maintained at the highest level possible.

Also, we have multi-authentication so there is no chance of leakage.

How has it helped my organization?

Check Point Remote Access VPN provides multi-factor authentication layers.

We can make Data transfer more strict with Data Integrity, Encapsulation, DES,3DES, and Hashing Algorithm so that the level of security will be higher.

Also, they provided a multi-level authentication support system for continuous scanning and compliance management throughout the IT system.

Multiple VPN connections can be established and share the data in a secure possible way.

What is most valuable?

It is easy to install the Endpoint Remote Access VPN client on different platforms. Within the company, we use it for Windows and macOS.

Built-in, centrally managed Compliance blade. We check the client OS for the presence of the latest security updates and that the corporate antivirus software is up and running, and do not allow the client to connect to the office site in the case where these rules are not satisfied. That prevents the infected computers from connecting to the company's location and spreading the threats.

The stable VPN connection and uptime are also very good.

We have a centrally managed Firewall blade, which allows filtering traffic on the rule base to protect the requirement.

What needs improvement?

Bug Fixes and enhancement requests should be remediated earlier, as we have multiple dependencies and Auditors are forced to have the latest patches in place.

Checkpoint Major version should have an extended time than the default time mentioned in the end-of-life policy document with additional prices.

Tools must be introduced and supportive in analyzing the data, flow, and threats.

We have to introduce the scripting part to work seamlessly.

For how long have I used the solution?

I've used the solution for more than four years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The solution is stable. 

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The solution is scalable. 

How are customer service and support?

The company offers the best support overall and we can trust their advice.

How would you rate customer service and support?

Positive

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

This is the first time we are using this type of solution.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup is straightforward, simple, and centralized. 

What about the implementation team?

We handled the setup in-house.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

The product is better than any other product in the marketplace. Technically sounded techies all over the place. It is cost-effective and most importantly stable and secure.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

We trust the Check Point Software technology.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
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PeerSpot user
Project Manager at Digitas APAC
User
Top 5
Easy to set up with good remote access and a flexible to configure VPN
Pros and Cons
  • "This platform has developed a reliable communication infrastructure that employees can use to communicate with remote workers."
  • "Connection of devices from various locations is efficient though there are a few challenges when there is a network failure."

What is our primary use case?

Remote Access VPN helps my team to connect our devices remotely without any limitations. It is easy to establish a secure connection among teams and connect efficiently with maximum security. 

Teams can share files effectively under secure networking infrastructure. When implementing projects and tasks, it conveniently troubleshoots technical issues that can affect information traffic. 

I can now share large size of documents with my colleagues from a remote location without any interference. It is easy to facilitate remote workers and engage them.

How has it helped my organization?

This platform has developed a reliable communication infrastructure that employees can use to communicate with remote workers. The organization has benefited from a secure network that cyber attacks cannot compromise. We can safely access our servers from anywhere, anytime, without fear of losing confidential information. 

It gives the IT team an opportunity to monitor the performance of devices and control their operations. We can freely connect with our clients from remote areas and give them guidelines without physical appearance under a secure connection.

What is most valuable?

Secure remote access has enabled teams to focus on productive meetings without fear of being attacked by external ransomware attacks. Device access from remote networks has enhanced the efficient connection of teams from various areas. 

The setup process is simple, and new users can set it without any challenges. The cost and maintenance charges are relatively low as compared to most products in the market. 

Configuration of the VPN with other applications is flexible with productive performance. Identity and access management enables the IT team to categorize devices and channel them to effective network infrastructure.

What needs improvement?

My experience with the set features has always been excellent. The secure connection networking system has enabled each team to connect effectively with colleagues from anywhere. 

Connection of devices from various locations is efficient though there are a few challenges when there is a network failure. Disconnection due to internet failure may affect the entire connection and slow down the workflow. 

The setup process requires skilled manpower and dedicated teams to get the best results from the entire connection system. 

Integration of more powerful kill switch tools will enhance secure connection. 

Additional server locations can boost service delivery and cut the cost of connecting computing devices from different areas.

For how long have I used the solution?

I've used the solution for 11 months.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The secure connection is stable.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

I am impressed by the performance of this tool.

How are customer service and support?

The customer support operations have been excellent throughout.

How would you rate customer service and support?

Positive

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

I have not worked with another VPN.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup was successful.

What about the implementation team?

Implementation was through the vendor.

What was our ROI?

The ROI has been positive since we deployed this tool.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

The setup and licensing terms are effective.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

This is the best solution that I have come across.

What other advice do I have?

For secure device connection and team collaboration, this is the best solution.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises

If public cloud, private cloud, or hybrid cloud, which cloud provider do you use?

Google
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
Edwin Solano Salmeron - PeerSpot reviewer
Soporte técnico superior at Acobo
Real User
Top 5Leaderboard
Good encryption, secure login capabilities and easy to install
Pros and Cons
  • "A single login based on a second authentication factor is giving us the possibility of integrating third-party services for authentication based on a security scheme."
  • "A characteristic to improve is the communication service under the SMTP scheme."

What is our primary use case?

We wanted to give employees the possibility to work from anywhere outside of the organization, being a house or another remote location of offices. We wanted this capability with the possibility and ease to grant them access to our perimeter network so that they could access the data or internal applications for the use of each of its functions. We wanted faster, safer, and more efficient transactions that are going to be shared within our organization based on the business.

How has it helped my organization?

This tool gave us the possibility and the benefit of being able to establish that all users, according to their geographical location, need to transfer, manage, execute, validate, and maintain data. We are always in contact with all users within and outside. It is strong, fast, easy to install, and extremely secure for each of the functions that it is designed for. Important to note is that one of the features uses a single sign-on approach.

What is most valuable?

Among other features, advantages, and services that the solution provides us, it is important to understand that it gives us the possibility, capacity, and management for establishing that each of the resources is accessed through encrypted communication tunnels. A single login based on a second authentication factor is giving us the possibility of integrating third-party services for authentication based on a security scheme. This goes beyond a simple password, giving us the possibility of integrating more than one service. 

What needs improvement?

A characteristic to improve is the communication service under the SMTP scheme. In some cases, it is quite complex when it comes to managing, configuring, forwarding, and integrating mail services. It consumes a lot of processing and RAM memory. We want a solution that allows us to use current resources so that high processing peaks demanded by the virtual or physical equipment do not occur. 

For how long have I used the solution?

I've used the solution for four years.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

Public Cloud
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
Planning Analyst at Ovato
User
Top 5
A powerful VPN that is secure and reliable
Pros and Cons
  • "The safety of online interactions when working with this product has enabled members to convene productive meetings without fear of being attacked."
  • "The cost of maintenance is high compared to most products in the market."

What is our primary use case?

The Remote Access VPN provides security to all computing devices across the organization. I can securely log in from a remote area and access the organization's data without physical appearance. 

It is easy to collaborate with colleagues in the same networking area from different locations. 

When interacting with our customers, I can easily change my IP address to correspond with a client's. 

This platform has saved the company a lot of resources that are being used to set up remote offices. 

How has it helped my organization?

This application provides total data security across the enterprise networking infrastructure. Remote interactions with my colleagues are encrypted to enhance safety and prevent threats. 

The organization of virtual events is always secure due to efficient security measures deployed in the organization. 

A powerful VPN has lowered the cost of team engagements and interactions in the field. 

The safety of online interactions when working with this product has enabled members to convene productive meetings without fear of being attacked.

What is most valuable?

The set of security features that prevent data leakages has saved resources. 

The customer support team responds faster when contacted to provide solutions for technical failures. 

The application does not affect the storage and functionalities of the operating system. 

The UI enables new users to understand the working criteria of the features easily. 

The performance of this tool does not affect the performance of other applications when deployed on mobile or desktop devices. 

All the set features have a great impact on protection from data leakages and have saved our organization from threats.

What needs improvement?

Sometimes it may mislead the user based on the requested location due to poor networking. 

Most features have capable performance that responds quickly to user requests. 

The cost of maintenance is high compared to most products in the market. 

Integrations with some applications are difficult due to poor compatibility tools. The development team should focus more on updates and integration features. 

I am impressed by the current performance despite the few challenges. The overall performance has been excellent, and I recommend it to others 

For how long have I used the solution?

I've used the solution for six months.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The product performance is efficient.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The performance is excellent.

How are customer service and support?

The customer support staff is reliable.

How would you rate customer service and support?

Positive

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

I have no experience with any similar solution.

How was the initial setup?

The setup was straightforward.

What about the implementation team?

Implementation was handled in-house.

What was our ROI?

We have gained positive ROI since we deployed it.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

The setup process is not complex.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

I evaluated other VPNs, however, in those cases, the performance was not stable.

What other advice do I have?

This is the best VPN I have worked with so far.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises

If public cloud, private cloud, or hybrid cloud, which cloud provider do you use?

Google
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
Hugo Alexis Espinoza Naranjo - PeerSpot reviewer
Perimeter Security Administrator at a security firm with 51-200 employees
Real User
Top 5Leaderboard
Great encryption and MFA with helps improve a company's security posture
Pros and Cons
  • "It can improve an organization by providing secure access to resources for traveling employees, which can help to reduce the risk of data breaches or other security incidents."
  • "Improved scalability would allow the solution to handle larger numbers of users and devices without a significant impact on performance."

What is our primary use case?

Check Point Remote Access VPN is a VPN solution that allows users to securely connect to corporate networks from remote locations. It enables users to access corporate resources such as files, applications, and network devices as if they were on the corporate network.

The primary use case of Check Point Remote Access VPN is to provide secure remote access for employees, contractors, and partners who need to access corporate resources while working remotely. This can include employees working from home, traveling, or working in a remote office location. 

How has it helped my organization?

It can improve an organization by providing secure access to resources for traveling employees, which can help to reduce the risk of data breaches or other security incidents. 

It also can improve the organization's security posture by providing secure remote access with multi-factor authentication, encryption, and other security features.

It is important to note that the results of the solution will depend on the organization's specific environment and configuration as well as how well it is implemented and managed.

What is most valuable?

Some of the features that are considered most valuable in Check Point Remote Access VPN include: 

Multi-factor authentication. This feature allows organizations to use a combination of authentication methods such as certificates, tokens, biometric authentication, and user credentials to secure remote access connections.

Encryption. This feature provides end-to-end encryption for remote access connections, which helps to protect against eavesdropping and other forms of man-in-the-middle attacks. 

What needs improvement?

The solution needs:

Advanced monitoring and reporting capabilities in order to have a more detailed visibility into security incidents and events. It's important to note that the areas of improvement and additional features will vary depending on the specific use case and the organization's security needs, so it is recommended to contact the vendor to know more details about their roadmap and the next releases of the product. 

Improved scalability to allow the solution to handle larger numbers of users and devices without a significant impact on performance. 

For how long have I used the solution?

I've used the solution for one year.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

Hybrid Cloud
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
Buyer's Guide
Download our free Check Point Remote Access VPN Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions.
Updated: March 2024
Buyer's Guide
Download our free Check Point Remote Access VPN Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions.