


Symantec Proxy and F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager compete in the network security category. While Symantec excels in pricing and support satisfaction, F5 BIG-IP APM stands out with superior features, making it the preferred choice for users who prioritize functionality over cost.
Features: Symantec Proxy provides valuable features such as caching, URL database, and antivirus integration. Users appreciate its web protection and efficient configurations. F5 BIG-IP APM offers load balancing, SSL VPN access, and login efficiency. Users value its stability, customization options, and reliable performance.
Room for Improvement: Symantec Proxy struggles with performance during SSL inspections, outdated documentation, and complex deployment processes. F5 BIG-IP APM faces challenges with its costly nature, outdated GUI, and limited cloud capabilities.
Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Symantec Proxy mainly supports on-premises deployment, facing user dissatisfaction with technical support post-Broadcom acquisition. F5 BIG-IP APM offers versatile deployment options, including hybrid and private clouds, with more stable customer service despite slower response times.
Pricing and ROI: Symantec Proxy is costly but valued for its stability, though licensing renewals are challenging post-acquisition. F5 BIG-IP APM is also expensive, but its simplified licensing and network improvements offer greater ROI satisfaction.
With iboss, whenever you turn on your laptop, the iboss agent automatically connects to the iboss cloud, enforcing all security policies. So with respect to the security side, it strengthens measures.
I have seen some cost effectiveness from iboss; it has reduced certain support requirements, making it a more hands-off solution.
For supercritical businesses, there should be a return on investment due to the enhanced security features and resilience.
They are very fast, responsive, and knowledgeable.
The quality of the support is fantastic.
We had promising discussions about resolving these issues, but no real action followed.
Even if they respond, they don't update me with the process or what's going on.
Most of the technical support is managed in-house due to our extensive experience with F5 products.
F5 technical support is responsive and helpful.
Support services are lagging and not very responsive.
They are also able to meet on-demand requirements based on your contract with them, and can easily provide adequate resources and scalability.
I would rate it a nine out of ten for scalability.
If I start seeing sluggishness or anything like that, I just reach out to my rep, and they connect with their dev team, typically resolving it the same day.
The product's flexibility and company culture contribute to resolving these challenges.
I would rate the scalability of F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager (APM) between seven and eight.
It's been pretty solid; I've never had an outage with them, and if I ever had, it's only been once out of the seven years.
We've experienced zero downtime.
Our biggest problem with their service was it did not recognize the device despite our ClearPass sending information to the iboss box.
On a scale from one to ten for stability, I would rate F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager (APM) a ten.
Sometimes, the logs are not quite informational or easy to understand.
Stability depends on the platform on which it is deployed and the number of users.
It is not as intuitive as the rest of the platform.
We also had a problem with a transition when we upgraded from one appliance of theirs to another, but their engineer lost a good deal of our data.
Our iboss subscription access should be more secure with an OTP or VPN etc.
If I could copy and paste objects instead of picking and configuring them from scratch each time, it would be great.
The main improvement needed for F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager (APM) is to integrate into the cloud-delivered services from F5.
The ability to run the Anycast feature would be valuable, as the current solution only operates on-premises.
The product needs improvement in support services, as they are lagging and not very responsive when we raise concerns or queries, especially in terms of significant impact.
AI features could potentially improve the proxy by helping build rules more efficiently, suggesting unused rules, and enhancing preference setting.
It offers the same features you would get from a vendor that charges 250,000 British pounds for a fraction of the price.
The following year, the cost of just licensing was similar to what was paid the previous year for a new appliance along with the implementation and licensing costs.
Regarding pricing, setup costs, and licensing, iboss is not cheap, and that's my only concern.
F5 products are more expensive than other solutions but are valued for their quality and reliability.
Pricing is difficult to specify as Broadcom sells platforms that include multiple products, making it hard to determine the exact cost for the proxy component.
The solution's mental health function can detect if someone needs help.
It's given us a lot more visibility into our computer assets that may be infected with viruses and also shows us people who have unusually large uploads or might be engaging in high-risk activities, such as searches or going to sites not categorized by their web crawler.
iboss was the best solution for us because, no matter what domain you were in, everything is under a single pane of glass, which is exactly what we wanted.
APM is quite flexible for customers to use, providing secure remote access through various host-checking conditions for both machines and users.
It provides robust security and offers integration with multi-factor authentication systems, which is crucial for an organization's security policy.
A lot of features are useful to me, including mostly the authentication, SAML, or SSO, with no sign-on.
The most valuable features are content inspection, caching, SSL encryption, decryption, WAN optimization, and more.
The integration with FireGlass has been essential since both solutions are from Broadcom, enhancing compatibility.
| Product | Mindshare (%) |
|---|---|
| iboss | 3.5% |
| Symantec Proxy | 1.7% |
| F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager (APM) | 1.5% |
| Other | 93.3% |


| Company Size | Count |
|---|---|
| Small Business | 7 |
| Midsize Enterprise | 7 |
| Large Enterprise | 9 |
| Company Size | Count |
|---|---|
| Small Business | 9 |
| Midsize Enterprise | 2 |
| Large Enterprise | 9 |
| Company Size | Count |
|---|---|
| Small Business | 6 |
| Midsize Enterprise | 4 |
| Large Enterprise | 12 |
Iboss offers a comprehensive cloud-based security platform valued for its scalability and autonomous features, ensuring robust security with easy deployment and management capabilities.
Renowned for its robust security architecture, Iboss integrates seamlessly within diverse networks, delivering efficient granular filtering and advanced content categorization. Its single pane of glass console provides ease of management, allowing rapid scalability suitable for rapidly deploying environments. Operates in BYOD setups due to inline filtering without device installation. Integration with cloud-based applications enhances user control, and features like SASE, SSL inspection, and ChatGPT risk protection stand as highlights. Despite its strengths, users have pointed out areas for enhancement like direct navigation in reports, SSL decryption, and better cloud integration while having room to improve data loss prevention.
What are the most important features of Iboss?The usage of Iboss spans educational institutions, specifically K-12, to enforce internet policies, protect data, and support remote work environments. It provides web filtering and security frameworks to ensure safe browsing. Its platform-as-a-service model offers flexibility for both cloud-based and on-premises requirements, integrating seamlessly to deliver enhanced security features suitable for various deployment needs including zero trust, CASB, and network security for work-from-home setups.
F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager (APM) enhances access management by offering remote application access through SSL VPN, secure access verification, and login capabilities. Its user-friendly interface and robust security ensure efficient scalability and performance.
F5 BIG-IP APM serves enterprises by integrating multiple authentication protocols and supporting remote access via SSL VPN for secure application and network connections. Known for its strong performance and reliable scalability, APM allows custom policy management, facilitating load balancing and enhanced server management through virtual IP creation. It offers a secure bridge for users to connect to private networks while managing access through portals and enforcing compliance checks. Despite its efficient and user-friendly interface, APM has areas needing improvements such as updates for MacOS access, comprehensive reporting features, and simplifying the initial setup process. Better documentation and improved cloud integration are also areas for potential enhancement, alongside more efficient management and automation capabilities. Pricing and integration with other systems could be more competitive, and improvements in support response times would benefit users significantly.
What are the key features of F5 BIG-IP APM?In sectors like finance and healthcare, F5 BIG-IP APM ensures secure access management for sensitive data networks. Retailers utilize it to manage seasonal traffic efficiently with its load balancing and scalability, while educational institutions leverage its robust security and remote access features for faculty and students accessing campus networks remotely. These industries benefit from tailored policy management and comprehensive authentication integration to meet specific security and access needs.
Symantec Proxy offers robust web security by providing features like content caching and URL filtering. It enhances security, optimizes performance, and simplifies policy management for enterprises, serving as a dynamic tool across cloud environments.
Symantec Proxy integrates with Broadcom's FireGlass, providing enhanced compatibility and seamless functionality. Known for a stable deployment and a precise URL database, it offers comprehensive threat detection and policy creation, utilizing the Global Intelligence Network. Users deploy it for web security, malware blocking, and traffic filtering. Symantec Proxy's reputation and site categorization bolster defense against malicious sites, although SSL inspection, dashboard integration, and technical support could benefit from improvements. The platform has shifted post-Broadcom acquisition, needing streamlined solutions. Current challenges include performance with O365 and complexities around pricing and licensing.
What features define Symantec Proxy?Enterprises leverage Symantec Proxy to secure web access and manage Internet usage across industries. Deployed across cloud providers like AWS, GCP, and Azure, it supports URL filtering, remote access, and bandwidth control by user privileges. Organizations also find value in its role within antivirus scanning, policy customization, and reporting.
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