Forcepoint Next Generation Firewall vs Hillstone S-Series Network Intrusion Prevention System comparison

The compared Forcepoint and Hillstone Networks solutions aren't in the same category. Forcepoint is ranked #24 in Firewalls , with an average rating of 7.2, and holds a 0.4% mindshare in the category. Hillstone Networks is ranked #22 in ID , and holds a 1.1% mindshare. Additionally, 78% of Forcepoint users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 100% of Hillstone Networks users who would recommend it.

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Executive Summary

We performed a comparison between Forcepoint Next Generation Firewall and Hillstone S-Series Network Intrusion Prevention System based on real PeerSpot user reviews.

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May 2025

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Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Categories and Ranking

Fortinet FortiGate

Mindshare comparison

Firewalls

Intrusion Detection and Prevention Software (IDPS)

Featured Reviews

Yaw Agyare

Manager at Volta River Authority

Ensures business continuity with reliable internet connectivity and robust security features

The content filtering and URL filtering capabilities, along with packet content filtering, are very good. It helps us restrict internet traffic during working hours to legitimate work-related traffic. Workers are only able to access social media, YouTube, and similar sites after work hours. It helps in protecting the edge significantly because we are able to determine what must be accepted and what must not be accepted. We also have FortiAnalyzer, which is the log analyzer for Fortinet FortiGate. Being AI-driven, it helps us see what is happening and new emerging threats quickly. We are able to make the necessary interventions to protect the network. We are using QRadar as a SIEM, and Fortinet FortiGate integrates with it seamlessly. FortiAnalyzer picks all logs from Fortinet FortiGate, integrates with QRadar, and allows us to see everything. It also integrates beautifully with our EDR from WithSecure. It also helps reduce power consumption. Fortinet FortiGate is a greener listing in terms of power consumption.

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OusaidAbaz

Security Network Architect at Inmac

Provides decent protection for the LAN but complicated interface

We had some licensing issues with its web filtering capabilities. That's why we migrated our web filtering to Cisco Umbrella. Moreover, the interface is complicated. It's difficult to locate all the necessary menus and functions. For example, one of the many issues is with SSH. Even now, we haven't successfully opened the port to connect using SSH mode when we want to change the configuration. It's like a black box—not very open to changes and customization. It's simply not easy to configure. There are other problems, too. For example regarding Forcepoint's Websense component. We had a lot of problems managing the web settings within Websense. That's why we migrated to Cisco Umbrella for cloud-based web filtering. It's not that Forcepoint is inherently bad. The issue is that it's not user-friendly. It is not easy to use. The developers need to redesign the interface (GUI) for better management. It is very difficult to manage. For example, simple actions require too many clicks compared to FortiGate or Palo Alto. That's the main problem.

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reviewer1080873

Senior Consultant at a tech services company with 51-200 employees

Complements any firewall

The core processors are there and it's able to generate reports for that. It also complements any kind of firewall. For example, if an end user is using Palo Alto as a firewall, they'd need another layer of firewall like the S-Series that will protect internal servers. It's something that complements any firewall in the market.

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Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Pros

"FortiGate is flexible and easy to use."

"The SD-WAN feature of Fortinet FortiGate has been most impactful in maintaining our network's integrity."

"It's very easy to set up, it's very easy to make policies and, for an organization, that means you don't need IT expert in firewalls. You just need to have somebody who knows a little bit of IT, and that's it. With other products, you need someone with a "Masters" degree in firewalls."

"One of the nice things about FortiGate is that it can be deployed on the cloud or on-premises. You can actually do both. That's the biggest reason why I stick with this solution as opposed to something like Cisco Meraki. Another nice thing is that I can log directly into a FortiGate or get to it through their FortiCloud access products. They're pretty reliable and consistent. One of the reasons why I started using the product was their single pane of management. I can deploy their line of firewalls in conjunction with their switching and access points, and I can manage the entire network from one interface. I don't have to log into one interface for the firewall, another one for the access points, and another one for the switches. These firewalls have access point controller functionality built right into the system, so I don't even have to purchase additional devices to manage them."

"The SD-WAN function is very developed. It has SD-WAN functionality with security features in one device. We can manage from one single console SD-WAN and the security policy."

"Customers want to load balance more than eight lines or six internet lines. FortiGate is the only solution that can accomplish this."

"Some of the valuable features are the firewall, IPS, web filter, and gateway capabilities. Additionally, it is easy to use and flexible."

"The most valuable feature is the interface, which is very user friendly. We are utilizing most of the features, like content filtering. The firewall is powerful."

More Fortinet FortiGate pros

"It is a scalable solution."

"The most valuable feature is SD-WAN."

"With Forcepoint, this process is simplified compared to others like Fortinet."

"The initial setup is very easy."

"The people we deal with is a local partner in Cambodia and we can get good support from them."

"I found the initial setup process to be very simple and straightforward."

"The central security management center and the content management center are very good."

"Forcepoint is a complete package because it has network and systems applications. Other firewalls are only for the network."

More Forcepoint Next Generation Firewall pros

"Setup is straightforward with the same reliability and scalability as the firewall series."

Cons

"Fortinet FortiGate is not a scalable solution, as they give you a number and each box comes with concurrent connections; if you need to expand, you have to change the box."

"At this moment, we believe that Fortinet FortiGate should be improved by injecting more AI because the kind of threats we are seeing are more ransomware threats. Fortinet FortiGate is able to ensure these threats do not enter, but we would prefer to see more proactive alerting mechanisms come out."

"Its reporting capabilities can be improved. It should have some out-of-the-box reporting capabilities and some degree of customization. The basic reporting that it currently has is not sufficient to create more usable reports. It needs some sort of out-of-the-box reporting. They try to make customers purchase FortiAnalyzer for this kind of reporting, which is an additional cost. Other firewall vendors, such as SonicWall and Sophos, provide this sort of reporting without any additional cost."

"The pricing could be a bit better, especially when you consider how they have the most basic offering priced."

"We would like to see a better training platform implemented."

"In the next release, I would like to see the interface simplified to be more user-friendly."

"It should be more stable. There should be full integration within Fortinet products themselves as well as with other third-party products. Especially when you're not dealing with SIEM and the correlation of the security box, we want Fortinet to be able to share that information with as many other products as it can."

"The pricing could be reduced or include the first year warranty."

More Fortinet FortiGate cons

"Technical support is sometimes slow to respond, and it takes longer to resolve issues."

"The solution needs to add an antivirus profile and anti-spyware profile, not just policies and VPN."

"Its management center should be easier to use. The management interface of Forcepoint is unique and a little bit different from some of the firewall solutions on which people might have worked before. Sometimes, the customers say that it is not very friendly, and we help them with how to use this management interface. It just takes a little bit of time, and after some time, it gets easy to manage or use. It is quite similar to Palo Alto, Fortinet, and legacy Juniper solutions. Their support should be faster. We have received complaints that they are not responding fast, which is not good for the vendor and us."

"The ability to dynamically change policies could be improved."

"Its interface is complex when compared with a firewall like FortiGate. Forcepoint Next Generation Firewall needs a management console, whereas FortiGate doesn't need any console. When you have a few devices, a console is not really necessary. It's good to have a private console only when you have a lot of devices."

"The optimization is not really ready. If you want very good optimization, you have to add it to the network."

"They should have a GUI on the product itself, not a separate management tool to be used on the management server or on a server to be used to manage the file. It should be all in one device. The device should be controlled through its own GUI. They also have to improve the learning center and the documents as the documents don't really help."

"The interface is complicated. It's difficult to locate all the necessary menus and functions."

More Forcepoint Next Generation Firewall cons

"Lack of tools to help educate end users"

Pricing and Cost Advice

"For medium and enterprise organizations, FortiGate is more affordable."

"There is a license to use Fortinet FortiGate."

"The price of the license and warranty can be better because it is very expensive."

"We have the full license that included all of the features and support."

"While Fortinet FortiGate has a higher price point compared to Sophos XG, its user-friendly interface justifies the cost."

"It has been two years. I don't remember the actual price, but it was affordable. We buy the boxes and then use the license for three years."

"It is too expensive for us. My organization is very small, and we have a total of ten users. We have three internal users and seven external users. The FortiGate 100D series is too expensive for renewing the licenses."

"It is cost-effective, and provides a good value for your money. The pricing, and license renewal, is very reasonable for us."

More Fortinet FortiGate pricing and cost advice

"The big advantage of this solution is that we can select the right model for our requirements, which is not too expensive."

"I consider Forcepoint Next Generation Firewall's price to be good."

"I believe the licensing fee is for one year, three years, and five years, or something like that. If you wants to increase the support level from a simpler level to platinum, I think that there's a cost. There are differences between every kind of support, but I don't know the numbers."

"We have just a subscription for the cloud, and this license is great. The license is so good."

"It could be cheaper like Fortinet."

"There is a license required to use this solution and we can purchase it for one, two, three, or five years."

"Next Generation Firewall is moderately priced."

"The cost is fair, but it could be improved."

More Forcepoint Next Generation Firewall pricing and cost advice

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Educational Organization

18%

Computer Software Company

14%

Comms Service Provider

Manufacturing Company

Computer Software Company

19%

Manufacturing Company

10%

Financial Services Firm

10%

Government

No data available

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

No data available

Questions from the Community

Which is the better NGFW: Fortinet Fortigate or Cisco Firepower?

When you compare these firewalls you can identify them with different features, advantages, practices and usage a...

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What is the biggest difference between Sophos XG and FortiGate?

From my experience regarding both the Sophos and FortiGate firewalls, I personally would rather use FortiGate. I know...

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What are the biggest technical differences between Sophos UTM and Fortinet FortiGate?

As a solution, Sophos UTM offers a lot of functionality, it scales well, and the stability and performance are quite ...

See all answers

What do you like most about Forcepoint Next Generation Firewall?

The product's initial setup phase is easy.

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What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Forcepoint Next Generation Firewall?

The licensing model is dependent on negotiation skills, but there is room for improvement. The costs can be high sinc...

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What needs improvement with Forcepoint Next Generation Firewall?

The licensing model should be more flexible. I recommend that additional features be included in a single license to ...

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Comparisons

Sophos XG vs Fortinet FortiGate

Compared 21% of the time

Netgate pfSense vs Fortinet FortiGate

Compared 12% of the time

Cisco Secure Firewall vs Fortinet FortiGate

Compared 11% of the time

WatchGuard Firebox vs Fortinet FortiGate

Compared 5% of the time

SonicWall TZ vs Fortinet FortiGate

Compared 5% of the time

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Palo Alto Networks Advanced Threat Prevention vs Forcepoint Next Generation Firewall

Compared 21% of the time

Check Point NGFW vs Forcepoint Next Generation Firewall

Compared 12% of the time

Sophos XG vs Forcepoint Next Generation Firewall

Compared 6% of the time

OPNsense vs Forcepoint Next Generation Firewall

Compared 4% of the time

Arista NDR vs Forcepoint Next Generation Firewall

Compared 4% of the time

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Fortinet FortiGate IPS vs Hillstone S-Series Network Intrusion Prevention System

Compared 48% of the time

Darktrace vs Hillstone S-Series Network Intrusion Prevention System

Compared 33% of the time

Vectra AI vs Hillstone S-Series Network Intrusion Prevention System

Compared 19% of the time

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Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Fortinet FortiGate

May 2025

Download Fortinet FortiGate product report

Buyer's Guide

Forcepoint Next Generation Firewall

May 2025

Forcepoint Next Generation Firewall report

Download Forcepoint Next Generation Firewall product report

Buyer's Guide

Intrusion Detection and Prevention Software (IDPS)

May 2025

Hillstone S-Series Network Intrusion Prevention System report

Download Hillstone S-Series Network Intrusion Prevention System product report

Also Known As

FortiGate 60b, FortiGate 60c, FortiGate 80c, FortiGate 50b, FortiGate 200b, FortiGate 110c, FortiGate, Fortinet Firewall

Forcepoint NGFW, Stonesoft Next Generation Firewall, McAfee Network Security Platform, Intel Security Network Security Platform

Hillstone S-Series NIPS

Overview

Fortinet FortiGate offers comprehensive network security and firewall protection across multiple locations. It effectively manages data traffic and secures environments with features like VPN, intrusion prevention, and UTM controls.

Organizations rely on Fortinet FortiGate for its robust integration with advanced security policies, ensuring significant protection for enterprises, cloud environments, and educational sectors. It facilitates network segmentation, application-level security, and authentication management, securing communication within and between locations such as branches and data centers. Its efficient SD-WAN and UTM features enable streamlined data management and enhanced threat protection capabilities. Users appreciate its centralized management, facilitating seamless operations across diverse environments.

What are the key features of Fortinet FortiGate?

VPN Capabilities: Ensure secure remote access for users and seamless site-to-site connections.
Intrusion Prevention System (IPS): Detect and prevent security threats and vulnerabilities.
Advanced Firewall: Offers robust firewalling with application control and web filtering.
SD-WAN: Optimizes application performance and enhances bandwidth management.
SSL VPN: Provides reliable and secure access for remote workers.

What benefits should users expect from Fortinet FortiGate?

High-performance Security: Delivers effective threat mitigation with high availability.
Centralized Management: Simplifies network operations with cloud-based management tools.
Detailed Analytics: Provides comprehensive insights into network activity and security threats.
Load Balancing: Ensures optimal resource distribution and traffic management.

Fortinet FortiGate is crucial in sectors like education, offering robust networks for secure data flow between campuses and facilitating remote learning. In enterprise environments, it allows efficient management of application traffic and security across multiple branches, while in the cloud, it seamlessly integrates with diverse platforms to enhance security infrastructure.

Fortinet

Forcepoint Next Generation Firewall is a versatile and comprehensive solution for perimeter security, offering features such as SD-WAN, IPS, VPN, and cloud or on-premises subscription keys. It is preferred by many clients over Cisco and is used for obligation redundancy, VPN access, and as the main point of security in infrastructure.

The product is praised for its simplicity, flexibility, complete feature set, scalability, and central management capabilities. Other valuable features include IPS, firewall, sandbox, application control, filtering, security management center, connectivity, and integration capabilities.

Forcepoint

Hillstone Network-based IPS (NIPS) appliance operates in-line, and at wire speed, performing deep packet inspection, and assembling inspection of all network traffic. It also applies rules based on several methodologies, including protocol anomaly analysis and signature analysis to block threats. Hillstone NIPS can be deployed in the network to inspect traffic left undetected by perimeter solutions, and is an integral part of network security systems for its high-performance, no compromise, best-of-breed protection capability and broad and flexible deployment scenarios.

Hillstone Networks

Sample Customers

Amazon Web Services, Microsoft, IBM, Cisco, Dell, HP, Oracle, Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, Sprint, Vodafone, Orange, BT Group, Telstra, Deutsche Telekom, Comcast, Time Warner Cable, CenturyLink, NTT Communications, Tata Communications, SoftBank, China Mobile, Singtel, Telus, Rogers Communications, Bell Canada, Telkom Indonesia, Telkom South Africa, Telmex, Telia Company, Telkom Kenya

California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR)

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