Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls Reviews

Name: Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls
Brand: Palo Alto Networks
Rating: 4.3 (192 reviews)

4.3 out of 5

192 reviews
96% willing to recommend

1,500 followers

What is Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls?

Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls offer comprehensive security, including application control, traffic shaping, threat prevention, and load balancing, designed to secure internal networks, perimeter protection, VPN services, and cloud environments.

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Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls is the #6 ranked solution in best firewalls. PeerSpot users give Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls an average rating of 8.6 out of 10. Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls is most commonly compared to Fortinet FortiGate: Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls vs Fortinet FortiGate. Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls is popular among the large enterprise segment, accounting for 55% of users researching this solution on PeerSpot. The top industry researching this solution are professionals from a computer software company, accounting for 15% of all views.

Buyer's Guide

Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls

April 2025

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Featured Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls reviews

AmjadKhan1

Head of data centers at a non-profit with 10,001+ employees

I would rate Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls ten out of ten because it is the best. Our disaster recovery site utilizes Palo Alto Networks Next-Generation Firewalls. We are also in the process of upgrading the firewalls at our 365 sites in Pakistan to Palo Alto Networks firewalls. While budget firewalls may advertise comparable features, they often fall short of effectively detecting viruses, threats, and ransomware. In contrast, Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls, combined with Cortex XDR, provide comprehensive threat intelligence and detection capabilities, ensuring superior security coverage. I recommend conducting a proof of concept before selecting a firewall. This will allow you to evaluate different options and determine which best suits your needs. While Palo Alto offers robust firewall solutions, it's essential to compare them with other vendors to ensure you make an informed decision.

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Simon Webster

Security Architect at University Corporation for Atmospheric Research

One of the best features is that Palo Alto NGFW can embed machine learning in the core of the firewall to provide inline, real-time attack prevention. We aren't using the AWS-offered firewalls in the cloud or Azure. When I read over the specs on it, it is more like a traditional firewall where a port is open to an IP address, and that is all you know. Palo Alto can decide if traffic is of a certain kind, regardless of what port and protocol it is using. Then, it can figure that out and I can write my rules based on that. That is a huge functionality and super important to me. The machine learning as well as being able to send stuff to WildFire is pretty important too. We like to get those types of reports and know that we have more protection from zero days than most traditional companies would. The WildFire reporting and Cortex XDR platform have huge infrastructures in the cloud that secures the network against threats. So, we have the potential on the system, specifically for users, where we take care of this since the user is the most dangerous. We get reports back from WildFire on a minute-by-minute basis, rather than a daily or weekly update like I used to with different AV vendors. These features can detect viruses and malware more quickly, which is super important. We have some large data movers that we can't put behind the firewalls. We don't have the largest firewalls, we have the 5200 Series firewalls. Their throughput is about 20 gigs a second, and it is protecting networks that have 100 gig connections. So, we have to be kind of choosy as to what we put behind the firewalls, but for the stuff that we put behind it, the latency really isn't problematic at all. Even though the firewall location is just one aspect, we have three different areas that talk to each other over multiple 240 gig links or 200 gig lengths. The firewall is not hindering that at all.

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John Sayer

President at JTS Network Consulting, LLC

One of the simple features I like about Palo Alto firewalls is that it's extremely easy to find out what's happening in the network. The reporting is phenomenal, and it's easy to find which threats have been detected and what traffic is going through the box. When a customer notices something is wrong, you can quickly check the amount of traffic going through the firewall around that time. If there is anything out of the ordinary, you can decide it needs to be investigated further. I talk to customers a lot about simple aspects. Palo Alto firewalls have vast technical capabilities in the signature database, which is constantly updated. Palo Alto does a lot of work to find threats in the wild, which is rare among vendors. From a practical and operational standpoint, the ability to see what's happening at any time, live or historically, is a huge benefit compared to other firewalls that are out there. Machine learning is a massive part of it. Threats are always evolving, and they can constantly update the signatures they're hunting and the raw data streams they're looking for outside of something that's been defined as a true signature type of attack. Most of my customers use what Palo Alto refers to as the Wildfire functionality. Their online analysis team checks every 15 minutes to find anything new that has been detected in the wild anywhere in the world. Once their team finds something, they immediately disseminate that information down to the firewalls so they can start looking for something new. That includes anything that has evolved from one version of an attack to another. So far, we have not run into any issues with changing attacks creating problems for customers with a Palo Alto firewall in place. It's rare for our customers to use the zero-day intelligence feature to upload information to Palo Alto. Still, receiving anything from Palo Alto that others have detected out in the wild is beneficial. Any zero-day signature people find in a data stream can be pushed down to the firewalls, and it's a huge benefit to know that the firewall can stay on top of the changes in the attack world. The PA 400 series is excellent. It's the product that they were missing. Years ago, there was a Palo Alto 200 and a Palo Alto 500. The 500 was a relatively low-cost platform that focused more on team-sized businesses. It reached the end of its life, and they replaced it with an 800, a similar form factor but quite a bit more expensive. The 200 was replaced with a 220, which was at the low end cost-wise in the product family, but they never had anything in the middle. They didn't have something that offered high performance at a reasonable cost. The 400s provide that missing link inside their product family to cater to small and medium-sized businesses. Because more and more, even though companies are small, with 50 to 100 people in a company, internet bandwidth has gotten so cheap that they're typically running 1+ gigabit-per-second connections out to the internet. While they may not be using that much bandwidth today, that will change as they do more and more online. We saw during the pandemic how that could change quickly. Suddenly, everybody's working from home, and internet connectivity is the company's lifeblood. The 400 series gives customers decent performance at a lower price point in a small form factor. It's a product they can deploy, knowing it will protect them and provide the performance they need for years.

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Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls mindshare

As of May 2025, the mindshare of Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls in the Firewalls category stands at 3.4%, up from 3.1% compared to the previous year, according to calculations based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Firewalls

PeerResearch reports based on Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls reviews

Type	Title	Date
Category	Firewalls	May 1, 2025	Download
Product	Reviews, tips, and advice from real users	May 1, 2025	Download
Comparison	Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls vs Netgate pfSense	May 1, 2025	Download
Comparison	Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls vs Fortinet FortiGate	May 1, 2025	Download
Comparison	Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls vs OPNsense	May 1, 2025	Download

Title	Rating	Mindshare	Recommending
Fortinet FortiGate	4.2	21.4%	90%	330 interviews Add to research
Netgate pfSense	4.3	13.3%	93%	217 interviews Add to research

Valuable Features

Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls' features are highly valued for application visibility, threat prevention, and machine learning. They offer intuitive management, robust security capabilities, and seamless integration with other systems. Users appreciate the advanced threat protection, reliable stability, and ease of configuration. Unified platform features such as WildFire, GlobalProtect VPN, SSL decryption, and detailed packet inspection enhance network safety and efficiency, making them ideal for complex environments needing consistent security.

"I find all the features valuable, including the segmentation and cloud-distributed security profiles."
"I find all the features valuable, including the segmentation and cloud-distributed security profiles."
"Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls are the best in the field in terms of usability and coverage."

Room for Improvement

Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls need enhancements in price competitiveness, technical support, and user interface simplification. Users express concerns over the complexity of configuration, slow technical support, high costs, and limited customization. Reporting tools and machine learning capabilities require improvement. There are calls for better integration with third-party applications, enhanced scalability, and more efficient management processes. The logging and VPN functionalities could also be further developed for better overall user experience.

"Scalability is not really the case. Since the NextGen Firewalls are hardware-based, if I want to scale up, I need new hardware. It is not really scalable."
"These are not the cheapest firewalls; they are quite expensive."
"Understanding the flow and application of securities can be complex, requiring navigation across different sections."

ROI

Organizations often report a positive return on investment with Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls, citing reduced threats, increased security visibility, and efficient use of resources. Users appreciate the unified management, decreased deployment time, and reliability. While perceived as costly, the comprehensive security features make it a worthwhile investment. Firms benefit from reduced administrative overhead, minimized downtime, and strong threat prevention. Many highlight the enhanced security that prevents costly breaches, ultimately justifying the firewall's initial expenses.

Pricing

Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls are widely regarded as an expensive solution in the market, often compared to Cisco and Fortinet. Pricing structures vary, with options for one, three, and five-year contracts, and additional costs for services and licenses based on specific needs. Although the initial costs are high, many users justify the investment due to advanced security features and reliable performance. Discounts are often available for longer contracts, making the total cost more competitive over time.

"Palo Alto Networks offers more cost efficiency compared to Cisco, with better operational and maintenance ease."
"Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls have a higher price tag, costing roughly twice as much as competing products."
"Overall, it is commercially competitive compared to Cisco and Fortinet."

Popular Use Cases

Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls are utilized for diverse purposes including firewalling, VPN setup, threat prevention, and application control. Organizations deploy these firewalls for perimeter and data center protection, securing both cloud and on-premises environments. Users exploit its ability to control incoming and outgoing traffic, enable secure remote access, and implement Zero Trust security models, demonstrating adaptability in various sectors such as finance, government, and manufacturing for enhanced security and efficient network management.

Service and Support

Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls receive mixed feedback for their customer service and support. Some users praise the support for being responsive, knowledgeable, and helpful, often highlighting fast assistance and competent technical engineers. However, other users report challenges, such as long wait times, unclear solutions, and language barriers. Support quality varies by region and partner involvement, with some experiencing efficient service and others facing delays and inconsistent assistance.

Deployment

Users found Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls' initial setup to be generally straightforward but varied by complexity depending on the environment and prior experience. Transitioning from another firewall involved more effort, yet the setup was manageable with adequate planning and expertise. Deployment duration ranged from hours to weeks, influenced by network size and configuration needs. Assistance from documentation and training materials was valuable, aiding users in navigating the setup with relative ease.

Scalability

Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls offers varied scalability experience. Some highlight ease in accommodating user growth and integration with endpoint protection. The firewalls can be expanded for cloud deployments or through virtual appliances. Others point out challenges in hardware upgrades, noting limitations in physical expansion and cost implications for larger models. Scalability largely depends on the specific model and planning for future capacity needs, with some users finding it well-suited for diverse environments.

Stability

Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls are praised for their strong stability, with many users highlighting their reliability and consistent performance. Some mention experiencing occasional hardware issues or the need for updates, but these are typically resolved quickly. Comparisons often rate Palo Alto higher than competitors like Cisco, Fortinet, and Meraki. Users value the reduced downtime and effective management features. Despite rare performance spikes post-upgrades, users rate stability highly, frequently around eight to ten out of ten.

These insights are based on the in-depth reviews provided by peers to help you make a better buying decision.

Download our Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls Buyer's Guide for additional reliable information.

Review data by company size

By reviewers

By visitors reading reviews

Top industries

By visitors reading reviews

Computer Software Company

15%

Financial Services Firm

Manufacturing Company

Government

Educational Organization

University

Healthcare Company

Comms Service Provider

Retailer

Non Profit

Construction Company

Insurance Company

Energy/Utilities Company

Real Estate/Law Firm

Media Company

Hospitality Company

Transportation Company

Wholesaler/Distributor

Consumer Goods Company

Performing Arts

Outsourcing Company

Legal Firm

Pharma/Biotech Company

Engineering Company

Logistics Company

Recreational Facilities/Services Company

Compare Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls with alternative products

Learn more about Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls

Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls are a key choice for managing and protecting data centers, securing remote access, network segmentation, malware prevention, and ensuring high availability and performance for business-critical applications. Known for stability and strong security, these firewalls use application-aware identifiers and IPS/IDS subscriptions to offer advanced threat protection. The unified platform facilitates seamless integration, while GlobalProtect and centralized management via Panorama enhance ease of use. However, there are areas for improvement, including pricing strategies, training, user support, and integration with third-party applications.

What are the essential features?

Stability: Reliable performance in different environments.
Application Control: Identifies applications to manage traffic.
Advanced Threat Protection: Includes DNS security, WildFire, and machine learning.
GlobalProtect: Secure remote access for users.
Centralized Management: Managed via the Panorama platform.

What benefits or ROI should users expect?

Security: Protects against threats with robust features.
User-Friendly: Simplified interface and easy configuration.
High Availability: Ensures performance for critical applications.
Integration: Seamless with existing systems and applications.
Support: Reliable technical support and resources.

In industries like finance, healthcare, and retail, Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls secure sensitive data and meet regulatory requirements. These firewalls help manage large-scale networks in these sectors, providing essential security features and maintaining high-performance standards. They are implemented to ensure compliance, protect patient information, secure financial transactions, and safeguard customer data.

Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls was previously known as Palo Alto NGFW, Palo Alto Networks Next-Generation Firewall.

Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls customers

SkiStar AB, Ada County, Global IT Services PSF, Southern Cross Hospitals, Verge Health, University of Portsmouth, Austrian Airlines, The Heinz Endowments