Security Operations Manager at a retailer with 10,001+ employees
Real User
Top 20
Protect our perimeter and servers and provide a unified platform
Pros and Cons
  • "Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls provide a unified platform that natively integrates all security capabilities."
  • "The cloud could be improved. I would like to have more visibility of the vulnerabilities of the network as well."

What is our primary use case?

We use this solution to protect the perimeter and use it as a proxy for the servers.

We have the firewalls installed in our data center at present and are planning to put them in the corporate and branch offices as well.

How has it helped my organization?

A couple of years ago, we removed the explicit proxy for the servers and made the proxy transparent for the servers. We were able to make it softer for the servers' web filtering.

What is most valuable?

Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls provide a unified platform that natively integrates all security capabilities. They have a couple of solutions in the cloud that we are trying to add to our ecosystem.

Because Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls are installed in our data center, it is very important that Palo Alto embeds machine learning in the core of the firewall to provide inline, real-time attack prevention. We need to protect our servers.

What needs improvement?

The cloud could be improved. I would like to have more visibility of the network vulnerabilities as well.

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For how long have I used the solution?

I've been using Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls for more than five years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The stability is good.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls have good scalability.

How are customer service and support?

Palo Alto's technical support is good, and I would rate them an eight out of ten.

How would you rate customer service and support?

Positive

What other advice do I have?

Overall, I would rate Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls a nine on a scale from one to ten.

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
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Manager, Cyber Security Risk & Compliance at a financial services firm with 5,001-10,000 employees
Real User
Top 20
Provides better visibility and is stable and scalable
Pros and Cons
  • "Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls enabled us to have better visibility overall."
  • "Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls do not provide a unified platform that natively integrates all security capabilities."

What is our primary use case?

We use Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls for security purposes and to mitigate risk.

How has it helped my organization?

Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls enabled us to have better visibility overall.

What is most valuable?

The inline, real-time attack prevention provided by embedded machine learning is not bad.

Also, the firewalls are moderate in terms of securing data centers consistently across all workplaces, i.e., from the smallest office to the largest data centers.

We have been able to reduce downtime because we have better visibility. We're faster and can act preemptively.

What needs improvement?

Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls do not provide a unified platform that natively integrates all security capabilities.

Customer support could be improved.

For how long have I used the solution?

I've been using this solution for about one year.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls are stable.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The firewalls' scalability is good.

How are customer service and support?

I would rate Palo Alto's network support a six out of ten.

How would you rate customer service and support?

Neutral

What was our ROI?

We have seen a slight ROI, enough to justify the cost of the solution.

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

The cost is steep, but most firewalls cost a lot.

What other advice do I have?

If you're looking for the cheapest and fastest firewall, I would not recommend Palo Alto NG Firewalls.

Overall, I would rate Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls an eight out of ten.

I place a high value on attending the RSA Conference. I get a lot out of it because I'm able to learn about up-and-coming companies. I can see what options are available, whether someone's doing it better, and if I can get a cheaper option.

Attending RSAC does have an impact on my organization’s cybersecurity purchases made throughout the year.

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
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Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls
November 2023
Learn what your peers think about Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: November 2023.
745,775 professionals have used our research since 2012.
Information Security Analyst at a tech vendor with 10,001+ employees
Vendor
Top 20
Helps with audit and compliance, but it should be easier to gather evidence
Pros and Cons
  • "I typically get involved with it when it comes to audit and compliance and having to gather evidence of those firewalls, routers, and rule sets. The evidence that I typically need is there."
  • "I don't deal with it from a day-to-day perspective, but I can say that the evidence that I typically need is there, but sometimes, it's a task to actually get it and pull it out. They can make it easier to gather that evidence."

How has it helped my organization?

Solutions like firewalls and routers improve any company. If you don't have them, then I wouldn't be doing business with you. 

Palo Alto has embedded machine learning in the core of the firewall to provide inline, real-time attack prevention. That's big. We're embedding that type of security and information into every part of our corporate network as well as our products.

It has helped to reduce downtime in our organization. The savings are probably in single digits.

What is most valuable?

I typically get involved with it when it comes to audit and compliance and having to gather evidence of those firewalls, routers, and rule sets. The evidence that I typically need is there.

We got a lot of integrations into it, but I don't know if it integrates with all.

What needs improvement?

I don't deal with it from a day-to-day perspective, but I can say that the evidence that I typically need is there, but sometimes, it's a task to actually get it and pull it out. They can make it easier to gather that evidence. From our NetOps team's perspective also, they can make it easier to manage and constantly update those rule sets.

For how long have I used the solution?

I don't know for how long exactly we have been using this solution, but I've been aware that we've had them probably since about 2016 or 2017.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

It's very stable. They are highly ranked within their space.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

It's a good product for securing all types of workplaces. It's specifically good for data centers, which are all brick-and-mortar houses. Small businesses must also have it because they don't have the ability to have everything in a cloud or virtualized firewalls and other things like that.

How are customer service and support?

I haven't dealt with their support team.

How was the initial setup?

I was not involved in its initial deployment.

What was our ROI?

I am able to gather some of the evidence and things that I need. Our NetOps team uses it heavily, and they love it.

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

I would assume that it's still within mid-range given its company structure and everything else. My guess is it's still okay.

What other advice do I have?

To someone at another company who says, “We are just looking for the cheapest and fastest firewall,” I would say that you just lost the customer because I'm not going to do business with somebody who is going for the cheapest. I'm always looking for a vendor or customer that has more input and cares about the security of their systems.

The value received from attending an RSA Conference includes prizes and other things, but on a personal level, I love the tech talks, knowing about a lot of industry changes, and different product solutions being showcased.

RSAC definitely has an impact on our organization’s cybersecurity purchases made throughout the year. One of my main roles is vendor due diligence, so I come to RSA quite often, and I have conversations with many different sales engineers who can explain the security of their products because that's what I focus on during our onboarding process. 

Overall, I would rate this solution a seven out of ten.

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
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IT Network Engineer at a energy/utilities company with 201-500 employees
Real User
Top 20
Supports Single Pass Architecture, stops any attack on the line, and saves time
Pros and Cons
  • "I like all the threat alerts and WildFire. I also like scanning because everything that comes into our network via customers is scanned. We're an electric company, so every one of the bills is scanned and emailed in and out of our network."
  • "I like the reports, but I wish the reporting was a little better. When I set up the automatic reports to come in, they're pretty basic. I would like them to be a little more advanced at the ACC monitoring and things like that. I still enjoy all the daily alerts that I get and all the daily PDFs and reports, but I just feel that it could expand upon the visualization of the reports."

What is our primary use case?

We use it for our edge firewalls and our east-west and north-south traffic for our firewalls. We have also deployed each firewall to every site for our Layer 3 connections back to our data center.

How has it helped my organization?

Since we've integrated it into our east-west traffic and north-south traffic, I feel that it has reduced the number of viruses or other things in our endpoints. I wish to expand it more all the way to our endpoint computers so that we have end-to-end firewall security through Palo Alto.

It provides a unified platform that natively integrates all security capabilities. This is very important to me because I'm in IT infrastructure. I take care of the entire operations network and everything that flows north and south, east and west, and inside and out of our data center. It's very important that we have Palo Alto to protect us.

It embeds machine learning in the core of the firewall to provide inline, real-time attack prevention. When any packet comes through the network, everything is like a first pass. It goes through every single part of our network, and we don't have a delay in alerts or network security. It stops any attack on the line.

What is most valuable?

I like all the threat alerts and WildFire. I also like scanning because everything that comes into our network via customers is scanned. We're an electric company, so every one of the bills is scanned and emailed in and out of our network. 

What needs improvement?

I like the reports, but I wish the reporting was a little better. When I set up the automatic reports to come in, they're pretty basic. I would like them to be a little more advanced at the ACC monitoring and things like that. I still enjoy all the daily alerts that I get and all the daily PDFs and reports, but I just feel that it could expand upon the visualization of the reports.

For how long have I used the solution?

I've been using this solution for seven years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The stability is great. They're not going anywhere. They're the industry leader.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

It doesn't matter whether you are small or large, Palo Alto will fit your needs.

How are customer service and support?

I'm in Pacific Standard Time. During the day, I have great support, and after 5:30, I don't have great support. During my business hours, I would rate their support as a ten out of ten. I love Palo Alto's support. However, at night, when the sun changes and I go to a different area, it's not always the best at level 1. If the incident was like having a system down, the support would be better, but after hours or 5:30, I have a harder time.

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

We were using Cisco ASA. We switched because of its ease to use and the GUI. There is also Single Pass Architecture, which is related to the way a packet flows through our network. It doesn't have to go through one area into another area. It's all at one, and it just separates. It gives me the best visibility of our network and firewalls.

What was our ROI?

It has decreased the time of technicians in researching the vulnerabilities. We also do web filtering, so that helps. Web filtering has changed things because we used to use Websense, and it's night and day.

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

It's very expensive. However, we usually use all of the subscriptions and threat alerts on any firewall that uses the internet. For each edge security endpoint, we use all subscriptions. Otherwise, we just utilize the threat alert, the antivirus, WildFire, etc.

What other advice do I have?

Palo Alto is the best firewall company. Whether you're a small company or a large company, it will fit your needs.

By attending this RSA Conference, I was hoping to find new security solutions. However, I seem to like my existing Palo Alto security solutions. In terms of the impact of the RSA Conference on our organization’s cybersecurity purchases, it depends on what we're looking for at the time of attending an RSA Conference. Right now, we're looking for something that I didn't really see here. We're looking for security, but this means we need a security operations center (SOC), whereas we're small. We just don't have that type of network. This is almost too much. However, that's why we have Palo Alto Networks.

I would rate it a nine out of ten. It's not perfect, but it's pretty good. Palo Alto is the best firewall security network that I could possibly purchase.

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
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Software Engineer at a tech vendor with 501-1,000 employees
Real User
Provides a unified platform that natively integrates all security capabilities
Pros and Cons
  • "Their Prisma log collection is pretty great. Our product collects the logs, and it definitely makes the configuration of log collection easier."
  • "Everything has been great. More machine learning would be something great to see, but I don't know if it's a priority for Palo Alto."

What is our primary use case?

We're partners. Essentially, we take all the Palo Alto firewall policy information and all the device information, and we put it on a single pane of glass for them.

How has it helped my organization?

It provides a unified platform that natively integrates all security capabilities. This communication between security devices or security platforms is pretty important.

It helps to reduce downtime in our organization, but I don't have the metrics.

What is most valuable?

Their Prisma log collection is pretty great. Our product collects the logs, and it definitely makes the configuration of log collection easier.

What needs improvement?

Everything has been great. More machine learning would be something great to see, but I don't know if it's a priority for Palo Alto.

For how long have I used the solution?

We're partners with Palo Alto. We've been partnering with them for about ten years for their firewalls.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

It's pretty stable.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

It's pretty scalable. Palo Alto does a great job across the board from small businesses to large enterprise solutions.

How are customer service and support?

I have not had direct communication with their support.

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

We've worked with different firewall solutions such as Check Point, Cisco, ACI, and Fortinet, but Palo Alto is definitely among the ones that I like to work with.

What was our ROI?

Overall, it provides a wide range of features for securing an environment.

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

You get what you pay for.

What other advice do I have?

The RSA Conference is great. You get to see a wide range of products all in one place. In terms of security, this is the place to be. It has been a great experience.

I believe attending the RSA Conference has an impact on our organization’s cybersecurity purchases made throughout the year afterward. It gives us a good forecast as to where the industry is going and what's to come so that we can be better prepared to partner with all different vendors.

To a colleague at another company who says, “We are just looking for the cheapest and fastest firewall,” I would say that Palo Alto is definitely not the cheapest. It's one of those things where you prefer quality.

Overall, I'd rate this solution a nine out of ten.

Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: Partner
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Manager - Project at a consultancy with 10,001+ employees
Real User
Top 10
Provides a unified platform that natively integrates all security capabilities
Pros and Cons
  • "There are many valuable features, such as wireless cloud features."
  • "The bugs can be improved."

What is our primary use case?

We use Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls for our network security. We deployed the solution on both the cloud and on-prem.

How has it helped my organization?

Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls machine learning secures our network against threats that evolve rapidly.

The DNS security feature is already commonly used for authentication by clients, with many threats being pushed from the inside to the outside. DNS security helps improve our network.

The DNS security feature is integral in protecting against DNS tunneling.

The solution provides a unified platform that natively integrates all security capabilities. Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls' unified platform helps us eliminate security threats. We use all the Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls' features including the UTM, WiFi, and VPN feature to protect our network. 

Both the network performance and security of the single-pass architecture are good. 

What is most valuable?

There are many valuable features, such as wireless cloud features. The IP and signals are updated regularly, and all UTM features provide good basic gateway-level security.

Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls machine learning in the core of the firewall to provide real-time attack prevention is a basic requirement for our private security network.

What needs improvement?

The bugs can be improved.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using the solution for eight years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The solution is stable. We encounter small bugs sometimes but they are not a problem.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The solution is scalable.

How are customer service and support?

The technical support is good.

How would you rate customer service and support?

Positive

How was the initial setup?

For experienced people, the initial setup is straightforward. Cloud deployment can be challenging for someone new. The deployment takes around one hour.

What about the implementation team?

We implement the solution for our clients.

What other advice do I have?

I give the solution a nine out of ten.

Our clients are enterprise-level.

The PA400 series has good performance and security.

I recommend Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls to others.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: Implementer
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KUMAR SAIN - PeerSpot reviewer
Sr. Network and Security Engineer at Shopper Local, LLC
Real User
Enables us to process packets, regularly saving us processing time
Pros and Cons
  • "The user ID, Wildfire, UI, and management configuration are all great features."
  • "The stability, scalability for enterprise-level organizations, and technical documentation have room for improvement."

What is our primary use case?

We have multiple offices across the United States. Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls is the best solution for securing our network, and the best part is that we can provide a single working solution.

How has it helped my organization?

Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls' embedded machine learning is very important. Every packet is inspected by the firewall, and if it is heuristic or contains a virus or some other unknown packet, it is sent to the Wildfire feature for review. If the packet is safe, it is allowed to pass through, otherwise, a signature is left to protect the organization. The updated signature is then sent to the entire network for the same packet.

Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls machine learning helps secure our networks against threats that are able to evolve rapidly.

Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls DNS security helps prevent DNS-related attacks in combination with our policies and machine learning.

Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls provide a unified platform that integrates with all security capabilities.

The zero-delay security feature with cloud technology is able to immediately releases the signature and update the database.

Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls single-pass architecture has fast processing and security because of the separate models. The networking speeds rely more on the routers, not the firewall.

What is most valuable?

The solution provides the ability to process the packets regularly saving us processing time and that is very valuable.

The user ID, Wildfire, UI, and management configuration are all great features.

What needs improvement?

The stability, scalability for enterprise-level organizations, and technical documentation have room for improvement.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using the solution for six years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

When it comes to network security, there is no such thing as stability; every day brings different forms of attacks, which we must constantly work to prevent.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The solution is scalable but has room for improvement at an enterprise level.

We have around 1,000 people using the solution.

How are customer service and support?

The technical support is good. We receive a quick resolution for our issues.

How would you rate customer service and support?

Positive

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup is straightforward. The deployment time depends on the type of implementation the organization requires but it is not complex. We can do everything from the firewall GUI without having to install any software.

What about the implementation team?

The implementation is completed in-house.

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

The solution is expensive. Other vendors such as Fortinet provide the same features for less.

What other advice do I have?

I give the solution a nine out of ten.

Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls is a good solution and I recommend it to others for their network security needs.

Compared to the other firewalls, Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls are the quickest.

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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Head of Engineering at a tech services company with 11-50 employees
Real User
Has a user-friendly dashboard and a more complete IPS
Pros and Cons
  • "Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls' IPS is more complete and is very good. This is a user-friendly solution that is easy to install, and it provides the best protection."
  • "Palo Alto needs to improve their training. They do not invest in their partners. I have been a partner for seven years, and it is very expensive for me to certify my engineers."

What is our primary use case?

We have clients in the government and supermarkets, for example, who use this firewall for integration with EDR, NDR, CN, and IPS.

What is most valuable?

Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls' IPS is more complete and is very good. This is a user-friendly solution that is easy to install, and it provides the best protection.

It's very important that Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls embed machine learning in the core of the firewall to provide inline, real-time attack prevention because all components are moving laterally these days. We need tools that follow the zero-trust model.

These firewalls have helped reduce downtime in our organization as well.

What needs improvement?

Palo Alto needs to improve their training. They do not invest in their partners. I have been a partner for seven years, and it is very expensive for me to certify my engineers.

For how long have I used the solution?

I've been working with these firewalls for almost seven years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The firewalls are very stable.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

Palo Alto's scalability is not as good as that of Check Point. With Check Point, I can integrate the firewall with other products.

How are customer service and support?

We do not have technical support in Brazil, so I would rate it a two out of ten. However, Palo Alto's technical support in the US is good, and I would give them a rating of eight out of ten. 

How would you rate customer service and support?

Neutral

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

I have worked with Check Point, but it's very difficult to configure. Palo Alto is much easier to configure, and the dashboard is very user-friendly as well.

How was the initial setup?

Because I have worked with Palo Alto for seven years, the initial setup is very easy for me. However, new engineers may find the configuration difficult.

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

Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls are very expensive compared to other firewalls such as Fortinet. As a result, Palo Alto is losing some of its market share. 

What other advice do I have?

I would rate Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls an eight out of ten because it's a good product.

I like attending RSA conferences because it gives me the opportunity to see what competitors are doing and what is new on the market.

Attending RSAC does have an impact on our cyber security purchases, but I would like to see manufacturers offer more training, certifications, labs, and demos at RSAC. 

Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: Partner
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Updated: November 2023
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Buyer's Guide
Download our free Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions.