Sophos Firewall Reviews

I mainly use Sophos XG for network firewall protection and VPN access. It helps secure our internet connection and allows us to manage our network traffic efficiently. Additionally, we use it for monitoring our local network.

Sophos XG has significantly improved our remote workforce security. It effectively safeguards our information systems and data, while also enabling us to restrict access to unauthorized websites. This has been particularly valuable for ensuring productivity and security across all our branches nationwide.

The most valuable features of Sophos XG for our use cases are its firewall capabilities, its ability to connect to wide area and local networks, and its VPN functionality. It effectively protects our information systems while simplifying VPN setup across branches, eliminating the need for additional VPN services from our internet service provider.

One area where Sophos XG could improve is in its patch management system. I encountered an issue where installing a new patch resulted in being locked out of the firewall, which was quite inconvenient. This suggests a vulnerability that needs addressing to ensure administrators can update patches without losing access. Such incidents shouldn't require a complete reconfiguration, so there is definitely room for improvement in this aspect.

One piece of advice I would offer is for Sophos XG to consistently incorporate the latest technologies to stay competitive with other vendors. Ensuring that new features are regularly updated and integrated into future products will enhance the platform's effectiveness and appeal to users.

I have been working with Sophos XG for seven years.

I would rate the stability of the solution as a ten out of ten.

I would rate the scalability of the solution as an eight out of ten. It is highly scalable and capable of covering a growing number of end users. Whether managing a small or large user base, its scalability makes it adaptable to varying network sizes and user demands. In my organization, we have approximately two thousand users across various branches using Sophos XG daily.

I would rate the initial setup of Sophos XG as a solid ten out of ten in terms of ease. With a clear understanding of the process and step-by-step guidance, setting it up was straightforward and hassle-free.

It took me around 30 minutes to deploy Sophos XG. The deployment process involved configuring the LAN, WAN, and VPN settings at each branch. Once connected to the switch and router, it was ready to use, making it a straightforward and quick setup process. 

Maintaining Sophos XG typically requires only one or two people, depending on the size and complexity of the network deployment.

The most effective feature of Sophos XG for threat prevention is its regular patch management system. By consistently updating software and firmware with new patches, it helps prevent attacks by addressing vulnerabilities and staying ahead of emerging threats.

The web filtering capability of Sophos XG has benefited our organization by effectively blocking users from accessing specific websites during office hours and even restricting access to certain sites altogether. This feature has been instrumental in enforcing our web usage policies and ensuring a secure browsing environment.

The performance of Sophos XG's firewall has met our expectations perfectly.

We have integrated Sophos XG with other security equipment such as routers and switches. While we primarily use it as a standalone product, in some branches, we have connected it with other security solutions for enhanced protection.

I would recommend implementing Sophos XG for its effectiveness as a firewall. Before installing it, consider factors like your current network equipment, intended use, user compliance with security controls, and whether your technical staff may need training if they're unfamiliar with Sophos firewall.

Overall, I would rate Sophos XG as a ten out of ten.

I use the solution in my internal network for my home office, for which I have applied a router in my home. I have deployed a couple of switches in my home network, but I need to secure my network from attacks.

Adaptive security is the most usable and most efficient feature in Sophos XG. The performance and scalability of the tool are advantageous areas.

With the firewall part in Sophos XG, it is not very flexible if you want to block access to a particular site during your internal usage. The tool is not able to block access to a particular website instantly or easily since it takes a considerable amount of time to configure a few things. If you specify that a user should not be able to go to www.google.com, it should be denied for sure.

The support engineers of the product are not very tech-savvy, making it an area where improvements are required.

I have been using Sophos XG for four years. I am a customer of the product.

At times, there are some issues that I have faced with the stability of the product. Not many firmware updates pushed into the tool are bug-free, and because of this, I face issues.

I rate the tool's stability a seven out of ten.

It is a scalable solution.

Based on my experience with the product's support team, I feel that Sophos provides good technical support to its users.

I rate the technical support a six out of ten.

Neutral

The product's initial setup phase was easy, especially compared to Cisco.

The solution is deployed on the cloud. I have also worked with the on-premises model.

The solution can be deployed in only a couple of hours.

The product has improved the security posture. Sophos XG provides features that are almost the same as those Cisco Firepower devices provide. I would say that a couple of features in Sophos XG are the same as the ones provided by other Cisco devices, which are top-notch.

The management tools or log-related solutions that are presented with Sophos are okay but not top-notch when it comes to Cisco. I rate the reporting and visibility tools in Sophos XG a six out of ten compared to Cisco.

Sophos xG's integration capabilities do not apply to a limited number of security tools. Cisco provides integration capabilities with many products, while Sophos XG offers integration with a limited number of products. Cisco provides integration capability with almost any tool that is present in the world. Cisco works day and night to ensure that it provides good integration capabilities with the solutions.

I recommend the tool to those who plan to use it, especially if you own a very small office where you don't need a product with too many functionalities.

I rate the tool a seven out of ten.

The primary use case for Sophos XG is basic firewalling and configuration. We use it primarily for installation purposes.

Time-saving and cost-saving benefits are realized, with stability contributing to these advantages. It provides approximately 10% to 15% savings in time and costs.

The most valuable features of Sophos XG include having rules and policies as a firewall. It is easy to configure.

The areas needing improvement are support and configuration. The delays in technical support can be handled better. Sometimes, configuration gives some issues.

I have been using Sophos XG for almost one year.

No hardware or software solution is 100% stable. I would rate it at about 99% accuracy.

Sophos XG has excellent scalability features. It is already available on cloud as well as on-premises, and you can scale up to multiple firewalls with centralized management. No limitations have been faced regarding scalability.

Customer service and support can be improved as there are delays. I would rate the support at eight out of ten.

Positive

Sophos XG is easy to install, generally requiring one person and takes about two to three hours depending on the rules and policies.

One person is usually sufficient for installation unless multiple dynamics are involved.

The return on investment is judged to be around three point five out of five in terms of stability, time saving, and cost saving.

The solution is considered cheap in terms of pricing.

For small and midsize enterprises, Sophos XG is a good choice without any major issues.

I'd rate the solution eight out of ten.

I am a customer and end-user support using Sophos XGS.

Sophos XGS has provided good efficiency and good sharing.

I find DLP, API, IP, SDK, and web control to be valuable features. I also like the dynamic roles, application visibility, and policy test.

All the security features could be better.

I have used Sophos XGS for one year.

The solution has high stability, rated ten out of ten.

The solution is highly scalable, rated ten out of ten.

I rate the customer service and support as ten out of ten.

Positive

Before Sophos XGS, I used a CyberPro product, however, it was outdated and did not provide sufficient support.

The initial setup was easy, and the documentation was very well-written.

The deployment was done in-house by three to four people.

The pricing of Sophos XGS is not very high or very low; it's medium.

I recommend Sophos XGS because it is easy to use, more secure, and scalable.

I'd rate the solution ten out of ten.

I use Sophos XGS for networking purposes, particularly for wireless LAN and security. It is used as a firewall.

Sophos XGS is cost effective and provides all necessary security features and throughput. It includes internal control policy and security features comparable to other brands like Cisco but at a more affordable price.

The user interface has improved significantly over the past few years, and having a more competitive price model could make it a preferable choice for customers. It would be beneficial if Sophos XGS offered an end-to-end solution with competitive pricing.

I have been using Sophos products for more than four years, specifically using the XGS product for about two years.

I have no issues with the stability of the product and love using it.

Scalability is possible with Sophos XGS, and I would rate it an eight out of ten for scalability.

Technical support from Sophos is always available and not a challenge.

Positive

For technical people like me and my team, setting up Sophos XGS is not difficult. The setup process is manageable for those who know the basics and core of the technology.

If the pricing model is more flexible or lower, it would be highly preferable, making it a more competitive option for users.

Palo Alto and Fortinet are some of the competitors. However, Sophos is preferred due to its cost-effectiveness and comprehensive feature set.

I'd rate the solution eight out of ten.

Sophos XGS is deployed as a gateway firewall with VPN in our network environment, excluding the web server feature and the email filtration feature.

Sophos XGS has been helping us manage the threats specific to our industry, although we have yet to fully utilize its AI capabilities. Its deployment has been pretty good, enhancing the clarity of filtration systems and reducing security costs.

The only filtration works quite nicely. Sophos XGS has been really better, providing clearer filtrations than its predecessor. It is extremely easy to deploy and fast to learn.

The interface is really showing up on the edge now. It needs to be more modern and faster, with more rules visible on a single screen for better details rather than just six rules. The threat detection system could be more GUI-based or provide templates for common threats. We also need more updated version 20 study materials.

We have been using Sophos XGS for close to one year. We started shifting from XG to XGS almost a year ago, and now all our systems have been changed to XGS. XG was used for the previous six years.

Sophos XGS has worked well in terms of stability, with no significant issues reported.

The customer service and support from Sophos have been quite good, with timely and effective responses. Although we rarely need support, when required, it has been prompt.

Positive

We previously worked with SonicWall but switched to Sophos because it was found to be pretty fast. We also briefly considered Palo Alto, which offered great machine and filter systems but had concerns with the support in India at that time.

The initial setup was straightforward and not problematic, as we could deploy it by ourselves without needing external support.

We usually go for three-year subscriptions. For the data center, we deployed units in dual mode and failover mode, which involved significant costs estimated at six lakh rupees.

We evaluated Palo Alto but ultimately chose Sophos due to concerns about Palo Alto's support in India. However, Palo Alto XGS has improved in terms of security and support.

The antivirus aspect of Sophos needs improvement as the current solutions don't complete the job adequately in today's market. There should be templates to address repeated attack modes, saving time instead of relying heavily on detailed engineer setups.

I'd rate the solution eight out of ten.

The major support that my company gets from Sophos is in the areas of web and content filtering. Users are able to filter out the web traffic, so they can consume whatever they need, and they can stop at the gateway level whatever they don't need. If social networking websites are not required for my company's developers, I can stop them right away. The categorization of the websites is pretty good, and people are very happy when they can do the customization. If users need to have some kind of exceptions, they can go for the exceptions very easily without any disturbance to the other end users. The best part of the product is associated with its web and content filtering features.

As my company does not cater to the needs of customers with very large networks, I haven't faced any challenges with Sophos XGS and my company is happy with the solution till date.

When it comes to the telemetry data, which comes under what you call the tool's service part, better known as MDR, I feel Sophos should add more telemetry data to its products. The tool should support multiple vendors and multiple OEMs. Right now, I think there are only less than a dozen vendors or OEMs supported by Sophos. I feel Sophos should support tools from more vendors.

I have been using Sophos XGS for four years.

When it comes to the process of scaling up, it is okay upto 5,000 users that I manage. Sophos has the appliances to cater to the requirements of 5,000 user networks and I know it because it is the customer range in which I deal. I don't go to a customer or a client that has more than 5,000 user networks.

The solution's technical support is excellent. I rate the technical support a ten out of ten.

Positive

My company does deal with other vendors in the market, but we feel that Sophos XGS is much more customizable and a readily available solution. A good thing about my company is that we have very good hands-on expertise, especially in areas like pre-sales and post-sales, where we have tech teams that are well-versed in areas like technologies, training, and modules while also ensuring that they stay up-to-date so that the team has all the sufficient knowledge to support themselves and also our customers' networks.

The product's initial setup phase is very straightforward. The GUI and everything else associated with the product are very straightforward.

The solution can be implemented in a couple of hours.

Only very large enterprise customers will have an edge with a tool similar to Sophos XGS because they have that kind of device and hardware, which can cater to around 10,000 or 20,000 user networks. My company does not deal with any large enterprise-sized customers, and so we are happy with Sophos.

Speaking about how the tool is deployed in our company's customers' network environment, I would say that it is done at the gateway level. With the gateway-level firewall, my company protects the network of our customers by applying the firewall, as well as the endpoint security, both provided by Sophos.

Speaking about the tool's threat intelligence capabilities on security posture, I would say that after content filtering, it obviously comes to threat monitoring. Sophos has SophosLabs, and it always gets updated. Users need not worry about the new threats or new landscapes coming in, as Sophos will take care of the aforementioned areas by default. Users need not depend on any third party for threat intelligence as the tool is sufficient to manage any kind of threat.

Sophos XGS has contributed to the reduction of the overall security costs of our company's customers. The biggest good point about the tool is related to the area of sizing. Sophos offers firewall tools for each and every size of the network. Irrespective of whether I have a small network in a branch office or a large network, I can get the appliances from Sophos to fit any size. I need not worry even if I am a company with just 25 users, as I need not spend lakhs of rupees. If I have a large network, even then, my hardware will be sufficient enough, and the cost offered by Sophos is obviously very competitive compared to the solutions offered by competitors in the markets.

Considering the sales, support, and post-sales services, I rate the tool a nine out of ten.

The product has improved our network security posture. We got some phishing and malware attacks. We found out that someone was attacking our network. Since we installed the solution, we are not facing any attacks.

IPS works smoothly. The policies and rules work fine. The network performance and reporting tools of Sophos XG are good.

We are facing a little bit of an issue with the product's web filtering capabilities. It must be improved. SD-WAN can be improved.

I have been using the solution for almost two years.

I rate the tool’s stability a seven or eight out of ten.

I rate the tool’s scalability a seven or eight out of ten. Almost 5000 people are using the solution in our organization. We have installed the firewall. It is always running.

The support takes a lot of time to resolve issues.

Neutral

I rate the ease of setup a seven out of ten. The deployment took a few weeks.

The deployment was done in-house. We needed two to three people for the deployment.

I rate the pricing a seven or eight out of ten.

I will recommend the product to others. The solution is not extremely good, but it is good. Overall, I rate the product a seven or eight out of ten.