We primarily use the solution for perimeter security in order to protect content. We also use it for the XG firewall.
Digital Transformation and Technological Innovation Manager at a educational organization with 501-1,000 employees
Easy to manage with good content filtering and an easy initial setup
Pros and Cons
- "The initial setup is pretty easy."
- "There needs to be some improvement in the IPsec VPN. There is implementation only support. I have version one. I'd be most interested in having IP version two from the protocol."
What is our primary use case?
What is most valuable?
The content filtering is the solution's most valuable aspect.
The initial setup is pretty easy.
The solution is pretty easy to manage.
What needs improvement?
There needs to be some improvement in the IPsec VPN. There is implementation only support. I have version one. I'd be most interested in having IP version two from the protocol.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've been using the solution for about five years or so at this point.
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What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The stability of the product is quite good. We haven't had any issues with bugs or glitches. It doesn't crash or freeze on us. We trust its reliability.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
We don't really have scalability in mind right now. I need proof of all that. It's a single device that we have.
We don't plan on increasing usage with this device. In fact, we're considering a switch to Sophos XG.
How are customer service and support?
We've never directly worked with Sophos' technical support. We've always dealt with the Sophos partners.
We also don't really have any experience with online community support or documentation.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I previously worked with Microsoft BMG. At the time we switched, Sophos was the better option. We needed a solution that was easy to manage and Sophos fit the bill in that sense. Microsoft didn't really offer any support. Sophos also was integrated with a directory and a single sign-on.
We're actually looking at switching to Sophos XG in the near future. The main difference between the two lines of Sophos products is the level of support provided. XG offers more of what we need. We may also eventually move to a Huawei firewall.
How was the initial setup?
The initial implementation is not complex. We found it to be very straightforward. It was easy.
The deployment took approximately one week. It didn't take too long.
We had two people on staff that handle deployment and maintenance.
What about the implementation team?
We had a consultant help us manage the implementation. hey were very good and quite knowledgable. We were satisfied with the assistance they provided to our team.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
We pay for the service on a yearly basis. The last time we paid was in June, for a year. At the time, it was about $20,000.
There are no costs above a standard licensing fee.
What other advice do I have?
We're just customers. We don't have a business relationship with Sophos.
I can't remember the exact version of the solution I am currently using, however, I believe it to be around version 9.
It's a good product, and I would recommend it, however, I would advise other potential users to instead maybe consider Sophos XG.
Overall, I would rate the solution at an eight out of ten.
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
Cyber Security Officer at Grupo Vision
Has good quality and functionality
Pros and Cons
- "The most valuable feature is the price. I've been requesting prices all over these years between different solutions like Fortinet, Palo Alto, and Check Point and Sophos has been the cheapest and the best of all of them that I have tried. I have been working with Fortinet, it's a fact that the price is surprisingly better."
- "Sophos should improve its ability to check something like bandwidth consumption for users or something more real-time."
What is our primary use case?
Our primary use cases include:
- Remote SSL connection
- Web-filtering
- Web server protection
- WAF application.
- Firewall rules
How has it helped my organization?
We have securely deploy systems accesible only behind encrypted ssl vpn and all user can access without the risk of data exposure.
What is most valuable?
The most valuable feature is the price. I've been requesting prices all over these years between different solutions like Fortinet, Palo Alto, and Check Point and Sophos has been the cheapest and the best of all of them that I have tried. I have been working with Fortinet, it's a fact that the sophos price is surprisingly better.
I have also worked with Check Point and it's not far enough from what Sophos can do. In terms of quality and functionality, Sophos is very useful and better than the competition.
What needs improvement?
Sophos should improve its ability to check something like bandwidth consumption for users or something more real-time.
real time trafic graph most show specific info from user, ip and bandwith, in my personal opinion i have seen better traffic graphs in open source firewalls.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Sophos UTM for six years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
It's very stable. In all the time I have been using it, I haven't seen it fail or gets stuck.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Scalability is not a complex issue and is something you can do within 20 minutes. I've been managing three UTMs, one with 50 users, another one with around 150, and the biggest one has 3,000 users.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
i used PFSense, the capabilities of UTM sophos y very much higher and powerfull.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup was straightforward. It depends on the rules, but a basic setup can take up to seven to 15 minutes max.
What about the implementation team?
What was our ROI?
Based on cost compare with other vendor who bill per license and OTP users, the ROI have been set as far as 6 moths.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
SOphos is the best alternative in features, specifications and lower price.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
yes i did, Fortinet, Checkpoint, Palo Alto, Meraki.
What other advice do I have?
It's a good solution, I would say to go for it.
I would rate Sophos UTM a nine out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
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Senior System Engineer at a real estate/law firm with 51-200 employees
Easy to manage but five-factor authentication needs improvement
Pros and Cons
- "It is easy to manage."
- "The five-factor authentication needs improvement."
What is our primary use case?
We use it for email security, malware protection, IPS, and filtering.
What is most valuable?
It is easy to manage.
What needs improvement?
The five-factor authentication needs improvement.
It needs central management.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Sophos UTM for a few years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
It is stable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
We have around 400 users.
How are customer service and technical support?
We offer certified support.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup was straightforward. We had a problem with the multi-factor authentication.
What other advice do I have?
I would recommend Sophos, it is easy besides for the five-factor authentication. It is good for my needs.
I would rate it a seven out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
System Administrator Server and Networks at a manufacturing company with 201-500 employees
Provides all of the network security you need in a single modular appliance
Pros and Cons
- "I would recommend UTM over XG because it's easier to manage."
- "It's stable, but the reaction time of the GUI is terrible."
What is our primary use case?
We mainly use it for web filtration — we have a number of small websites. It's also a VPN — that's filtering, firewalling, and IPS.
Within our organization, there are roughly 250 people using Sophos UTM. Also, we have around 15 XG users.
We plan on using XG for the next few years, but we are going to stop using UTM on our main site.
What needs improvement?
I think the behavior with the zones was a little bit tricky to understand at the beginning of this project. It can be hard to manage at first, but overall, we don't have many problems with this solution.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using this solution for one and a half years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
It's stable, but the reaction time of the GUI is terrible; however, in my opinion, UTM is more stable than XG.
How are customer service and technical support?
Sometimes, It can be quite a time-consuming process to book a session with Sophos' support.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup was not straightforward because we had experience with UTM, but not with XG. It's a completely different system.
We had it up and running within one week.
What about the implementation team?
We installed it on our own.
What other advice do I have?
I would recommend UTM over XG because it's easier to manage.
On a scale from one to ten, I would give XG a rating of 6. Conversely, I would give UTM a rating of nine.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
IT Architect at a consultancy with 11-50 employees
Feature rich and provides good security for SMB
Pros and Cons
- "We find all of the features valuable because together they fit the needs of our customers."
- "We would like to have unique viewable IDs for rules and in the packet filter logfile, for easier debugging of old log files."
What is our primary use case?
We primarily use this solution for:
- VLAN separated network
- Proxy / SSL-Interception
- VPN (IPsec and SSL)
- Reverse Proxy / Webserver Security
- Email Security / Mail gateway
- HA (Hot-Standby)
- IPS / ATP
How has it helped my organization?
This is a very good security solution for SMB, so this solution is a good fit for many of our customers.
What is most valuable?
We find all of the features valuable because together they fit the needs of our customers.
What needs improvement?
We would be happy with fewer new features over the same time, but with more stable updates!
We would like to have unique viewable IDs for rules and in the packet filter logfile, for easier debugging of old log files.
Sophos UTM shouldn't die.
 
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using this solution for fifteen years.
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer. Reseller
Network & Hardware Administrator at Nile Projects & Trading Co.
Creates secure IPsec and SSL VPN high availability connections between head office and branches
Pros and Cons
- "It allows me to easily connect with more than forty-five remote sites and more than fifty remote users between IPsec and SSL VPN, applying the web filter and application filter to ensure a secure connection."
- "I would like to see the SD-WAN feature improved."
What is our primary use case?
We use this solution for IPsec & site-to-site SSL VPN.
My environment involves connecting all of our branches with the head office through one Sophos XG 210 device. This is done using IPsec and SSL VPN, after which we apply a web filter, as well as an application filter to ensure that we are getting a secure connection.
How has it helped my organization?
It allows me to easily connect with more than forty-five remote sites and more than fifty remote users between IPsec and SSL VPN, applying the web filter and application filter to ensure a secure connection.
This solution also gives me varieties of VPN policies for good data encryption.
What is most valuable?
The most valuable features of this solution are:
- High Availability between IPsec site tunnels provides a valid continuous connection and ensures we have no downtime affecting our business.
- Log Viewer allows me to monitor all incoming and outgoing traffic, as well as view and block vulnerabilities.
What needs improvement?
I would like to see the SD-WAN feature improved. I want to manage many lines and load-balance them, getting high availability by making SLA tests according to:
- Check interval.
- Failures before inactive.
- Restore link after.
- SD-WAN Rules to control bandwidth, download and upload stream.
For how long have I used the solution?
We have been using this solution for more than four years.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I switched to Sophos as it is more reliable.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
This solution is less expensive than FortiGate.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
We did not evaluate other solutions prior to choosing this one.
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer. Sophos XG
Owner at Robert Obrinsky Industries, LLC
A powerful and flexible user interface makes remote client support easy
Pros and Cons
- "Configuration troubleshooting is eased by the use of the color-coded, live firewall log."
- "Support for IKEv2 is needed in this solution."
What is our primary use case?
I use this solution in both the home and office, and I am also a reseller of the product. It is used for Unified Threat Management for SMB to Mid-Size companies. It provides VPN solutions for our clients, and it has the absolute best UI in the industry.
How has it helped my organization?
This solution makes remote support of clients extremely easy and flexible. Modifications can be made in minutes. New definitions of network objects, users, groups, etc. can be made from anywhere in the UI.
What is most valuable?
The most valuable feature is the user interface, which is flexible, powerful, and easy to understand. Configuration troubleshooting is eased by the use of the color-coded, live firewall log. Live logs for most features are also available.
What needs improvement?
Support for IKEv2 is needed in this solution. But, the handwriting is on the wall that Sophos will probably stop development in favor of their XG Firewall. No timeframe on that yet though.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We have been using this solution since it was the Astaro Security Gateway (/products/sophos-utm-reviews ).
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer. I am a reseller of this product, and I also use it in my home and office. It is by far the best firewall/UTM solution I have tested or worked with in my career.
CEO at NG
Offers secure and Scalable Firewall Security
Pros and Cons
- "The features that I've known to be most valuable are both the web security features as well as the web firewall capabilities. As a partner of Sophos firewall, we have some clients and they are using Sophos firewall UTM and we are using it as well."
- "The only time we face a problem or issues is when we place a ticket. We have found that response is very slow."
What is our primary use case?
We use this solution for communication endpoint, encryption, and network security. We are focused on providing security software to the small to mid-market enterprises; the essence of our delivery is internet security.
What is most valuable?
The features that I've known to be the most valuable are both the web security features as well as the web firewall capabilities. As a partner of Sophos firewall, we have some clients that are using Sophos firewall UTM and we use it as well.
What needs improvement?
One additional feature that should be included in the next release is
synchronized security, which would enable all the security to work together as a system. Another suggestion is to add advanced threat protection (ATP) to defend against sophisticated Malware. Seeing these additional improvements would be a great thing going forward.   
For how long have I used the solution?
One to three years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The product is stable. It's a product that our clients are able to use and enjoy. We haven't had many complaints about the product at all. Internally we haven't experienced any problems.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The scalability is also fine. Currently, we have 20 employees using the product to date and only one employee needed to maintain the product. At the moment we don't have any plans to increase usage in the company. Not now, next year maybe.
How are customer service and technical support?
We train our employee's on technical support. I don't need any outside technical support.
The only time we faced a problem or issue is when we place a ticket. We have found that the response is very slow. That seems to be our biggest problem.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We previously used Cyberoam but Sophos acquired Cyberoam. That's why we migrated to Sophos.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup was done with our engineers, they also set up that server firewall. The setup was straightforward.
What about the implementation team?
The deployment took one month. We're a support base reseller. Our in-house team took care of it. We don't use anyone from the outside, we can deploy the product on our own.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
Everything involving pricing and licensing is maintained by our Bangladesh Sophos country managers. The pricing is okay and the licensing is also included in the price.
What other advice do I have?
Sophos UTM is a good product for security purposes and maybe if Sophos provided another company option to implement their products then I would say that Sophos UTM is great.
On a scale of one to ten with 10 being the best, I would give this solution a nine out of 10.
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.

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Learn More: Questions:
- Which would you recommend to your boss, Fortinet FortiGate or Sophos UTM?
- What Is The Biggest Difference Between Sophos UTM and Sophos XG?
- What are the biggest technical differences between Sophos UTM and Fortinet FortiGate?
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A few observations on an otherwise-accurate review...
The quickest way to get Sophos Support is by submitting a case via MyUTM, SophServ or at secure2.sophos.com Calling is the slowest way to open a case.
I wonder if Mr. Khan's review doesn't apply to the XG Firewall which is a new Sophos product based on the GUI that Cyberoam developed.
Cheers - Bob