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Muhammad_Irfan - PeerSpot reviewer
Sr. Network Administrator at ACMC
Real User
Top 5
Friendly, dependable, scalable, and simple to migrate
Pros and Cons
  • "The performance is good."
  • "Sophos XG does not have the ability to disconnect a user."

What is most valuable?

Sophos XG is very good.

It's very friendly.

The performance is good.

What needs improvement?

The reporting could be improved.

Many other firewalls give you the option to disconnect a user. For example, if an end-user is using too much bandwidth, you could right-click to disconnect this user, but Sophos XG does not support this feature.

Sophos XG does not have the ability to disconnect a user.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using Sophos XG for one and a half years.

We are using the latest version.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The stability of Sophos XG is great!

Buyer's Guide
Sophos XG
April 2025
Learn what your peers think about Sophos XG. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: April 2025.
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What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

Sophos XG is scalable.

We have approximately 120 users in our organization who are using this solution.

How are customer service and support?

We have never contacted the technical support for Sophos. Once or twice we called the local support but not for Sophos.

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

Previously we used Cyberoam. When they announced the end of life we switched to Sophos XG.

It was upgraded because it had reached the end of its life. We only had one option for upgrading to Sophos XG. They gave us the option to upgrade and provided us with the hardware for free.

How was the initial setup?

We migrated from Cyberoam. The migration went very well.

The migration process did not require a lot of configuration.

It took a few days to complete the migration and the testing.

This solution is being managed by myself and a colleague. We are a team of two.

What about the implementation team?

We were able to complete the migration ourselves.

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

They have different options for the license.

We paid for three years which included the migration and the free hardware.

In most cases, I believe that the licensing is paid yearly.

What other advice do I have?

I don't have any issues with this solution. I would recommend this solution for others who are interested in using it.

I would rate Sophos XG an eight out of ten.

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.
PeerSpot user
reviewer1053252 - PeerSpot reviewer
Technical Presales Consultant/ Engineer at a tech vendor with 10,001+ employees
MSP
Top 5
Good security, easy to use, and has a simple installation
Pros and Cons
  • "The solution is very easy to use and straightforward."
  • "The initial setup, specifically when activating the license, is a nightmare and is quite difficult."

What is our primary use case?

The solution is primarily used to secure networks, just like PSF, but much better. Sophos XG has a UTM, which is much more security inclusive than a firewall, as it takes a look at the threat management landscape from a unified point of view. They have a firewall and they have an IPS inside the same box. They have a sandbox, they have a web filter, they have a web application firewall, they have a mail gateway, and they have a DMP. These are all inside one box. It's excellent at protecting networks from security threats as well.

What is most valuable?

The solution offers everything in one product.

It's excellent at protecting networks from malicious threats.

The solution is very easy to use and straightforward. 

Once you get past the license activation, the installation is easy.

What needs improvement?

I would like to see the technical support improve. They have the worst technical support I have ever seen in my whole life.

The initial setup, specifically when activating the license, is a nightmare and is quite difficult. 

For how long have I used the solution?

I've been using the solution for five years now. It's been a while. 

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

We're a distributor, however, the company is still quite new. At my last company, I had 150 clients on Sophos. 

How are customer service and technical support?

Technical support is just awful. They are not helpful or responsive. We are not satisfied with the level of support on offer. They need to improve this aspect. They simply do not reply.

They have very bad response times. It's very strange. Before, when I was dealing with Cyberoam, before Cyberoam was acquired by Sophos, it was good. Now, it's Sophos XG, and, while Cyberoam support was amazing, Sophos support has just gone down the drain. I don't know why.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup is a nightmare. The installation, getting the box to get up and running, is a hectic process, due to the fact that the box basically would not activate any feature unless the license is activated. And the license is only activated with the cloud. When you are doing that, it's just a sort of a nightmare. Now they have a new feature in which you can just create a license and you can activate the license on the appliance. However, generally speaking, it's one of those appliances that, if it's not registered on the portal online, won't even start. It can be a nightmare sometimes. That said, after the license is activated, it's just plain simple and easy.

What about the implementation team?

I previously was an implementor and would set up the solution for clients.

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

You need to pay for the license. You need to pay for the hardware as well. The cost depends on the model of the hardware and on which license. They have different editions, and licenses you're going to go with. They have different modules, and the cost depends on which modules you'd like to activate for security features. Not everyone will buy Sophos to utilize all the features. Usually, it's just the firewall, and IPS, sandbox, and the web filter that people are looking for. Not many people have Sophos or VM servers on-prem to protect them.

What other advice do I have?

We use both cloud and on-premises deployment models. 

Now, I am using the solution personally at home, however, before, where I was working, I used the solution for three years, specifically implementing Sophos XG for customers.

I'd rate the solution at an eight out of ten. 

I'd recommend the solution to other users and companies. For small and medium businesses, Sophos is a good security vendor.

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.
PeerSpot user
Buyer's Guide
Sophos XG
April 2025
Learn what your peers think about Sophos XG. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: April 2025.
850,028 professionals have used our research since 2012.
it_user1544361 - PeerSpot reviewer
Senior Consultant at Wavednet Group
Consultant
Enhanced security features, easy to use for all users, and has informative reports
Pros and Cons
  • "The solution has very good security features, is easy to use for administrators and users, and has informative reports."
  • "I would like to see in future releases a tool to scan for malicious packets and give the location of where they are coming from."

What is our primary use case?

We are an IT solution company and we provide network security. This solution is used for securing your network.

What is most valuable?

The solution has very good security features, is easy to use for administrators and users, and has informative reports.

What needs improvement?

I would like to see in future releases a tool to scan for malicious packets and give the location of where they are coming from. Nowadays all over the world is suffering from ransomware threats. If they could map where those packets are coming from and make the packet monitoring more efficient it will be helpful to prevent more of these kinds of threats.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using the solution for approximately five years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The solution has been highly stable.

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

We have used SonicWall and Fortinet in the past.

How was the initial setup?

The installation is very easy for anyone. The configuration is straightforward, all the information is available through a quick Google search.

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

The price can be a bit steep but for the number of features, it is worth it. Additionally, the enterprise version of this solution is priced well for all the features that you receive.

If you are thinking about implementing Fortinet, SonicWall, or any other product you will pay extra for additional security features and might need to purchase additional licenses. If they just spend a little more on this solution they will get the extra features for the same amount.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

This solution has security features that in other solution you have to purchase them as add-ons, such as malware and email filters. Comparing this solution overall to competitors it is by far the best.

What other advice do I have?

I rate Sophos XG an eight out of ten.

Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: partner
PeerSpot user
PeerSpot user
Networking Engineer at a comms service provider with 1,001-5,000 employees
Real User
Easy to set up, good support, and the display of bandwidth usage statistics is interesting. There is a drill down menu showing bandwidth usage for each application. Easy to configure e-mail rules.
Pros and Cons
  • "What we found valuable is the way they deal with emails, as well as the way the bandwidth usage is shown."
  • "We are having challenges when using Zoom with Sophos XG deployed."

What is our primary use case?

Right now, we are using this product as a perimeter firewall just to deal with emails and to protect servers, as well as other equipment that is on the network.

What is most valuable?

What we found valuable is the way they deal with emails, as well as the way the bandwidth usage is shown. I find this information to be very interesting.

What needs improvement?

We are having challenges with social media because ever since this issue of COVID-19 came into existence, the idea of using online discussions has become relevant. Before this, they were not made the priority because they were not considered to be important. Now, we've discovered that we need to use a lot of these online applications.

We are having challenges when using Zoom with Sophos XG deployed. Our wireless network is not stable through the connection. More work needs to be done there, since the FW is doubling up as a wireless controller.

I would like to see improvements made to the display and visibility. I'm also using Sophos XG firewall as our wireless controller, but as it is now, I can't see my access points on the firewall. My wish is to see the Wireless network and reports also on this firewall cum- controller. 

For how long have I used the solution?

We have been using Sophos XG for almost three years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

Sophos XG is stable and we have no problems with it.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

I think there is a limitation on the issue of scalability, and it is related to the interfaces that we bought. Right now, all of the employees are using it. The traffic that passes through it covers close to 2,000 users.

For us, our bandwidth is growing so we may have to scale further, in terms of the hardware networking components.

How are customer service and technical support?

We are constantly in touch with the distributor in Zimbabwe and they are excellent.

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

Prior to Sophos XG, we were using Cyberoam for our firewall. We switched because Cyberoam was acquired by Sophos.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup is very simple. It takes perhaps an hour to complete, which included importing rules from Cyberoam.

What about the implementation team?

We completed some certifications for using this product, but for the implementation, we were assisted by IDSS. In some instances, we are doing the maintenance on our own. When we have a challenge, on a case-by-case basis, we might contact the vendor and may require them to come in and assist.

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

The issue of a recurring license is a hassle because every year, we have to subscribe. It causes us problems in our organization.

What other advice do I have?

We are expanding and setting up a new data center, and I want to put a new firewall in. We have an interest in diversifying, in terms of vendors, so that we do not create a single point of failure in case one product fails. Ideally, we want to have different products.

This is a product that I can recommend for anybody who is looking for a firewall.

I would rate this solution a eight point six out of ten.

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.
PeerSpot user
CIO at Nuotek Limited
Real User
Provides ease of management and good out-of-the-box reporting
Pros and Cons
  • "The most valuable features of Sophos XG are the ease of management and good out-of-the-box reporting."
  • "The solution should have the ability to be up to date with the most recent threats."

What is most valuable?

The most valuable features of Sophos XG are the ease of management and good out-of-the-box reporting.

What needs improvement?

Sophos XG requires a bit more restarting than Cisco. The main difficulty is to keep up with the current threats. The solution should have the ability to be up to date with the most recent threats.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using Sophos XG for five years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

I rate the solution an eight out of ten for stability.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

Sophos XG is not a scalable solution. Depending on what you want to do, you choose the right model. You cannot buy one model and upgrade it to provide higher capacity. This is true for all firewalls, where you price it up according to current plus a percentage for future capacity. Most of our clients for Sophos XG are small to medium-sized companies.

How was the initial setup?

On a scale from one to ten, where one is difficult and ten is easy, I rate the solution’s initial setup a nine out of ten.

What about the implementation team?

In most small to medium-sized companies, the solution's deployment takes about a day. However, planning and setting up the architecture might take longer than that. Especially in live environments, you do everything in advance and don't leave a lot to chance.

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

Sophos XG is a reasonably priced solution.

What other advice do I have?

The solution has the ability to customize user-defined entries for more control over what you can actually set. With Sophos XG, you can use your own definitions or point to another service that uses slightly customized definitions.

Users have a tendency to go for the cloud version of Sophos XG. Over the past year, prices have unfortunately gone up with anything related to the cloud, and it's probably increasing overhead costs. The problem with the cloud is that it can be costly if you don't properly control it. You also risk ending up with nothing if you can no longer afford to pay the monthly cost.

I would recommend Sophos XG to clients who want it or specifically request it. I don't have anything against using the solution.

Overall, I rate the solution a nine out of ten.

Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: Implementer
PeerSpot user
Mohamed Abozied - PeerSpot reviewer
Network Administrator at Alsafy
Real User
It protects against attacks, is simple to install, and has good technical support, but it could be more secure
Pros and Cons
  • "Sophos XG is very useful, it does many things."
  • "While it is a secure solution, I believe it could be improved."

What is our primary use case?

Sophos XG is used to handle my network and traffic.

It can control our employees' network behavior and prevent many attacks and other threats from outside of our company.

What is most valuable?

Sophos XG is very useful, it does many things.

It is secure.

What needs improvement?

While it is a secure solution, I believe it could be improved.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using Sophos XG for almost one year.

We received the latest update one or two months back and it was great.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The stability is good.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

Sophos XG is scalable.

We have 1,000 internal employees and nearly 4,000 external employees. However, Sophos Firewall only operates within an internal network or within a single company, so is used for nearly 1,000.

We plan to increase the usage in the future.

How are customer service and support?

We communicate with support frequently. Many times, we encountered hardware technical issues in the previous version, and they replaced the device for us. We have contacted them numerous times for this purpose. They resolved this issue for us.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup is straightforward.

We have IT teams and managers, to help maintain this solution.

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

Licensing fees are paid monthly.

What other advice do I have?

I would recommend this solution to others who are interested in using it.

I would rate Sophos XG a seven out of ten.

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.
PeerSpot user
reviewer1231140 - PeerSpot reviewer
IT support officer at a wholesaler/distributor with 51-200 employees
Real User
Performs well, the firewall and threat management are good
Pros and Cons
  • "So far, I'm happy that they have recently added a firewall role, so I feel a little more comfortable with the security. The threat management is good."
  • "For the moment, managing the Sophos interface is a little bit challenging."

What is our primary use case?

There are about 100 people using Sophos at our office. We have two ISPs, so we have to have access to our internet providers. We also need security to deploy our network. Also, our home and external users need to be able to log in. So we use Sophos XG to build our deployment. Sophos is more than just a firewall. It analyzes security effects, so it's a firewall for the future. It's more than just a hardware firewall. There are also some paid options, so we do not have to have the main server inside our office here. We use Office 365. And although we use five servers at our location, not everything is in the cloud yet. 

What is most valuable?

We haven't used it for very long, so I have not analyzed the main features deeply. So far, I'm happy that they have recently added a firewall role, so I feel a little more comfortable with the security. The threat management is good. Also, the graphics and the throughput of our internet access are better than before, so it's the Sophos anti-threat device that we have. 

What needs improvement?

For the moment, managing the Sophos interface is a little bit challenging. We have an external partner that helps me to comprehend. But it's new. It has to keep up with the market, and I understand that. But that's my personal problem at the moment. High-availability clusters have not been implemented, so we have only one firewall and one device. So should this device go down, there's no more internet access. But so far, we haven't had any problems. 

For how long have I used the solution?

I've only been using Sophos XG for three months.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

Sophos is stable.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

Sophos XG is scalable.

How are customer service and support?

I used Sophos tech support for the previous solution because Sophos sold that as well. Now, we only work with the external partners. So for the moment, I haven't had to send questions directly to Sophos. But my past experience with Sophos support was good. It was very professional and easy. We stay with Sophos software because of the technical support.

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

We had Cyberoam. That brand that doesn't exist anymore, so we had to change.

How was the initial setup?

I contacted the external partner, and the setup was easy. It took about two or three days. Some little pictures were difficult for us to find, but that's normal. We could not make a one-to-one copy of the older one, so we had to search for some little personal configurations here. Now that everything is configured right, we are happy to have it. 

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

Because Sophos is sold by the brand that we had before that and Cyberoam does not exist anymore, it costs less because we stayed within the older firewalls. The price was also very good. It was not expensive before because of their value at the time. I think it's not cheap but not very expensive, either. It's in the middle. 

What other advice do I have?

Based on what I know from using it so far, I would recommend Sophos. I rate it eight out of 10.

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.
PeerSpot user
Co-Founder at Multitechservers
Real User
A reliable product that provides remote VPN capability and multifactor authentication
Pros and Cons
  • "The multifactor authentication is helpful because whenever the user wants to connect to the firewall, they have to use the authenticator before they can access it."
  • "Technical support can be slow to respond, which is something that should be improved."

What is our primary use case?

We are using Sophos XG for remote two-factor authentication. We manage the web and application access, as well as the traffic. We also used it for remote, site-to-site VPNs.

What is most valuable?

The most valuable feature is the remote VPN.

The multifactor authentication is helpful because whenever the user wants to connect to the firewall, they have to use the authenticator before they can access it.

The LAN traffic management features such as implicit denial are very good.

What needs improvement?

Technical support can be slow to respond, which is something that should be improved.

In the future, I would like to see the addition of artificial intelligence for identifying and controlling traffic.

For how long have I used the solution?

We have been using Sophos XG for the past year.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

This is a reliable solution.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

This product is scalable. We have approximately 400 users, spread across different departments. As our production increases and we onboard more users, we will extend the use of Sophos XG.

How are customer service and technical support?

The technical support team is good but sometimes, there is a large delay in answering the phones.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup is straightforward.

What about the implementation team?

We had assistance from the vendor during the onboarding process when the system was being set up. They spotted a lot of things during the implementation, which helped.

What was our ROI?

We get a return on this investment because the inbuilt two-factor authentication means that we don't need to purchase a third-party tool for this security feature.

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

The price is good and licensing fees are billed on a yearly basis.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

We evaluated Cisco Firepower but we found that Sophos XG was more efficient in terms of cost. As such, we implemented XG.

What other advice do I have?

This is a product that I can recommend for organizations with a medium-level or large-level infrastructure.

I would rate this solution a nine out of ten.

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
PeerSpot user
Vipin Garg - PeerSpot reviewer
Vipin GargCo-Founder at Multitechservers
Real User

Sophos XG Firewall is one of the best firewalls we have used till date. 2FA, Remote VPN also a number of features it has.

Buyer's Guide
Download our free Sophos XG Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions.
Updated: April 2025
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Buyer's Guide
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