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Tempreviewercb Ba - PeerSpot reviewer
Network Specialist at CCV Deutschland GmbH
User
Oct 19, 2023
Robust, efficient, and very easy to implement
Pros and Cons
  • "We have found the central management (Smart Console) to be very helpful in managing all the firewalls and keeping the software/hotfix versions up to date."
  • "We have run into an interface expansion limitation, and thus it would be helpful if products lower in the stack would offer more interface expansion options."

What is our primary use case?

We use Check Point Quantum Network Gateways for all our on-site firewalls. It protects the network edge, network core, data center, and our AWS direct connect. 

We are a payment facilitator and security is one of our core requirements. 

We have implemented VSX which enabled us to reduce the hardware footprint. 

We have implemented 6700NGFW, 6600NGFW, and 6400NGFW in different network segments. We have enabled basic firewall, ClusterXL, and IPS licensing. 

Due to the nature of the traffic, we do not use Application Control or URL Filtering.

How has it helped my organization?

With our previous firewall solution, we had no automated compliance tools. Now, with the Check Point Quantum Network Gateways, we have the ability to automate compliance reports for both GDPR and PCI3.2, and by using VSX (Virtual System Extension) we have reduced our data center footprint. This will lead us to become a more sustainable organization. 

We have found the central management (Smart Console) to be very helpful in managing all the firewalls and keeping the software/hotfix versions up to date.

What is most valuable?

By implementing VSX (Virtual System Extension), we were able to reduce our hardware footprint, reducing both direct and indirect costs. This also enables us to quickly scale up or down to meet business needs.

We have also found that the Intrusion Prevention System implemented on Check Point Quantum Network Gateways is robust, efficient, and very easy to implement. Being able to add it later as a software feature is a real boon. The customization options enabled us to zero in on our specific use case.

What needs improvement?

Due to our unique environment, we have to implement BGP on our firewalls, and the way that BGP is implemented on Check Point Quantum Network Gateways is not intuitive and requires additional custom configuration. This caused a significant delay in our migration. The way that NAT is implemented was also not intuitive and required additional custom configuration.

We have also run into an interface expansion limitation, and thus it would be helpful if products lower in the stack would offer more interface expansion options.

Buyer's Guide
Check Point Quantum Force (NGFW)
September 2026
Learn what your peers think about Check Point Quantum Force (NGFW). Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: September 2026.
914,109 professionals have used our research since 2012.

For how long have I used the solution?

The solution has been in use for one year.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

During the first year of operation, we have seen 100% up-time.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

Due to the VSX implementation, I would conclude that it is highly scalable.

How are customer service and support?

Customer service and support from the vendor have been excellent. They have assisted in communicating issues back to Check Point and the subsequent response from Check Point has been very good.

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

We used Cisco ASA 5500 series firewalls, but these have reached the end of life and needed to be replaced.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup and migration was complex and we had a vendor team assisting.

What about the implementation team?

The expertise of the vendor team is excellent; I'd rate their services nine out of ten.

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

It is important to carefully consider your needs. Additional features can be activated easily - for additional licensing costs. However, opting for extended licensing can provide cost savings through discounts.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

In looking at replacing the existing firewalls we considered Cisco, Palo Alto, and Check Point. 

Check Point Quantum Network Gateways offered us a more favorable price point without compromising on functionality.

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.
PeerSpot user
Tempreviewera A - PeerSpot reviewer
Infrastructure Developer at Holmen Iggesund
Real User
Nov 16, 2023
User-friendly interface, intuitive console, and helpful support
Pros and Cons
  • "We can define security policies based on a variety of criteria, including user identity, application, and content type."
  • "It would be nice to have comprehensive documentation and training resources that can help users and administrators to better understand and utilize the full range of Check Point's capabilities."

What is our primary use case?

Historically, the primary uses for these gateways were perimeter security and internet filtering. However, we now push all our internal traffic through the gateways for LAN segregation and to isolate obsolete operating systems.

Our isolated operating systems and LANs only allow specific traffic from a specific source to access them, making these critical production/business systems more secure. It's not a simple case of just replacing these legacy operating systems but replacing the industrial machinery that they control - which would require an investment of tens of millions of pounds.

How has it helped my organization?

Isolating obsolete operating systems wasn't in the scope when implementing the gateways originally. However, it has enabled us to secure Windows XP/Windows 7/2003/2008 machines which are end of support yet are still required to run industrial software and interface with large machines, which are not easy to replace.

Isolating machines and networks, along with SSL inspection, wasn't in scope when the gateways were spec'd. That said, five years later, they are still rock solid, and along with the Threat Cloud intelligence service, this ensures that our firewall is equipped with up-to-date threat intelligence, enhancing its ability to detect and mitigate emerging threats.

What is most valuable?

One of the strengths of Check Point Firewall lies in its granular policy management capabilities. We can define security policies based on a variety of criteria, including user identity, application, and content type. This level of granularity allows us to enforce security policies that align with our specific needs and compliance requirements.

One of the standout features of our Check Point Gateways is the user-friendly interface. Smart Console (management console) is well-designed and intuitive and provides administrators with a centralized hub for monitoring and configuring security policies. The web version isn't quite there yet, so to get the most out of it, the console needs to be installed, but it allows users to tailor it to their specific needs, and the menu structure is logical, making navigation a breeze for both novices and experienced administrators.

What needs improvement?

2FA on login would assist us with compliance however at the moment, it's not a major factor for us - yet may be in the future.

It would be nice to have comprehensive documentation and training resources that can help users and administrators better understand and utilize the full range of Check Point's capabilities. We ended up having to travel to London to sit through lots of training as we didn't find the information readily available.

Finding the costs associated with a particular blade can be challenging. This isn't specific to Check Point, but sometimes we need a ballpark cost quickly and don't have the time to speak to a reseller.

For how long have I used the solution?

The company has been using Check Point gateways for around five years, myself about two years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

Hardware has been 100%; software has been slightly less as we had an issue where the gateways would failover. 

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

We run a pair of Gateways in HA mode, this solution has worked for us, and there have been no cases of downtime. Adding additional gateways should in theory be quite simple however for us there is no need.

How are customer service and support?

Support has been quick to respond to any questions or issues.

How would you rate customer service and support?

Positive

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

The company used to sue Cisco Firepower. I wasn't with the company when switching.

How was the initial setup?

The setup was straightforward; the implementation team went on the CCSA and CCSE courses.

What about the implementation team?

We handled the setup initially in-house.

What was our ROI?

We ran these gateways for five years and will look to do the same with the replacements.

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

Work with Check Point's presale team and complete the scoping document. If you are an existing customer, use the CPSizeME. 

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

The company also evaluated Palo Alto.

What other advice do I have?

We have run Check Point Security Gateways for five years and have had very few issues; they have been rock solid, and the hardware has been 100%.

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.
PeerSpot user
Buyer's Guide
Check Point Quantum Force (NGFW)
September 2026
Learn what your peers think about Check Point Quantum Force (NGFW). Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: September 2026.
914,109 professionals have used our research since 2012.
reviewer02975255 - PeerSpot reviewer
Senior Manager at BDO Unibank
User
Nov 1, 2023
Great IPS and anti-malware security blades with responsive technical support
Pros and Cons
  • "The successful performance of the security blades has shown the value of the investment along with the comparable success of leveraging the NGFW over a separate specialized security solution."
  • "The current reporting capability needs to be parsed and edited to be appreciated by leadership."

What is our primary use case?

Our company undertook a network transformation and instead of implementing a separate IPS solution, we've opted for the NGFW of Check Point. We've leveraged the different security blades available in the Check Point NGFW. Besides the IPS blade, we've also leveraged the anti-malware threat intelligence blades for our gateways, especially for the perimeter. 

We've also enabled the IPS blade for our remote offices as part of the additional security layer for our smaller international offices and used both the IPS and anti-malware for our bigger offices. 

How has it helped my organization?

We've managed to reduce the CAPEX cost of the network transformation when we leveraged the versatility of the Check Point NGFW solution. 

Instead of purchasing separate solutions for the IPS, anti-malware, and threat intelligence, the security blades of the Check Point NGFW were just enabled. 

The software subscription cost is already included in the annual software and hardware maintenance cost which made the solution more cost-effective than having separate solutions wherein we need to maintain a separate subscription for each. 

What is most valuable?

Besides the basic firewall feature of the Check Point NGFW, we find the IPS and anti-malware security blades to be most valuable for our current implementation.

The IPS and anti-malware solutions have successfully identified and blocked potential threats from our perimeter. 

Though we are also using threat intelligence, we see more validation of the successful use of the IPS an anti-malware. 

The successful performance of the security blades has shown the value of the investment along with the comparable success of leveraging the NGFW over a separate specialized security solution. 

What needs improvement?

Overall, we are satisfied with the performance of the NGFW both from the functional and operational perspective. The solution has been proven effective in detecting and blocking potential and intentional threats to the company's internal network without impacting the performance of the appliance. 

What can be improved though is the capability of providing an executive summary report that can highlight the performance and operational effectiveness of the implemented security solution. The current reporting capability needs to be parsed and edited to be appreciated by leadership.

For how long have I used the solution?

We've been using Check Point NGFW for more than 4 four years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

Check Point NGFW has been very stable and very rarely do we encounter any performance issues due to hardware or software issues. 

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The solution is very scalable and easy to manage.

How are customer service and support?

Customer service and support are very responsive, and we get quick and fairly consistent turnaround times for the resolution. 

How would you rate customer service and support?

Positive

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

We previously used Cisco Firepower, however, we were not satisfied with its performance both functional and operational. 

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup was straightforward since the deployment is just the typical high-availability active standby implementation. 

What about the implementation team?

We implement through a vendor team. The vendor team is very competent and has consistently displayed their expertise in the technology. 

What was our ROI?

Unfortunately, our team does not have visibility on the ROI.

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

If the implementation would require multiple gateways, consider leveraging the Infinity Total Protection. 

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

We no longer evaluated other options. 

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.
PeerSpot user
reviewer98265120 - PeerSpot reviewer
Senior Technical Consultant at CDW
MSP
Nov 1, 2023
Improves environments, has helpful support, and offer great compute power
Pros and Cons
  • "The Check Point appliances are considered NGFW devices and can process both the ASA and FTD requirements on a single instance, removing the requirement for an expansion SSD module and/or additional hardware."
  • "We'd like an option that can convert other vendors' NGFW configurations to supported Check Point NGFW config for ease of migration."

What is our primary use case?

The customer purchased Check Point 6200 Firewalls to replace their aging Cisco ASA firewalls on the perimeter of their sites. The Cisco Firewalls must be replaced due to insufficient capacity.

It is envisioned that the initial migration will be a direct replica of the ASA configuration, with the client expanding the solution post-migration, with Check Point NGFW features.

This project consisted of the following deliverables:
• Rule base is migrated like for like, in which ASA Firewall zone-based rules will be converted to Check Point Parent/Child layered rules.
• Firewall zones to be imported and reviewed post migration by client.
• NAT rules will be migrated “as-is”.
• Geo-location rules from FTD will be honored and mapped into Check Point.
• Client-based blacklisting will be migrated into the solution, using external feeds via URL.
• A single IPS profile consisting of a clone of the vendor's “out-of-box” balanced profile (optimized).
• 1X site-to-site VPN.
• Integration into Client’s Cisco ISE solution for RADIUS-based admin authentication.
• NGFW licensing and blades to be installed on firewall devices, to allow features to be enabled in the future and expand the solution.

How has it helped my organization?

The Client wishes for the ASA firewalls to be replaced with a Check Point systems solution, which consists of 6200 Plus Appliances. 

The initial requirement was to migrate the configuration in an “as-is” state, with the necessary licensing purchased and installed to enable expansion of the solution with next-generation feature sets in the future.

The solution was able to meet and exceed the client's requirements thereby improving the client's environment.

The management server is software-based.

Firewalls and licensing include:
• FW
• IPS

The solution provides a single pane of glass management of rules/logging.

The solution supports IPsec tunnels FOR 1X IPsec VPNs.

The solution integrates with the client’s Cisco ISE RADIUS solution for administrative access.

What is most valuable?

The compute power of the appliance is great. The Check Point appliances are considered NGFW devices and can process both the ASA and FTD requirements on a single instance, removing the requirement for an expansion SSD module and/or additional hardware.

What needs improvement?

We'd like an option that can convert other vendors' NGFW configurations to supported Check Point NGFW config for ease of migration.

Check Point configuration options can be very enormous and overwhelming.
Check Point comes with a very lean learning curve even though they offer a robust knowledge base. 

A lot of configuration cannot be accomplished via the web interface or the smart dashboard software and must be done manually via the command line interface.

I'd like to see some built-in automation for the firewall alerts/events to trigger an automated response or recovery.

For how long have I used the solution?

I've used the solution for three years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The solution is stable with frequent version and management updates.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The solution is highly scalable and expandable.

How are customer service and support?

The solution offers great customer support.

How would you rate customer service and support?

Positive

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

We used a different solution and needed more processing power and functionality which this had compared to industry competitors.

How was the initial setup?

The setup was straightforward yet third-party device migration contained a lot of manual configuration conversions.

What about the implementation team?

I implemented this myself.

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

Pricing can be relatively more expensive when compared to industry peers, however, the functionality makes up for the price difference.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

We also evaluated:

What other advice do I have?

This is a great overall solution.

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. Check point Partner
PeerSpot user
reviewer09751353 - PeerSpot reviewer
Network Engineer at Upstream
Real User
Oct 25, 2023
Easy to use and free of bugs with a good Smart Console
Pros and Cons
  • "mart Console simplifies the management of current policies and objects, making it effortless to track an object's usage or identify unused objects, thus ensuring a tidy configuration."
  • "In the past year, we faced severe downtime that lasted many days due to a misconfiguration."

What is our primary use case?

We use the solution for our data center firewall on-premises. We have deployed a VSX Cluster that currently holds three virtual firewalls. We have several site-to-site VPNs established with our partners and hundreds of policies applied. 

We had a custom configuration in our previous policy for which we were passing traffic from one VPN tunnel to another transparently. With Check Point we had to create a new virtual firewall in order to keep it working, so from one firewall we ended up with two rerouting traffic from one firewall to another and changing NAT in order to keep this solution running. 

Finally, we created another (third) virtual firewall and configured it to be only a remote access SSL VPN firewall and to be used as a backup if our primary in our HQ fails while the other two firewalls handle production traffic. 

How has it helped my organization?

We selected this solution in order to replace the Cisco ASA we used to have. 

The features the CP firewall has combined with a very attractive price led us to this decision. The migration was smooth and all the features we needed have been configured easily and worked as expected. Additionally, the SmartConsole and the Log Event viewer made our every day to day tasks easier. 

Also, we were provided with a trial license for the compliance blade and the IPS which are truly amazing. I believe that the compliance blade will be used soon by our company in order to assist with the ISO certificate we are trying to get. 

Since we have already deployed an AWAF on our premises we didn't use the IPS but the features presented definitely would increase the security level. 

Although we use it as our data center firewall, it would be ideal for our HQ Office with all the security features it provides.

What is most valuable?

I appreciate the Smart Console for its ease of use and clarity in managing configurations. It's user-friendly and free of software bugs. Smart Console simplifies the management of current policies and objects, making it effortless to track an object's usage or identify unused objects, thus ensuring a tidy configuration. 

Additionally, the hit count feature proves highly valuable, enabling policy prioritization based on usage frequency and facilitating verification of traffic alignment with newly created policies. Furthermore, implementing 2FA for SSL VPN users was a straightforward process, notably without the need for additional costs, unlike the FortiTokens required for our primary SSL VPN.

Additionally, the quick and seamless option to revert to a previous configuration revision is highly valuable. The logs tab serves as a helpful tool for troubleshooting. 

It's worth noting that we've experienced no CPU or memory issues, and the system is highly responsive.

What needs improvement?

The only downside is that we are not able to have redundant VPN tunnels with our cloud environments. We tried many guides suggested by the CheckMates community and have not been able to easily capture packets in a PCAP file as we used to do with the ASDM Packet Capture Wizard.

Finally, in the past year, we faced severe downtime that lasted many days due to a misconfiguration. Support wasn't able to detect it. We are allowed to add an automatic NAT in an object and install it in all three virtual firewalls that we have. I cannot imagine a real case that needs this option. This option should be totally removed. 

The destination MAC address for this object was flapping between the three virtual MAC addresses of the FW leading to a packet loss in our service up to 30%. Our manager found the root cause at the end.

For how long have I used the solution?

I've used the solution for three to four years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

In the past four years that we have had Check Point, we haven't faced any stability issues. It is a stable solution.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

Our cluster is oversized for our needs so we haven't reached any system limits in order to face an issue or at least observe its behavior. Our solution covers our current needs and can easily handle any additional load.

How are customer service and support?

Technical support is average. From my last experience, it was my manager who found the root cause of the downtime. 

How would you rate customer service and support?

Positive

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

As noted earlier, our transition to this solution marked a shift from our previous Cisco ASA Cluster setup. Check Point's prominent position in the network industry and the compelling price point offered made it too appealing to overlook.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup and the configuration migration were done by an integrator who specializes in such migrations. It was complex enough yet very well-planned and organized.

What about the implementation team?

The implementation was done by a very qualified vendor team.

What was our ROI?

Since I am in the engineering department, I can't evaluate the actual income or costs of handling our production traffic with this solution.

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

I'm not sure what was evaluated. It depends on the company's unique existing infrastructure and needs.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

We evaluated offers for Cisco, Fortinet, and Palo Alto solutions.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

Hybrid Cloud
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
PeerSpot user
Rifma Dwika Octora - PeerSpot reviewer
Technical Consultant at PT. Nusantara Compnet Integrator
Real User
Top 20
Oct 18, 2023
Ful threat prevention, good price-to-benefit ratio, and helpful support
Pros and Cons
  • "Check Point has an awesome price-to-benefit ratio, netting you an awesome throughput of IDS/IPS capability compared to Palo Alto, Cisco, and so on."
  • "The distributor support capability is quite lacking as the problem/incident is rarely solved on the distributor level and instead escalated to the principal."

What is our primary use case?

We use it as NGWF for the DMZ area on our data center. 

We deployed HA configuration of Check Point Quantum 6200 to protect our user connection to the internet and to protect the server farm in our data center. 

In our first year, we got free access to the full capability of SandBlast, the Check Point solution for sandboxing features. We tested, yet felt the sandbox is not quite needed in our environment and thus changed the subscription for the second year and forward to the standard feature. 

Check Point can also be integrated with third-party solutions like SIEM and so on. 

How has it helped my organization?

Check Point has an awesome price-to-benefit ratio, netting you an awesome throughput of IDS/IPS capability compared to Palo Alto, Cisco, and so on. 

The first year also comes with a free SandBlast tier license, so you can test the full capability of Check Point to see if your companies might benefit from it or not. 

We also integrate our Check Point with SIEM Splunk and it integrates flawlessly without a hassle. If you are looking for a one-stop solution for cybersecurity, you should check out Check Point's portfolio!

What is most valuable?

The features we find valuable for our companies are:

- remote access VPN

- L4 and L7 firewall rules

- unified management platform provided by Smart-1

- management platform can be deployed on-premise or on the cloud

- full threat prevention by SandBlast

- support integration with 3rd party security vendors like Splunk, Qradar, etc

- high throughput for IDS/ IPS and NGFW only

- easy to scale up using Maestro

- built-in email security solution, endpoint protection, sandboxing, alert to administrator

What needs improvement?

The distributor support capability is quite lacking as the problem/incident is rarely solved on the distributor level and instead escalated to the principal. This makes the troubleshooting process too long and the people involved are too many. 

Socialization of new licensing or new features can be improved also. Principals and distributors need to work together closely to inform their customers so that we can stay updated about the latest trends and or threats/bugs that might happen in our Check Point gear.

For how long have I used the solution?

We've been using Check Point for around two to three years. We use it primarily as NGFW and as sandboxing for zero-day threats.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

Check Point is quite stable with new releases periodically throughout the year.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

It is very easy to scale up or scale out and Maestro can improve the scalability a lot.

How are customer service and support?

The response is quick and technical support gives clear answers.

How would you rate customer service and support?

Positive

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

We used Cisco Firepower and we felt that Check Point is more mature.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup is straightforward. The firewall and management setup is quite similar to other brands.

What about the implementation team?

We implemented the solution through our in-house engineer.

What was our ROI?

We have witnessed ROI within four years.

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

Check Point provides quite reasonable pricing and licensing schemes.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

We also evaluated Palo Alto and Fortinet.

What other advice do I have?

Check Point is great for comprehensive security solutions.

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. Reseller
PeerSpot user
reviewer802415 - PeerSpot reviewer
Network Administrator at POET
User
Oct 18, 2023
Great support, central management, and logging capabilities
Pros and Cons
  • "The central management and logging are frankly one of the top selling points."
  • "Lately, Check Point seems to be pushing new products too early."

What is our primary use case?

The solution is used for edge and interior firewalls. We use large-scale Check Points for our edge and have them set up in an active/passive cluster. For our internal firewalls at the remote sites, we use a virtual firewall for the OT DMZ, and then behind this virtual firewall, we have a physical appliance for the actual OT network. This allows us to fully secure the critical network yet still allow access via jump hosts or other remote management that we have approved. It also gives us excellent control over any north/south traffic.

How has it helped my organization?

Check Points is probably not the easiest or cheapest solution to use, however, we have never had any issues with their security and the technical issues we have had with them are few and far between. 

Most support calls for us are centered around how to best deploy a feature or why something is being blocked by a certain blade. This is one of the main reasons we continue to use them as they provide proven security for my company and the built-in blades generally always provide a benefit for us.

What is most valuable?

The central management and logging are frankly one of the top selling points. 

The actual management is perhaps a little confusing for a newcomer to Check Point - however, does not take very long to learn the basic ins and outs of. 

The logging capability of Check Point is excellent and very rarely have we wanted more. The logging is very fast and easy to use, and this makes finding items across all 80+ firewalls very easy. 

It is also easy to export all logs to our MSP since it is from a central point. The other built-in features are also helpful as it eliminates the need for some extra security appliances.

What needs improvement?

Lately, Check Point seems to be pushing new products too early. We have evaluated a few we thought may be useful to us yet were just not ready for enterprise use. Every company goes through this so hopefully, they will slow down and get the products up to speed and working better before trying to bring them to market. 

The current products that have been around for more than a few years generally do not suffer from this issue, however, their documentation does lag severely when a command changes or says the way to configure it changes. Support generally is up to date, but the KB articles are not always this way.

For how long have I used the solution?

I've used the solution for 18 years at my current company, and another four at my previous company.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The stability is excellent.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

Scalability is excellent, especially the newer products.

How are customer service and support?

The technical support is mostly good. Their Tier 2 and higher engineers are excellent. Like any call center, however, their Tier 1 can be hit or miss. We use a third party for front line support so mostly never encounter anything less than Tier 3 since the only issues that get directed to actual Check Point support are already vetted out.

How would you rate customer service and support?

Positive

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

We used SonicWall. We switched due to wanting a more enterprise-quality product and previous experience.

How was the initial setup?

The setup is complex, however, we knew this from the start so it was not unexpected.

What about the implementation team?

We set up the solution mostly in-house. However, we were experienced with Check Point installs.

What was our ROI?

I have no visibility on ROI.

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

If new to Check Point, get pro services to help deploy it - especially if it is an advanced config. This will save huge amounts of time and grief. Once you have experience, pro services are generally not needed unless, again, you have no experience in that area.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

We did not evaluate other options. 

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.
PeerSpot user
Paolo Barbato - PeerSpot reviewer
Network and Security Administrator at CNR-ISTP - Consorzio RFX in Padua at Politecnico di Milano
Real User
Oct 18, 2023
Good interoperability and log analysis but could improve VPN clients
Pros and Cons
  • "I like the dashboard, redundancy, log analysis, threat prevention and ISP, and VPN."
  • "IoT should be considered in future development."

What is our primary use case?

We're an international research laboratory, focused on thermonuclear energy experiments. Due to strong remote collaboration, and to control network communication, we choose the Check Point NG Firewall solution.

Most of the personnel are researchers. We also have a strong collaboration with a University and take care of a European Ph.D. on thermonuclear fusion, as the future clean energy.

How has it helped my organization?

We aim to constantly improve firewall technology, which is a key strategy nowadays. We've chosen Check Point in 2007 and step-by-step upgrade and expand cyber security deployment using their solution. 

We appreciate the support and escalation when issues are in place. We really appreciate the solidity of the solution, the redundancy, we own a couple of appliances in failover. 

We use Check Point to grant VPN access both for clients and also in specific site-to-site IPSec remote connections.

What is most valuable?

I like the dashboard, redundancy, log analysis, threat prevention and ISP, and VPN.

The dashboard has clean and focused menus and tabs, that offer immediate access to important information and configuration. 

Log analysis is really powerful considering the enormous amount of logged data. 

We use a specific function to control bandwidth occupation based on protocols and IP subnetworks.

Fundamental is the interoperability with RSA SecurID, Windows AD/Azure.

We're in the process of moving to the MS O365 cloud, and Check Point helps us with this.

What needs improvement?

Maybe the VPN clients could be improved, however, only from a cosmetic point of view. They use a very old GUI and should help remote assistance in case of problems to make it more accessible in terms of getting log/debug information. On this, I suggest an approach like ZOOM US, where is clearly defined the application life cycle, and users warned over time.

We're in the process of moving to a cloud hybrid solution based on MS Azure, and on that field, quite common nowadays, it seems that more has to be done, moving from on-premise historical deployment. 

IoT should be considered in future development.

For how long have I used the solution?

I've used the solution since 2007.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

It is an absolutely stable solution. It is easy to put maintenance on an appliance without losing any connectivity.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The last release, R81, is impressive, at least in these first months, having recently upgraded from R80.

How are customer service and support?

My experience is good, both on technical issues, and commercial support during renewal.

How would you rate customer service and support?

Positive

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

We previously used a Cisco PIX firewall.

How was the initial setup?

The setup is somewhat complex, however, technical documents are clear, and the most common solutions are well described.

What about the implementation team?

We implemented it with a third party and in-house. The support company that helped in Italy is fantastic.

What was our ROI?

We may need more time to measure ROI.

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

Check Point is not a cheap solution, however, on cyber security, we prefer to stay with a key player.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

We constantly verify other vendor solutions, such as Palo Alto, Fortinet, and Sophos.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises

If public cloud, private cloud, or hybrid cloud, which cloud provider do you use?

Microsoft Azure
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
PeerSpot user
Anteneh Alemayehu - PeerSpot reviewer
Director, IT Infrastructure Management Department at Enat Bank S.C.
Real User
Top 20
Sep 25, 2023
Robust control and security that enables a comprehensive application management
Pros and Cons
  • "We can precisely determine who has access rights and who is granted permission, regardless of their connection point."
  • "Improvement regarding the expansion of the SMS's compatibility to include various virtualization environments would be beneficial."

What is our primary use case?

We use Check Point Next-Generation Firewall as a perimeter firewall. This means that all incoming and outgoing traffic from our premises is routed through the Check Point firewall. Within our configuration, we have activated several security features and licenses, including the firewall itself, site-to-site VPN functionality, application and URL filtering, Identity Awareness, threat simulation, and anti-bot protection. Additionally, we possess the license for the NGpX version, which includes extraction capabilities.

How has it helped my organization?

With our previous firewall solution from a different vendor, we were limited to basic firewall functionality without features like IPS and content filtering. With the implementation of Check Point firewall, we got a comprehensive set of features that enables us to gain clear visibility into how our applications behave and which areas we have control over. It allows us to monitor and manage application usage effectively while allowing us to filter and enforce rules in accordance with our organization's security policies.

What is most valuable?

The most invaluable features we have are content filtering and application control. These features operate seamlessly, thanks to the integration of Identity Awareness. Through Identity Awareness, we established a connection with our internal LDAP server, which enables us to exercise complete control over user access. We can precisely determine who has access rights and who is granted permission, regardless of their connection point.

What needs improvement?

We implemented our firewall in a clustered configuration with two gateways. We faced some limitations with the Security Management Server (SMS) application. The SMS functionality is restricted as it only supports specific deployment modes on virtualization environments like Microsoft Hyper-V and VMware ESX and Open Server mode. Our organization utilizes a different virtualization setup, and we couldn't obtain assurance from the vendor that they would provide support if we deviated from their recommended deployment methods. That is why we had to deploy the SMS on a separate server, which introduced additional complexity. Improvement regarding the expansion of the SMS's compatibility to include various virtualization environments would be beneficial. Also, when attempting to enable SSL offloading mode, we faced functionality issues. This feature should be enhanced to ensure seamless SSL offloading, without negatively impacting the core functionalities such as HTTPS and content filtering.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been working with it for more than three years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

Its stability capabilities are impressive. We have not encountered any issues. I would rate it nine out of ten.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The scalability is relatively good, especially when considering its database capabilities. Our physical gateway hardware can comfortably handle up to nine units. When it comes to the monitoring appliance, such as the Check Point SMS (Security Management Server), it requires substantial resources. Due to limitations with supported virtual environments, we encountered challenges in expanding its capacity. I would rate its scalability 6 out of 10 since there is room for improvement in this area.

How are customer service and support?

We chose the Pro Support option, which has allowed us to automate many of the Security as a Service (SaaS) functions. This means that whenever there's an error in the gateways' flow, an SR (Service Request) is automatically generated and promptly communicated. The support provided has been exceptionally efficient, with quick and responsive assistance. I would rate it nine out of ten.

How would you rate customer service and support?

Positive

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

We previously used the Cisco ASA 5525X version, but we found that its management and performance capabilities were distinct. Cisco retired some of its features, and the replacement version offered came at a higher cost for the features it provided. Consequently, we decided to transition to Check Point, which offered us a more favorable price point without compromising on functionality.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup was easy. I would rate it eight out of ten.

What about the implementation team?

The deployment process took approximately a week and a half, and about half of the challenges we faced were related to the physical connectivity issues on our end. Despite those hurdles, the deployment timeline remained relatively swift. One critical aspect for anyone planning to deploy this solution is to thoroughly understand where it fits within the network architecture and how it should be physically connected. This is especially important when implementing clustering, as the physical connectivity can become intricate. It's essential to consider high availability and compatibility with other devices it will connect to, such as core switches or perimeter routers. Ensuring that these devices support the desired failover and reliability modes is key to avoiding complications. The duration of the deployment also depends on the expertise of the person responsible for it. In our case, we opted for professional services, which included on-site configuration support. If the person handling the deployment is familiar with the surrounding devices and network environment, one individual may suffice. If there are connections to devices from different vendors, and the configuring expert lacks expertise in those areas, I would advise involving additional personnel with the relevant expertise to ensure a smooth deployment process.

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

It may be considered relatively expensive, but the investment is justified when compared to other competitors. Check Point's functionality and capabilities are notably strong. The cost of licensing can vary based on the prevailing exchange rates. In our case, we paid for the renewal in our local currency, but on average, it amounts to approximately $32,000 USD annually. I would rate it eight out of ten.

What other advice do I have?

It is highly commendable for its stability and performance. When deciding on the appropriate licensing option, it's important to carefully consider your needs. Opting for two-year or five-year licenses can provide cost savings through discounts. After it is deployed, those with experience using other next-generation firewalls will find it relatively straightforward to manage. It doesn't require significant additional effort, and users with a basic understanding of next-generation firewall features can navigate through the management and rule settings easily. I would rate it eight 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.
PeerSpot user
reviewer1591110 - PeerSpot reviewer
ICT at a manufacturing company with 501-1,000 employees
Real User
Top 10
Aug 20, 2025
Provides a central point for security log management and enhances organizational security
Pros and Cons
  • "Check Point Quantum Force (NGFW) has positively impacted my organization because it is our core security system, and it performs effectively."

    What is our primary use case?

    My main use case for Check Point Quantum Force (NGFW) is that we use it for a perimeter firewall and separation firewall.

    What is most valuable?

    The best features Check Point Quantum Force (NGFW) offers are that it's a good product with a lot of features and a great GUI interface to manage it.

    The interface of Check Point Quantum Force (NGFW) stands out because in a single point, I can read all the logs of my device.

    Check Point Quantum Force (NGFW) has positively impacted my organization because it is our core security system, and it performs effectively.

    What needs improvement?

    At the moment, I haven't any ideas on how Check Point Quantum Force (NGFW) can be improved.

    For how long have I used the solution?

    I have been using Check Point Quantum Force (NGFW) for about ten years.

    What do I think about the stability of the solution?

    Check Point Quantum Force (NGFW) is very stable.

    What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

    For our company, Check Point Quantum Force (NGFW) is scalable enough.

    How are customer service and support?

    We reached out for customer support and received the correct support, the support that we needed.

    How would you rate customer service and support?

    Positive

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

    Before Check Point Quantum Force (NGFW), we used an old Check Point firewall.

    What was our ROI?

    I don't have information on whether we have seen a return on investment with Check Point Quantum Force (NGFW).

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

    I don't know the price because I only made the technical decision, but I spoke about the price with my manager.

    Which other solutions did I evaluate?

    We stayed with Check Point and did not evaluate other options before choosing Check Point Quantum Force (NGFW).

    What other advice do I have?

    I would rate Check Point Quantum Force (NGFW) a nine out of ten because I think we can improve the product a little bit.

    My advice to others looking into using Check Point Quantum Force (NGFW) is that it is a good product and can solve a lot of security problems in your company.

    My company does not have a business relationship with the vendor other than being a customer, as we are an end user.

    I was offered a gift card or incentive for this review.

    I prefer not to use my real name or company name when publishing my review.

    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.
    PeerSpot user
    Buyer's Guide
    Download our free Check Point Quantum Force (NGFW) Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions.
    Updated: September 2026
    Buyer's Guide
    Download our free Check Point Quantum Force (NGFW) Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions.