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Owner at Computer Services Professionals
Real User
Feb 23, 2024
Protects the environment, blocks uploading, and provides all the latest features
Pros and Cons
  • "The product has all the latest features."
  • "The vendor doesn’t publish the price on the website."

What is our primary use case?

We are developing a software. We use the solution to protect our environment. Our main concern is to block users’ uploading.

How has it helped my organization?

Sophos XG is a fantastic solution. We achieved our security target after installing the solution. Our main concern was to block uploading. We were able to achieve that using the custom rules.

What is most valuable?

The product has all the latest features. It has malware protection, ransomware protection, and zero-day protection. It helps block everything.

What needs improvement?

The vendor doesn’t publish the price on the website. We must contact the agents to know the price. It is a lengthy process. It would be easier if the price details were provided on the website.

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For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using the solution for the last three years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The tool’s stability is good. I rate the tool’s stability a ten out of ten.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

We have 10 to 15 users in our organization. The tool’s scalability is high. I rate the scalability a ten out of ten.

How are customer service and support?

The technical support is great.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup was difficult. We must learn everything before implementation. In the beginning, everything seems difficult. For someone who has worked on other firewalls before, Sophos XG is not that complicated to implement.

I prefer the on-cloud versions because we have control systems on the cloud. It will be much easier to handle things. If we have it on-premises, we must maintain and look after the equipment. The cloud version is much more secure and easier to maintain.

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

The pricing is very high. The product could be a little cheaper. It will help Sophos to compete with other brands in the market. I rate the pricing a ten out of ten.

What other advice do I have?

We also use Sophos Intercept X. It is a fantastic tool. It protects PCs from malware attacks. Overall, I rate the solution a ten out of ten.

Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer. MSP
PeerSpot user
CIO at Nuotek Limited
Real User
Feb 20, 2024
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
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Buyer's Guide
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February 2026
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Abdelzaher Ahmed - PeerSpot reviewer
Senior Network Security at Gofaster
Real User
Dec 28, 2023
A programmable, dual processor architecture with enterprise-grade acceleration for trusted traffic and applications
Pros and Cons
  • "The Sophos XGS product is highly versatile and well-suited for various companies, including small, medium, and large enterprises. Its effectiveness lies in its inspection firewall capabilities, making it a commonly chosen option in our country due to its reasonable pricing. Sophos Firewall's support for VPN encryption and thorough inspection makes it a suitable choice for many companies, and I recommend it accordingly. At the moment, I can't propose any new features. The primary concern is the traffic stability, which needs improvement. Although the traffic stability is generally good, it has been noted that it can impact RAM and CPU, affecting workflow and inspection."
  • "In my view, Sophos operates effectively in a reactive mode, focusing on static detection and forwarding traffic. However, Fortinet takes a more proactive approach, blocking both connection and route connections. While Sophos forwards any connection in both inbound and outbound traffic, I believe this is a positive aspect, especially in a country with various sizing considerations. This is my perspective, emphasizing the significance of Sophos XGS in software work."

What is our primary use case?

For network security and filtering through our infrastructure, we rely on Sophos Firewall, specifically using Connect Sophos Cloud in our branches. 

Endpoint protection is crucial, so we integrate with DuoSet, and the system allows for VPN connections with various devices like SaaS, Alibaba, Fortinet, and Cisco, supporting encryption detection and more.

How has it helped my organization?

It's crucial for our company, as well as other companies and customers. When our customer licenses expire, they request to renew or make changes to their Sophos XGS boxes. This process is significant and managed by our technical team or engineers.

What is most valuable?

The Sophos XGS product is highly versatile and well-suited for various companies, including small, medium, and large enterprises. Its effectiveness lies in its inspection firewall capabilities, making it a commonly chosen option in our country due to its reasonable pricing. Sophos Firewall's support for VPN encryption and thorough inspection makes it a suitable choice for many companies, and I recommend it accordingly.

At the moment, I can't propose any new features. The primary concern is traffic stability, which needs improvement. Although the traffic stability is generally good, it has been noted that it can impact RAM and CPU, affecting workflow and inspection.

What needs improvement?

In my view, Sophos operates effectively in a reactive mode, focusing on static detection and forwarding traffic. However, Fortinet takes a more proactive approach, blocking both connection and route connections. While Sophos forwards any connection in both inbound and outbound traffic, I believe this is a positive aspect, especially in a country with various sizing considerations. This is my perspective, emphasizing the significance of Sophos XGS in software work.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using Sophos XGS for two years. 

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

It's a stable solution. I would rate it around nine. There is room for improvement, especially in terms of support. As I mentioned earlier, when the CPU and memory reach their maximum capacity, the tool forwards traffic. This is a critical aspect—no inspection, no traffic, and no log.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

It is a highly scalable solution. I can't provide an exact count because I work with multiple solutions, including Sophos XGS, Fortinet, and Palo Alto. Counting all the users across these platforms is challenging.

How are customer service and support?


The support team is excellent. This is a key highlight.

How would you rate customer service and support?

Positive

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

In the last two years, I have worked with Sophos Firewall, and it is an excellent firewall. It's easy to set up with encryption and inspection features. In my view, it's well-suited for all.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup of Sophos XGS has been quite smooth and user-friendly. Unlike my experience with Fortinet and Palo Alto, which posed challenges, Sophos XGS stands out for its ease of use. End users can handle the setup themselves without requiring an engineer to configure the firewall or register the device.

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

It's highly effective and well-suited for medium and small companies. The pricing is attractive, and our customers find it suitable for regular license renewals.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

Public Cloud
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
PeerSpot user
ATUL SHELARE - PeerSpot reviewer
Information Technology Department at Sunflag Iron and Steel Co Ltd
Real User
Top 20
Sep 10, 2023
Easy to use and offers excellent support
Pros and Cons
  • "It's easy to use, and the service is good. If anything goes wrong, their support system is very reliable."
  • "In future releases, this solution could have more graphical elements on the dashboard to make it easier to understand."

What is our primary use case?

We are using it as a firewall to protect and control Internet access, as well as control other access like SAP. Some of our employees connect from remote locations, and our server is on-premises. We use this firewall for access control and also for VPN connections.

What is most valuable?

It's easy to use, and the service is good. If anything goes wrong, their support system is very reliable.

What needs improvement?

The renewal process for this box is too frequent. We purchased it five years ago, and it's expiring in 2025. So, I feel they expire it too quickly.

In future releases, this solution could have more graphical elements on the dashboard to make it easier to understand. While there are graphics and a good dashboard, there's always room for improvement.

For how long have I used the solution?

We have been using Sophos XGS for ten years. At that time, it was new. So somebody recommended us to take this. Our service provider recommended it, and that's why we have taken it.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

It is a stable solution.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

It is a scalable solution. We have around 300 end users in our organization. 

How are customer service and support?

The customer service and support has been excellent. 

How would you rate customer service and support?

Positive

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

We have worked with Cisco and Fortinet Firewalls. It's hard to compare.

Installation and understanding are a bit challenging with Cisco, whereas Sophos is easier to install and use.

We have a FortiGate firewall at another location. We recently purchased it.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup is very, very easy.

What about the implementation team?

The deployment process took me more than two to three hours, including all the checks. I had a backup of the earlier Sophos firewall, so I just restored it and verified everything.

One person for support and checking, so two in total are enough for deployment and maintenance of the solution.

What other advice do I have?

I would definitely advise to use Sophos. Overall, I would rate the solution a nine out of ten. 

Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
PeerSpot user
IT Infrastructure Architect at Clermont Auvergne Metropole
Real User
Nov 9, 2022
Easy to deploy with reasonable pricing but needs more functionality
Pros and Cons
  • "It's easy to deploy and connect."
  • "The solution could have a bit more functionality."

What is our primary use case?

We use the solution as a VPN and for web filtering. It helps to connect sites to our data center. 

What is most valuable?

It's a competent solution. 

It's easy to deploy and connect.

The initial setup is not complex. 

We can scale the solution.

It is stable. 

It's reasonably, competitively priced. 

What needs improvement?

The solution could have a bit more functionality.

We'd like to have a log viewer. We'd like to have visibility to see what traffic has crossed the firewall. 

They need more local support and different language options available for when they need help.

For how long have I used the solution?

I've used the solution for four or five years. 

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The solution is stable, and the performance is pretty good. It's a good platform. There are no bugs or glitches. It doesn't crash or freeze.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

We have between 2,000 and 2,500 users on the solution right now. 

The solution can scale. 

At this point, we have no plans to increase usage, although we may expand in about two years. 

How are customer service and support?

Technical support has been okay. However, they need more local support. They need to, for example, speak French.

How would you rate customer service and support?

Neutral

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

We also use Palo Alto. We've used it for about six months. It has more functionality than Sophos. 

How was the initial setup?

The solution is very straightforward and simple. It's not overly complex. 

Originally, when we deployed, we migrated from another platform to Sophos. To do the migration took us two weeks. 

I'd rate the ease of setup a three out of five. 

We do have some maintenance tasks we need to perform after setup. For example, we need to do backups and some configurations. We have an internal team that can handle these tasks in terms of network infrastructure. 

What about the implementation team?

The first time we deployed the solution, we did it via a third party, a partner.

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

The pricing is good and very competitive. 

The costs depend on what model of Sophos we take. A central firewall on the cloud with a cluster might be 70,000 to 80,000 euros for a three-year license. The price of the license and hardware are all under that pricing. You can integrate other features on top.

I'd rate the solution a four out of five in terms of affordability.

What other advice do I have?

We are using the latest version of the solution. We're customers. 

I'd recommend the solution. It has pretty good functionality and good pricing. It's a good product.

I'd rate the solution 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.
PeerSpot user
Head of Information Technology at ICCS Ltd
Real User
Jun 9, 2022
It's more affordable than most, and the interface has a more comfortable feel than the competitors.
Pros and Cons
  • "I like the Sophos UI. It interface has a more comfortable feel than the competitors."
  • "I recommend Sophos increase the user capacity of the firewall by 1.5 times. For example, say the firewall can accommodate 1,000 users now, then it should handle a load of 1,500 users."

What is our primary use case?

Sophos helps us set public restrictions and add category filtering to secure the network. It provides ATS and IPS scanning for further protection.

What is most valuable?

I like the Sophos UI. It interface has a more comfortable feel than the competitors.

What needs improvement?

I recommend Sophos increase the user capacity of the firewall by 1.5 times. For example, say the firewall can accommodate 1,000 users now, then it should handle a load of 1,500 users.

For how long have I used the solution?

We've been using Sophos XGS for seven years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

Sophos is a stable product.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

Sophos XGS is scalable. My company has almost 6,000 users.

How are customer service and support?

We've contacted Sophos support multiple times for help troubleshooting.

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

We used a Cisco firewall for four years before Sophos. My company has multiple locations, and some had Sophos, but others used Cisco. After we had a good experience with Sophos, we moved the entire company to Sophos.

How was the initial setup?

Installation is pretty straightforward compared to Juniper and Cisco products. The Sophos installation offers better guidance. 

What about the implementation team?

We handled the installation and configuration with our in-house team.

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

Sophos isn't expensive. It's a mid-range solution that's cheap but not too much cheaper than competitors. It's a good price that meets all our compliance requirements. 

What other advice do I have?

I rate Sophos XGS eight out of 10. 

Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
PeerSpot user
Bhanu Brahmaji - PeerSpot reviewer
Senior Network Engineer at Prospecta Technologies Pvt Ltd
Real User
May 13, 2022
Sophos XG firewall is the Best protection and security Management, authentication, hashing, and encryption; unfortunately updating policies can create a lag meshing with administrators' environment,
Pros and Cons
  • "There are good KCL rules and policies as well as NATing rules."
  • "There can be lag time when updating an operating policy."

What is our primary use case?

We use Sophos XGS for web security and web policies, it's our primary solution. authentication VPN site to site, SSL VPNs installations. Sophos Firewall designed its extreme protection IT Rules and policies security level Authentication is good sometimes it's tricky and very helpful. Sophos Firewall delivers advanced threat protection to instantly identify bots and other advanced threats while defending your network from today's sophisticated attacks. current live user activities diagnostics to generate logs and objectionable site restrictions, daily reports are a great solution for the work environment.

How has it helped my organization?

With the increase in cybersecurity threats, this solution has helped us at an organizational level. We have always been hit by someone at the end of our desk or hidden somewhere ex:- spoofing attacks, a man in the middle attacks, and ransomware new era of cybersecurity pain full concept, Mail spoof attacks, all these have to improve DMZ and secure the firewall policies and server-client Antivirus solutions. Daily monitoring manually or trusted third-party vendors monitoring tools. finally, we are worried about how strong we are at the cybersecurity level.

What is most valuable?

This is a great solution for security, authentication, hashing, and encryption level. Sophos is good at ACL rules, Port forwarding, SDWAN route policies, IT Rules and policies as well as Natting rules. It's a reliable product to secure web securities. whenever we want we switch to the ports securely Heartbeat monitoring live user activities is great to execute on a production level. Bandwidth control sometimes referred to as traffic shaping is one of the best firewall features. Link aggregation and SD-WAN (Software-defined Wide Area Network) are great features for businesses that need multiple links to the internet. thank you

What needs improvement?

There are occasional issues when we update an operating firmware there's some lag time. Updating requires us to reboot the firewall, in this scenario 24/7 organization will be the most effective. In addition, I'd like to see more focus on customer support calls we were waiting for hours to connect with them. In some cases, Sophos's team is extraordinarily helpful to solve any issues in the firewall. Sophos needs to focus on customer support through a chatbot or call management quickly so we can find some help on the client side. Thank you

For how long have I used the solution?

I've been using this solution for five years. 

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The solution is stable despite having to restart when we update. 

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The solution is very scalable and we're able to handle all the pressure in our organization. We have over 100 VPNs and it all works well, Authentications, port forwarding, and all kind of security levels are much appreciated. 

How are customer service and support?

Customer support needs to be improved. They're very helpful once you get them on the line but sometimes take up to an hour before we can speak to someone who can fix a problem. when a problem occurs at the production level we freeze and everything goes blank so a faster customer support call is much more appreciated.

How would you rate customer service and support?

Positive

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup is complex. Sophos has some features like rules and policies, NATing, and PATing so deployment might take more time than if we were using an alternate solution. Deployment can take up to two weeks because every policy and VPN requires checking and that takes time. I've been working for the past 10+ years experience in network engineering and firewall configuration so we deployed in-house but we contacted Sophos for assistance when we needed it.

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

The Sophos or any kind of firewall is worthy to buy when we have dedicated servers and switches to implementation.

What other advice do I have?

There are some very good features in this firewall and also some areas that need improving. I rate this product seven out of 10. 

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
reviewer1449147 - PeerSpot reviewer
RSSI at a energy/utilities company with 10,001+ employees
Real User
Apr 12, 2022
Stable, simple initial setup, but lacking features
Pros and Cons
  • "The initial setup is straightforward."
  • "Sophos XGS could improve by having a Network Access Control(NAC). This feature is a basic function in other firewalls and should be added, such as Palo Alto."

What is our primary use case?

I use Sophos XGS as an alternative gateway and we are using all the new generation firewall functionalities, such as EPS and antivirus.

How has it helped my organization?

We are using the WAF functionalities of Sophos XGS which has helped the organization.

What needs improvement?

Sophos XGS could improve by having a Network Access Control(NAC). This feature is a basic function in other firewalls and should be added, such as Palo Alto.

The SD-WAN functionality should be reviewed because there are some devices that don't work well. For example, in Palo Alto, the SD-WAN functionality is more efficient.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using Sophos XGS for approximately four years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

Sophos XGS is a stable solution.

How are customer service and support?

The technical support from Sophos XGS is good. We reach out to them if there is a serious problem. We have opened approximately four tickets with them.

I rate the support for Sophos XGS a two out of five.

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

I have used many other solutions, such as Palo Alto, Fortinet, and Cisco. Sophos XGS rates are at the bottom of the list compared to many solutions.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup is straightforward.

I would rate the initial setup of Sophos XGS three out of five.

What about the implementation team?

We have a team of three or four people who administer Sophos XGS.

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

Once you pay for the Sophos XGS hardware there is no license required. There are additional costs if you want the support. We have purchased support for three years.

What other advice do I have?

I rate Sophos XGS a six 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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