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Pre-sales at a tech services company with 51-200 employees
Reseller
Top 5
Oct 21, 2021
A comprehensive solution which makes available heartbeat security
Pros and Cons
  • "Sophos is a comrehensive solution which allows me to configure all the attendant products, such as Sophos' firewall, Endpoint and Encryption features."
  • "The response time could stand improvement."

What is most valuable?

Sophos is a comprehensive solution which allows me to configure all the attendant products, such as Sophos' firewall, Endpoint and Encryption features. 

A nice feature of Sophos is that it offers in sync and heartbeat security. When my clients have a perimeter involving Sophos firewall and endpoints with Sophos Endpoint, they can communicate with each other. 

Heartbeat security is a great feature. 

What needs improvement?

In light of all the firmware upgrades, maintenance, feature and general releases of firmware, I really appreciate the support offered by Sophos. It is really good. 

However, the response time could stand improvement, as I do not benefit from immediate support. There is a delay involved. This can be problematic when I need urgent support, such as when my device is in a production environment. 

How are customer service and support?

The support is really good. With all the firmware upgrades, maintenance, feature and general firmware releases which occur nowadays, I really appreciate Sophos support. It is really good. 

This said, it could be faster, as it is not immediate. This can be problematic when I require urgent support, such as when my device is in a production environment. 

How was the initial setup?

When it comes to the firewall, everything hinges on the configuration. Every firewall is good, but one can see the importance of the configuration in the firewalls of Sophos and SonicWall. This is the most important thing, since users occcasionally disable the app control, IPS or anti-spyware features. They do this out of a lack of familiarity with the security, something which allows attacks to occur. Therefore, the configuration is key. I configure every firewall I employ, be it Sophos, SonicWall or Fortinet. 

I have not encountered any issues when it comes to the configuration. 

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

I was a gold partner with Sophos XG. As such, I make suggestions about the appropriate model in line with my customer's requirements. Essentially, over the last two years of the COVID-19 crises, most users required an SSL VPN license, something for which SonicWall charges but which Sophos offers for free. 

SSL VPN involves two factor authentication. This is free of charge. Both email and key OTP are options. While SonicWall also offers SSL VPN capabilities, it is problematic. When I needed a license, I purchased an additional perpetual SSL VPN license. 

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

SonicWall makes available all the different models, such as TZ and NSA. I am familiar with all the models. Sophos only has an entry-level model, which is actually 87, 107 and 116. 

Fortinet offers the Forti ATF model. 

What other advice do I have?

I recommend the solution to other clients, but make certain to first understand their individual needs. I would be doing them a disservice were it otherwise.

I really like Sophos.

In the past, when Sophos employed XG firewall, I was forced to deal with a slow GUI. This is because its back-end kernel is Linux. Now that XGS is provided, many changes can be seen in the hardware appliance. The hardware has been upgraded. The XGS firewall is faster than the XG series, so the problem has been resolved. 

While I rate Fortinet as a nine out of ten, I give Sophos XG a rating of eight. 

Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer. partner
PeerSpot user
CEO at a tech services company with 1-10 employees
Reseller
Top 20
Oct 14, 2021
Secure, affordable, scales well, and simple to install
Pros and Cons
  • "Sophos is easy to use."
  • "Some businesses require Dynamic IP. This feature would be useful if it worked."

What is our primary use case?

We are resellers. We provide solutions to our clients.

What is most valuable?

I like the connectivity and the security.

Sophos is easy to use.

The GUI is very simple.

What needs improvement?

Some businesses require Dynamic IP. This feature would be useful if it worked.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been working with Sophos XG for approximately four years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

Sophos XG is a stable product.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

It is easy to scale with Sophos XG.

Our customers have medium sized businesses

How are customer service and support?

The technical support is okay.

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

I have also worked with Fortinet and one other solution.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup is easy.

It can take one to two hours to install.

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

The price is reasonable. It's not as expensive as other solutions. 

What other advice do I have?

It's good, I would rate Sophos XG a nine out of ten.

Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
PeerSpot user
Buyer's Guide
Sophos Firewall
January 2026
Learn what your peers think about Sophos Firewall. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: January 2026.
881,114 professionals have used our research since 2012.
reviewer1680258 - PeerSpot reviewer
Senior Network Security Engineer | Project Manager at a consumer goods company with 10,001+ employees
Real User
Oct 5, 2021
Simple to use, easy installation, and performs well
Pros and Cons
  • "The solution has good performance and is easy to use."
  • "The solution could be more secure."

What is our primary use case?

We use Sophos XG for network threat protection in our data center.

What is most valuable?

The solution has good performance and is easy to use.

What needs improvement?

The solution could be more secure.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using Sophos XG for a few years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The solution is stable.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

We have approximately 100 users using this solution.

How was the initial setup?

The installation of Sophos XG is easy.

What about the implementation team?

 We have four technical engineers for installation and administrators for this equipment.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

We have evaluated Palo Alto and FortiGate.

What other advice do I have?

We have replaced some of our hardware with Palo Alto and FortiGate solutions.

I am satisfied with this solution.

I rate Sophos XG an 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
reviewer1231140 - PeerSpot reviewer
IT support officer at a wholesaler/distributor with 51-200 employees
Real User
Oct 3, 2021
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: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
PeerSpot user
Creative Head/Director at a marketing services firm with 1-10 employees
Real User
Top 10
Sep 13, 2021
Scalable and stable
Pros and Cons
  • "The solution is scalable."
  • "The installation could be faster and is longer than that of other solutions, lasting more than a month instead of five minutes."

What needs improvement?

The solution is very slow in comparison with SonicWall and FortiGate. It should have faster performance. 

The installation could be faster and is longer than that of other solutions, lasting more than a month instead of five minutes.  

For how long have I used the solution?

I've been using Sophos XG for five years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

When compared with other firewalls, such as that of SonicWall, we have had no issues with the solution's stability. It works very well.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The solution is scalable.

How are customer service and technical support?

Sophos does not provide immediate support, such as SonicWall does with its toll free number. This may take an hour or two, although I suppose things would be different were we to raise a critical ticket. 

I have been in contact with tech support within the last week or so. 

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

SonicWall has a toll-free number which can be reached for immediate support, something which is unique, although Sophos may take an hour or two to respond. I suppose this would be different were a person to raise a critical ticket. 

How was the initial setup?

Sophos XG has a longer installation period than other firewalls, occupying in excess of a month instead of five minutes. 

What about the implementation team?

I am the technical person. Installation can be handled independently. We do the configuration of the firewall. 

We have two teams that are responsible for the deployment, a firewall and a network one. We can handle the implementation using both teams. 

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

I don't believe we have a license for this product.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

SonicWall and FortiGate provide considerably faster performance than Sophos. 

What other advice do I have?

The solution is deployed both on-premises and on the cloud. 

We have a data center which contains multiple firewalls. If our clients ask about a certain firewall expert, we simply implement the Sophos firewall, clientele. We have created certain IP sectors like this, in which case we provide multiple firewalls in clientele.

We have around 150 clients making use of the firewall.

We would recommend the solution to others. 

I rate Sophos XG as a ten out of ten. 

Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer. Implementer
PeerSpot user
RathinVaidya - PeerSpot reviewer
Vice President (Technical) at a computer software company with 51-200 employees
Reseller
Aug 18, 2021
Great antivirus software that's very easy to deploy and very user friendly
Pros and Cons
  • "Easy to deploy and user friendly."
  • "Could have a more simplified functionality for users."

What is our primary use case?

It's primarily for on-premise firewall functionality and functionality of internet lines.

What is most valuable?

The appeal to our IT team is that this is an easy to deploy, user friendly, and easy to work with solution that includes antivirus software.

What needs improvement?

I'd like to see a more simplified functionality for our customers. We also had a negative experience with the sales team of Sophos, which offered a three-year renewal to our customer. We'd suggested one year, keeping the customer's cashflow in mind and Covid. The result was that it affected our credibility with the customer. These are some of the irritants in the sales policy.  

For how long have I used the solution?

I've been using this solution for four years. 

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The solution is stable. 

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

We have deployed it for 100 users to date, so it's quite scalable. We mainly work with small and medium size organizations. 

How was the initial setup?

The implementation is straightforward. It depends on your environment, and the number of users as well as the complex rules you're making. That aside, it is easy to deploy.

What other advice do I have?

I rate the solution eight out of 10. 

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.
PeerSpot user
PeerSpot user
Technical Support Engineer at a tech services company with 1-10 employees
Reseller
Aug 2, 2021
Stable, scalability, but performance needs improvement
Pros and Cons
  • "The installation is easy. There is a wizard that can be used for a single connection making it simple and if you have multiple connections you can configure it manually."
  • "The solution could improve by making the graphical interface better and increasing the performance."

What is our primary use case?

Our customers use Sophos XG as a firewall.

What needs improvement?

The solution could improve by making the graphical interface better and increasing the performance. 

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using this solution for approximately three years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The solution is stable.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The scalability of Sophos XG is good.

Most of our customers are small to middle-sized businesses.

How are customer service and technical support?

The support we have received from the partner has been good.

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

We use Sophos XG, Fortinet, and Palo Alto solutions.

How was the initial setup?

The installation is easy. There is a wizard that can be used for a single connection making it simple and if you have multiple connections you can configure it manually.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

Sophos tends to have less performance compared to Fortinet, and Palo Alto solutions.

What other advice do I have?

I rate Sophos XG a six 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.
PeerSpot user
Information Technology Support Manager at a financial services firm with 51-200 employees
Real User
Jul 26, 2021
An inexpensive and stable solution with good functionality and user interface, but should offer an antivirus feature
Pros and Cons
  • "I like the functionality and the user interface."
  • "I wish to see an antivirus feature added to the solution."

What is our primary use case?

We are using the solution internally for policy purposes in our data center. We use the firewall for certain routes for client connectivity. 

What is most valuable?

I like the functionality and the user interface. The solution has a better graphic interface than that of Cisco. 

What needs improvement?

I wish to see an antivirus feature added to the solution. 

For how long have I used the solution?

I believe we have been using Sophos XG for more than three years. 

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The solution has better stability than Cisco, which is why I prefer it over other firewalls. 

How are customer service and technical support?

I have not had need for technical support. Mostly, I find what I am looking for on the internet. 

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup is easy.

What about the implementation team?

I handled the implementation by myself.

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

The solution is not expensive since one pays as he goes. He pays just for the functionality he requires, meaning there is no need to pay for all that Sophos offers. If a person needs email protection, he will pay just for this. The same holds true if he needs web filtering. 

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

The solution is more stable than Cisco, which is why I like it better than the other firewalls.

What other advice do I have?

The firewall does not connect to the internet. It is not firewall edge. We use the solution as a data center firewall. 

I would recommend the solution because it provides the greatest firewall protection. 

I rate Sophos XG as a seven out of ten. 

Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer. partner
PeerSpot user
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