Sophos Firewall Reviews

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

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.

I have been using Sophos XG for five years.

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

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.

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.

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.

Sophos XG is a reasonably priced solution.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

I have been using Sophos XGS for two years. 

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.

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.

Positive

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

It is a stable solution.

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

The customer service and support has been excellent. 

Positive

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.

The initial setup is very, very easy.

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.

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

We are resellers.

The SD-WAN feature stands out as the most valuable aspect.

Fortinet surpasses Sophos in terms of support, particularly with its comprehensive five-one feature console. 

Additionally, there are notable differences between appliance models, including variations in hardware, utility, and product offerings. 

It is essential to compare these aspects to ensure optimal performance and functionality. 

While Sophos may not excel in the support aspect, it still provides satisfactory performance overall. 

However, other solutions may offer better support and resource availability.

I have been working with Sophos XG for three years.

Sophos XG is a stable solution.

Sophos appliances typically offer a fixed level of throughput, which means their scalability may be limited compared to more flexible solutions. 

It is important to consider this aspect when implementing Sophos for your organization. 

Technical support is good.

When considering master gold names, it is evident that they offer a competitive package.

I would rate technical support an eight out of ten.

Microsoft's protection has received positive feedback and strong on-site support from both customers and partners. 

Their response to cases, including targeted remediation, has been prompt and efficient. 

In certain instances, there is a reliance on Microsoft's expertise and direct involvement to ensure a satisfactory resolution.

The initial setup is straightforward. It is easy.

The price is reasonable.

The licensing cost in the final currency amount, is 163,080, with three years of support. 

Support costs are approximately 50 percent.

As for advice on implementing Sophos, it would depend on your specific requirements and the desired features you seek in a security solution.

Evaluating factors such as support, performance, compatibility, and cost-effectiveness is essential when making a decision.

It is recommended to carefully assess your organization's needs and consult with Sophos representatives or IT professionals to determine if Sophos is the right fit for your environment.

It is recommended to carefully assess your organization's needs and consult with Sophos representatives or IT professionals to determine if Sophos is the right fit for your environment.

I would rate Sophos XG an eight out of ten.

Sophos XG primarily serves as a means to regulate user traffic, enabling control over internet usage and website accessibility. It also facilitates the connection of branches and conducts malware scans on network traffic. These are the main purposes typically associated with servers. In terms of features, Sophos XG excels in catering to customers seeking a comprehensive network security solution. It incorporates various functionalities that would otherwise require the purchase of multiple solutions from other cybersecurity vendors. This unified threat management platform encompasses a firewall, IPS, web proxy, mail gateway, web application firewall, sandbox, and DLP module. From the customer's perspective, Sophos XG offers an all-in-one solution for network security needs. However, it is primarily designed for small and medium businesses rather than enterprises.

One of the standout features of Sophos XG is its proprietary VPN technology known as RID (Remote Internet Device). This unique technology provides efficient branch connectivity without the need to invest in additional firewalls for each branch. By utilizing an affordable device called RED, users can effectively control and establish connections in a cost-effective manner. Additionally, the solution is feature-rich.

Sophos XG boasts an extensive and finely-tuned proxy that offers impressive capabilities. Its comprehensive database of malicious websites is remarkably vast.

The support from the vendor needs to be improved.

I have been using Sophos XG for approximately six years.

I rate the stability of Sophos XG a six out of ten.

The scalability of the solution is limited to three nodes and may not be sufficient for extensive scaling. It is well-suited for small to medium-sized organizations. However, when it comes to large enterprises, particularly those with a distributed structure, Sophos can effectively cater to their needs. Distributed enterprises, characterized by numerous branches and a small employee count per branch, can benefit from Sophos XG capabilities. However, for larger enterprise customers with high network loads, Sophos XG may not meet the necessary requirements in terms of handling the network's capacity.

Most of our customers are small to medium-sized.

I rate the scalability of Sophos XG a five out of ten.

The support could improve. This is due to recent acquisitions. The time it takes to resolve an issue takes too long.

The response time from Sophos is deemed unacceptable by users. When opening a support case with any vendor, an automated email is typically received. However, in the case of Sophos, this automated email, lacking a personal touch, can take up to a week to arrive. Such delays are considered highly unsatisfactory. Consequently, the quality of their support has significantly deteriorated. As a result, users are reluctant to open support cases and would rather reinstall an appliance themselves than go through the support process.

I rate the support from Sophos XG a one out of ten.

Negative

The initial setup process of Sophos XG may pose some challenges. However, once configured, Sophos XG proves to be remarkably user-friendly. The activation of the appliance may require a reliable internet connection and can be a bit cumbersome. Nevertheless, once activated, the overall experience becomes significantly smoother.

The process of installation can take one to seven days. However, the time depends on many factors, such as customer size, and overall environment.

I rate the initial setup of Sophos XG a seven out of ten.

The price of the solution is reasonable when compared to the market.

You have to buy the appliance and pay for the license that matches your needs.

I rate the price of Sophos XG a seven out of ten. 

The solution had stability issues in the past but they have been resolved.

Before making a purchase, it is advisable to emphasize the importance of account managers and support from the vendor. In the past, the common practice was to involve the vendor's on-site personnel, such as the country manager in Saudi Arabia, when opening a support case. By opening the support case and sharing the support ID with the country manager, they could facilitate faster escalation and assistance behind the scenes. Essentially, contacting the sales representatives can help expedite the support process.

I rate Sophos XG a nine out of ten.

The solution is a layer 7 next-generation firewall, which we use as a firewall and router. We customize rules to help with our security.

We like the layer 7 capability. We have a couple of servers behind the XGS firewall which understands HTTP packets. The solution offers a very accurate setup, and we can use it as a kind of reverse proxy device. Based on the connected URL, we can direct traffic to different servers without a solution.

The solution is very user-friendly, and the GUI is so good that I don't have to use the CLI. This eliminates the need for typing; clicking allows me to get to what I'm looking for.

The application is a little slow; it takes five to ten seconds to respond to every click when configuring. If we need to do significant configuration, it can take a lot of time. This might be because we have a low-end machine, and it could be faster with a high-end one.

We have been working with Sophos XGS for nine months. 

The stability has always been good, we haven't encountered any issues. 

I can't speak much to the scalability as we haven't scaled the tool. I don't think it is scalable the way I have it configured, but there is a high-availability function in the menus. I don't know if the configuration is automatically transferred to new devices.

We have 600 users working behind the solution, and it is very lightweight in terms of maintenance. Sophos provides free web access, so we can go to their website and configure the firewall, which is automatically passed on to the device.

I escalated a question regarding a license issue, and they solved it very quickly, so I rate the tech support highly.

Positive

The initial setup was straightforward. It has an old-style GUI, so we just followed the steps, and much of the setup was automatic.

We implemented via an in-house team. 

We must purchase separate web server licenses, as they are not included in the regular device license. I would rate the product an eight out of ten in terms of price. It's relatively affordable.

I would rate this solution a ten out of ten. 

For personal use, I suggest pfSense, but for business applications, Sophos is great because they have better support and offer an excellent GUI, which makes XGS very easy to operate. pfSense offers console access and is a lot more configurable, which is why I prefer it for home use.

I would advise potential customers to get a free trial license, as it offers the freedom to trial the solution to see if it has the functionality and configuration options required.

The performance is good. 

It is scalable.

Technical support has been helpful in general. 

The fabric solution, the access points, and the WiFi, is not being delivered to Egypt due to some regulations. It's hard to get any devices in Egypt right now.  I need one solution and one centralized interface to monitor all the switches, access points, firewalls, and everything. I found this in Fortinet. Sophos is falling short.

We'd like an interface that can monitor everything. 

The costs could be better. 

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

I can't speak to the stability, however, the performance is good. 

The solution can scale well. It's not a problem to expand it. 

We have about 400 people on the solution currently. 

Technical support is good. 

We also worked with Fortinet. While we are on Sophos right now, we're also moving again towards Fortinet. I'm waiting on the delivery right now. 

I am implementing a new public solution for access points and switches. I'm going to FortiGate since it offers a full solution, and it is already delivered to the country, Egypt. With the Sophos access points, they are not delivering regarding regulatory issues and something like that.

We do have some people on the solution that maintains it. I don't handle the initial step myself. We have a team that does it. 

Our own team can handle the initial implementation.

The pricing of Sophos is the same as Fortinet. In general, the solutions in the market are all around the same price. 

When you go to finalize the project and include another competitor, the distributor tends to give a big discount on the solution to exit to another one.

I'm a customer and end-user. 

I don't know which version of the solution we're currently on. I'm the director of the department, and therefore, I'm not working with it directly. There's a team that's working on the versions and upgrading software and so on, while handling the technical issues. 

I'm just dealing with the high level of design or decision-making.

It's not a bad solution. It's a good option and it takes a market share in Egypt. However, I like Fortinet as they have a device that's reaching in the market and the cost is not bad. They also have an impressive monitoring interface with FortiAnalyzer and FortiManager. 

I'd rate Sophos seven out of ten. 

We primarily use the solution as a firewall.

Sophos XGS is okay. It’s excellent for firewall purposes.

For me, the platform is stable. It's very stable. It works when it's configured. Also, when you're checking, the logs, the graph, and the graphs are easy to read.

I can also use it for other purposes. For example, it's got a DSCP from there. It can be a distribution. I can have other functions work there, so I can do a lot more than just the firewall components.

It gets easier and easier to set up.

It works. However, Sophos configurations are a bit complex. It's not very user-friendly. I don't find it user-friendly when it comes to setting up the firewalls.

The user interface for the technical admin can be better. It should be set forward to configure a firewall. if a firewall has complexities. I don't know why they did that. However, you should be able to quickly set up a rule to minimize the mistakes that a security administrator or a firewall administrator can make and configure. If not, that becomes an issue. One mistake on a firewall could result in a bridge.

It should be more straightforward. If you compare it with GFI Carrier Control Firewall, which is very straightforward, you can see why it’s helpful when it's easier.

I’ve used the solution for about three years now.

The solution is stable. There are no bugs or glitches. It doesn’t crash or freeze. It’s reliable and the performance is good.

The solution is scalable. However, it depends on the model of the physical appliance. There are virtual and physical appliances, so it depends on which one you use. Obviously, there could be a limitation on the number of interfaces you need to use since you may want to have additional services plugged in. Then, the number of ports available may only be two, and yet you actually need to have 10. Maybe you need to buy a module that plugs in; however, there could be a challenge there.

In our organization, we have three to four security administrators.

I've never spoken to technical support directly the way I've been talking to the Fortinet team. I was working with a local partner to get it set up.

In our case, since we were doing it for the first time, we took about a week to complete everything. We were doing a lot of other things and learning as we went. If I had to redo it now, it wouldn't take me a week as I know exactly what I need to do after learning over a period of time. Also, I have backups that allow me to back up and restore, so I just restore the configuration. It’s much more manageable. The first time there’s a learning curve.

We work with a partner and distributor. We are working with the sales party since it was the first time we used them. They offer us professional services.

I found the solution to be expensive. I pay close to $10,000 per year, which I find to be expensive compared to the other similar solution or equivalent solutions.

It's just that one cost, and it's an annual license. As long as my appliance is working okay, I don't need to replace it. However, it's just that. Of course, within that, there are also support services. You might have technical support costs depending on which one of the tiers you pick.

I'm a customer of Sophos.

We’re using the most up-to-date version of the solution. It’s around version 18.

A new user needs to get trained on the appliance to understand how to implement rules and fully appreciate how to work with it. It's not that straightforward. You need to understand what the different areas are. It's complex in the way the rules are set up. My colleagues in the industry have similar comments about Sophos. It’s more complicated than it looks.

I’d rate the solution a seven out of ten, mainly due to the complexity. If I make a mistake, then that firewall is of no use. It needs to be easier to set up so that it provides me or guarantees me that what I want to set up is what I've set up to secure my environment.

I am an integrator of this solution, and I have installed it in small- and medium-sized businesses and schools.

My company now spends less time tracking issues because of the security provided by Sophos XG in conjunction with Sophos Endpoint protection.

The security of the solution, thanks to the built-in unified threat management, is one of its most valuable features. Plus, one single pane of glass is all you need to manage the whole solution, and web management can be done from anywhere. If I get a call and I'm at home, I can open the solution in a web browser and address the situation.

I have been using this solution since 2013.

The stability of this solution is excellent. 

The solution is available in different sizes. As long as you purchase a version that is larger than you currently need, there is room to grow. If you purchase one for your current needs, then the scalability is not good and you're going to have to repurchase if you want to scale up. On a scale of one to ten, I would give this solution a five or six for scalability. 

I would rate the technical support as a ten out of ten. I'm a Sophos partner, and their partner support is excellent. 

Positive

I previously used Cisco Meraki, but Sophos XG has built-in web filtering and is a better overall security solution. Due to these features, I have tried to migrate as many of my schools to Sophos XG as possible.

On a scale of one to five, with five being complex, I would rate the initial setup as a four. If you don't understand the terminology and how Sophos designates the way they do things, then it is a little confusing.

Depending on the location, most deployments take a day. We leave the current firewall in place while we configure the new one, then we swing the cable over and fire up the new firewall. That way if we have to take it back offline, we can keep the client productive until we are done configuring the new firewall.

For deployment you really only need one person, and maintenance can easily be handled by one person, too.

The pricing depends on the size. Each Sophos XG solution is custom fit to the size of the client's network. For example, for the XG 135, you're looking at a yearly subscription. You can get a one-year subscription for a few hundred dollars, or a three-year subscription for $1,500-$1,600, so it's not bad. There are no costs in addition to the standard licensing fees. I would rate the pricing as a three point eight on a scale of one to five.

I've had schools running different firewalls with subscriptions and different web filters with subscriptions, and I've found that it is less expensive for smaller schools to run Sophos XG with its unified threat management instead of multiple appliances.

I have evaluated some other options. It really boils down to price, and I haven't had a chance to explore Palo Alto much. I've played with PortaNet a little bit, but I think that Sophos XG has better features for the price point.

For the standard end user, self-based training is necessary. When you get into the Sophos XG firewall and try to start creating NAT rules, it can be a little cumbersome for a novice. It's pretty easy once you know how to do it, but it will be hard for anybody who doesn't have experience.

My advice to someone purchasing this solution would be to look closely at the licensing package to make sure they get what they need.

For small businesses and small schools, I would rate this solution as an eight out of ten.

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

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.

We've been using Sophos XGS for seven years.

Sophos is a stable product.

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

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

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.

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

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

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. 

I rate Sophos XGS eight out of 10.