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PeerSpot user
Info Sec Consultant at Size 41 Digital
Real User
Top 5
Problem free and effective AV

It is unacceptable for an organisation to be without some form of Anti-virus protection. Symantec Endpoint Protection was a product we picked because we were coming off of Sophos as the charity discount expired. Charities tend to shop around for AV yearly to take advantage of discounts to standard pricing.Whilst this means install costs (time and/or money) it means we get to experience a lot of products and vendors. Now, that is a good and bad thing.

We had some teething problems on install. It wasn't the product at fault per se but the IT Company who installed a 2011 version instead of the current 2013 version. This resulted in multiple BSOD for our W7 users. I used Symantec support and logged an online ticket. Literally, within 10mins I had a call from a Symantec support engineer. I supplied the log files. 20mins later I had a suggested fix - which was an install of the correct version. I then had another couple of calls over the next week to check that the problem was corrected. Yes, our fault but it did highlight the level of support Symantec give you. This is a small thing to watch out for. 

My issue with AVs is they can be like running a marathon in treacle - slow and unpleasant. Symantec didn't have that problem. It was inoffensive, with minimal pop-ups and scans that didn't slow down machines running W7, dual core and 3GB RAM. There aren't the best user machines in the world but they had no problem handling the installed AV.

The management console on the server kept track of any recurring issues and e-mailed reports to me. It also highlighted an infection on someone's machine in real time. This allowed me to get to the user and pop them on a laptop whilst we scrubbed the virus. The graphical reports were handy to provide proof of any KPIs for my monthly reporting process.

Endpoint protection is more than just AV. It features Symantec Insight and SONAR. They basically deal with zero day threats - okay, it simply won't catch everything but I've yet to find an AV that will. It's performed just fine. We had the odd catch and then it bubbled under the surface, tirelessly checking our systems for bad stuff. This is a great way of reducing reputational risk to your organisation.

Symantec Endpoint Protection

Browser protection did prevent some users visiting scam sites or those genuinely deemed to be distributing malware (that we then blocked using OpenDNS).

Updates were pushed via GUP (group update provider) and any machines that, for whatever reason, were not included, ended up on my report.

Our W7 machines, Servers and the Macs were able to be protected. Yes, this is common these days but it's worth a mention. It also handled our VMs well - some of them using quite ancient software.

On the whole it did exactly what it was meant to do - protected the servers and end users seamlessly and gave us access to reporting that meant showing we'd hit KPIs was easy.

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
Mostafa - PeerSpot reviewer
MostafaSystem Administrator at Suez Canal Insurance
Top 5Real User

Dear arthurHRD
Symantec Endpoint Protection is designed for maximum efficiency, as i said
it have email scan for outlook but it's not powerful compared to Kaspersky endpoint
I had reviewed Kaspersky endpoint
You can take alook on it
www.itcentralstation.com

See all 6 comments
reviewer2009892 - PeerSpot reviewer
IT Admin at a manufacturing company with 51-200 employees
Real User
Reduces our attack surface, preventing cyber attacks and spam
Pros and Cons
  • "One of the most valuable features is the ability to manage antivirus security. There is an admin console that helps you make policies and do deployment of the clients, to make them reachable and to deploy updates."
  • "Using the management console is a bit complex. There are many features that we cannot use and we could use some help. We need some assistance to make them work better. They need to add features to make it simpler."

What is our primary use case?

We use it to maintain a minimum of security in our office. It's very important to have an antivirus in our environment. The main object of the solution is to maintain stability so that our environment is protected from any websites that can harm our solution.

To prevent attacks you need a full range of protection: antivirus, anti-spam, proxies, and firewalls. Symantec provides the antivirus piece.

How has it helped my organization?

It has reduced our attack surface and that's why we keep using the solution. It helps prevent cyber attacks and spam. Symantec Endpoint Security is an important element for maintaining security in our company.

What is most valuable?

One of the most valuable features is the ability to manage antivirus security. There is an admin console that helps you make policies and do deployment of the clients, to make them reachable and to deploy updates.

What needs improvement?

Using the management console is a bit complex. There are many features that we cannot use and we could use some help. We need some assistance to make them work better. They need to add features to make it simpler.

It may also need to be updated for new attacks.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using Symantec Endpoint Security since I started this job three years ago.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The stability is good.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

We use it for every laptop, locally. We have about 50 users.

How are customer service and support?

We have not used the technical support so far.

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

I have also used Kaspersky, in another job.

How was the initial setup?

The deployment does not take very much time, maybe 15 minutes, under good conditions. But it depends on many factors.

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

It's affordable.

We haven't compared the pricing with other solutions. When our license renewal arrives we will look at our needs and we will evaluate every option possible so that we can choose the right one.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

When I came to this company they were already using Symantec.

Symantec is a good solution. I recommend it over some other products. There are two or three products that can help, such as Kaspersky. Every solution has its advantages and disadvantages. It depends on your choice or needs.

What other advice do I have?

We don't know how to use it to block attackers that are attempting to gain control of Active Directory. I don't know if an antivirus can interface directly with Active Directory. Our aim is to secure all solutions, not only Active Directory.

Overall, Symantec Endpoint Security is an important tool to help our factory make progress. Symantec has a good reputation and I would recommend it.

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
Buyer's Guide
Symantec Endpoint Security
March 2025
Learn what your peers think about Symantec Endpoint Security. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: March 2025.
846,617 professionals have used our research since 2012.
Sr. Officer - Quality Assurance at a tech services company with 201-500 employees
Real User
Easy to manage console, stable, but more knowledgeable support needed
Pros and Cons
  • "The administrator's console is very good and easy to manage with it. Deploying patches, definition updates and report is simple."
  • "The support from Symantec has been poor in my experience. They did not have the knowledge to help us with the issues we were facing."

What is our primary use case?

Symantec End-User Endpoint Security is used for network security.

What is most valuable?

The administrator's console is very good and easy to manage with it. Deploying patches, definition updates and report is simple.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using Symantec End-User Endpoint Security for approximately nine years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The solution is very stable.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

Symantec End-User Endpoint Security is scalable.

We have approximately 850 endpoint clients using the solution.

How are customer service and support?

The support from Symantec has been poor in my experience. They did not have the knowledge to help us with the issues we were facing.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

I have evaluated Kaspersky, CrowdStrike, and Sophos solutions.

What other advice do I have?

I would recommend Symantec End-User Endpoint Security to others. However, I would advise people before implementing the solution they have all the support channels in place to manage it.

In the case of the software-as-a-service, nowadays, companies are looking to outsource the entire operations. I do not want my employees using the solution for anything, such as monitoring the application. We are looking for an implementation partner or the OEM itself where they deploy the solution and monitor it with only one management team. If there is an issue, they notify us. if there are not any issues then they can send regular, weekly, or monthly reports.

I rate Symantec End-User Endpoint Security a six out of ten.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
PeerSpot user
Systems Administrator at a pharma/biotech company with 51-200 employees
Real User
Centralized control and good network visibility, but more support for wireless devices is needed
Pros and Cons
  • "This solution helps in that I can control quite a few computers from our central location, with ease."
  • "In the next release of this solution, I would like to see more to do with malware, encryption technology, and controlling mobile devices."

What is our primary use case?

We use this solution for its  antivirus capabilities   . It is an on-premises deployment.

How has it helped my organization?

Centralized & localized control of client machines ,  using the SEPM dashboard.

What is most valuable?

The most valuable feature of this solution is the antivirus and the protection against Ransomware/Malware/Zero day attacks and device control

What needs improvement?

I would really like some of the features that are available in Kaspersky Enterprise to be available in the client version of this solution.

In the next release of this solution, I would like to see more to do with malware, encryption technology, and controlling mobile devices. I would like to be able to protect my wireless equipment at that level.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using this solution for 12 years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

I've had no issues with stability in the ten years that I have been using it.

This product is being pushed the maximum, and we are using it every day.

It is stable, and once you put in the policies, it does what it is supposed to do.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

From my experience, I find scaling this solution is difficult. You have to work your way around it. It takes some time getting used to the admin dashboard before you can make any changes.

We have about sixty users in the company. Two of them are administrators and the remaining are end-users.

How are customer service and technical support?

Technical support for this solution is ok. I have no issues with them.

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

We did not use another solution prior to using Symantec.

How was the initial setup?

From my point of view, the initial setup of this solution was pretty easy.

Only one person is required for the maintenance and to handle support assistance. Everything is done remotely. You just push the changes across the network.

What about the implementation team?

I performed the deployment myself, and it takes about an hour, or perhaps two hours at most.

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

Considering the features, the price of this solution is average. We pay our licensing fees on a yearly basis, and everything is included in that price. Whether it is via email or phone call, they do what needs to be done.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

Evaluating fortigate client antivirus and security features 

What other advice do I have?

My recommendation is that people should try this product.

In using this solution, I have learned a lot about our security and what needs to be done.

I would rate this solution a seven out of ten.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
IT Manager at Digitalis Reputation
Real User
Good firewall features and integrates with Active Directory
Pros and Cons
  • "I like the firewall and the intrusion prevention features, and just the basic anti-malware and anti-virus seems to be pretty effective as well."
  • "If you're not charged with administering the product and you don't do it every day it can sometimes be difficult to remember how to do the simple basic things, so some type of help or guidance for your most regular or frequent tasks would be good."

What is most valuable?

I like the ability to push it to a client, centrally from central consoles.

I like the integration of Active Directory. I like the ability for it to auto-enroll. You can add machines to the Active Directory and when it configures right, it automatically installs to those machines.

The firewall features are pretty good as well. I like the firewall and the intrusion prevention features, and just the basic anti-malware and anti-virus seems to be pretty effective as well.

What needs improvement?

Sometimes the interface can be a bit cumbersome, and maybe the help features. If you're not charged with administering the product and you don't do it every day it can sometimes be difficult to remember how to do the simple basic things, so some type of help or guidance for your most regular or frequent tasks would be good. Something similar to what the product called Serviceaid has. 

I also think that the website itself should be improved. They have so many products that when you actually look on their website and you look for helpful guidance you just tend to get lost because they seem to have so much going on. So, basically, a bit more intuitive help and guidance features, as well as more intuitive service information.

Some type of solution for mobile devices would be good. For mobile devices, it's drawing from a Windows-based client, so for many core clients for OSX and Linux machines, those OS could be integrated directly. There's no client for mobile devices except for IOS and Android devices.

For how long have I used the solution?

I've been using this solution for ten years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

It's not very stable I don't think. I'll didn't have any problems when it did not work, or episodes of crashing or anything but yeah, it's not very stable.

We don't do daily scans, we do weekly scans but it is used daily and obviously, it's got a real-time scan so it's in constant use.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

I think it's very scalable, and I think you can manage the implementation as long as it's sort of implemented on the right sort of baseline platform, etc. It makes it pretty easy to scale up and add lots more users and even more servers to the implementation. We do plan to add more clients onto the system in the future.

How are customer service and technical support?

I haven't had much cause to use technical support. I might have used them only a few times. The support is okay, it's just difficult to actually find the contact numbers or email addresses because their site is so cumbersome.

How was the initial setup?

I wouldn't say it was straightforward. There wasn't anything complex, either. Once you've done it once or twice, which I have, it's not as complex as it could be. It really depends on the size of the installation you're doing and the number of clients, etc. So obviously the bigger the installation, the more thought you need to put into it. I'd probably lean towards saying it was complex, it's not straightforward.

We have approximately fifty users and only one admin, so I'm the only person who administers here. I think the largest installation I've had would probably be about 1000G's with about one, two, three, four, five, six, no about seven administrators, but yeah and here it's just about fifty devices.

What about the implementation team?

We do the implementation by ourselves.

What other advice do I have?

I would advise anyone to make sure they do their required reading before they implement. Before implementation, you need to do the reading on the best practices because obviously if you've got a larger implementation then you need to think about a few concerns. You need to think about resilient managing services as well. Also, before purchasing,  do the due diligence and look at alternative products to see if there's something else that would suit your needs better.

This solution is a bit cumbersome. Some of the things they can make them easier to do, and also because their website is a bit clunky, so makes it difficult to find the solutions you need.

I would rate this solution as an eight out of ten.

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
Systems Engineer at a tech services company with 51-200 employees
Real User
Needs better detection and response, better malware remediation; it catches basic things
Pros and Cons
    • "The biggest thing I would like to see is malware remediation, if there is some kind of outbreak. We'd like to see better remediation and better detection and response. It's pretty good at capturing things, but it doesn't stop everything, so better machine learning would be helpful."

    What is our primary use case?

    Endpoint protection. The performance has been adequate, not great.

    How has it helped my organization?

    The biggest benefit right now is that we have a lot of people who know it well. Based on what we've seen, we don't think it's the best solution out there. But it catches basic things.

    What is most valuable?

    Protecting data, protecting end-points.

    What needs improvement?

    The biggest thing I would like to see is malware remediation, if there is some kind of outbreak. We'd like to see better remediation and better detection and response. It's pretty good at capturing things, but it doesn't stop everything, so better machine learning would be helpful.

    What do I think about the stability of the solution?

    It has been around a while but I don't think it has successfully made the jump into next-generation features, like a lot of its competitors have.

    What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

    It's fairly scalable. It meets our needs from a scalability standpoint.

    How are customer service and technical support?

    Symantec tech support is fairly good, a little hard to get a hold of sometimes, but fairly good overall.

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

    We are switching because we don't feel that Symantec as a company is keeping up with next-generation trends. They just seem to be resting on their accomplishments too much and don't seem like they are progressive.

    The most important criteria when selecting a vendor are a highly rated, good product - that factor is at the top of the list. Also, good functionality, good support, good price, and good margins, since we resell.

    Which other solutions did I evaluate?

    We have been working with Sophos for a couple of years now, and we finally decided to make it official and move forward with them instead of Symantec. I like the Sophos story. I like their solution. I like their holistic approach. And their support is really great.

    What other advice do I have?

    I would rate Symantec's solution a six out of 10. It's not as feature-rich with next-generation technology, as a lot of its competitors are.

    My advice would be, look at something else. Don't look at Symantec. Look for something that has a more holistic approach.

    Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
    PeerSpot user
    it_user676353 - PeerSpot reviewer
    Systems Project Manager at a retailer with 1,001-5,000 employees
    Vendor
    Uses both SONAR and IPS to help protect the system.
    Pros and Cons
    • "No maintenance is required after a successful installation phase."
    • "The management of the server is a bit complex."

    What is most valuable?

    • It is stable
    • No maintenance is required after a successful installation phase
    • It is more than a classic Anti-virus solution: both SONAR and IPS help to protect the system
    • The application and device policies are great features to help administration

    How has it helped my organization?

    After the initial setup, you don’t have to worry about the AV clients. It simply works.

    What needs improvement?

    The management of the server is a bit complex. It takes time get used to it. When upgrading the software for clients, you have to link the upgrade package to every sub-folder, and there is no inheritance.

    For how long have I used the solution?

    We have used this solution for three years.

    What do I think about the stability of the solution?

    I did not encounter any issues with stability.

    What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

    I did not encounter any issues with scalability.

    How are customer service and technical support?

    We needed help for one or two issues and the support team was good.

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

    We used another product and we switched to SEP because of the costs.

    How was the initial setup?

    The initial setup was straightforward. The ability of the package to uninstall the old AV was a big plus in my case.

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

    I’d say SEP deserves the money.

    Which other solutions did I evaluate?

    We did not evaluable other options. Anti-virus is not something you can test in 3-4 days. The pros and cons take time to show up.

    What other advice do I have?

    Before installation, take your time to plan how you will manage your environment. If you already have another AV, please first check if SEP can auto-uninstall the old AV.

    Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
    PeerSpot user
    Mostafa - PeerSpot reviewer
    System Administrator at Suez Canal Insurance
    Real User
    Top 5
    The valuable features are device control, SONOR, and anti-virus.
    Pros and Cons
    • "The valuable features are device control, SONOR, and anti-virus."
    • "I would like to see improvements in the anti-virus and the device control features."

    How has it helped my organization?

    It helps me with the security policies that I make. I can change policies quickly and easily.

    What is most valuable?

    The valuable features are device control, SONOR, and anti-virus.

    Device control in Symantec is not limited to only some devices. You can add any device you want, so that it can become a part of the policy you made. The anti-virus feature is very good.

    What needs improvement?

    I would like to see improvements in the anti-virus and the device control features.

    Anti-Virus: I would like to see Symantec improve the ant-virus to stop and detect Ransomware and email attachments. Symantec is weak with Ransomware. I would like to see the anti-spam for Outlook improve the scanning and blocking of attachments.

    Device control: I would like to see an improvement in the USB control, because it sometimes creates a conflict with USB printers.

    For how long have I used the solution?

    I have been using this solution since 2006.

    What do I think about the stability of the solution?

    There were no stability issues.

    How are customer service and support?

    Customer Service:

    Customer service is very good.

    Technical Support:

    I used technical support through a vendor and they were very good.

    How was the initial setup?

    The initial setup was easy and I had no problem with it.

    Which other solutions did I evaluate?

    I evaluated other options like McAfee and Sophos, but they weren’t good enough for me.

    What other advice do I have?

    Symantec's Endpoint Protection Small Business Edition earns high marks from AV-TEST for protection and usability. However, this antivirus software doesn't scan email, a vulnerability in today's digital age. It might be the best choice for antivirus protection for your small business but that depends on the features and functions most important for your business and your security.
    just make sure thats you are always update and you have the latest release.

    This is very good product. My advice is to calculate your needs. Make a decision based on an accurate assessment of the price, the licensing, and the support.

    When I choose a product, I look for stability, security, and safety.

    Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
    PeerSpot user
    Buyer's Guide
    Download our free Symantec Endpoint Security Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions.
    Updated: March 2025
    Buyer's Guide
    Download our free Symantec Endpoint Security Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions.