Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls Reviews

Name: Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls
Brand: Palo Alto Networks
Rating: 4.3 (189 reviews)

4.3 out of 5

189 reviews
96% willing to recommend

1,655 followers

What is Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls?

Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls offer comprehensive security, including application control, traffic shaping, threat prevention, and load balancing, designed to secure internal networks, perimeter protection, VPN services, and cloud environments.

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Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls is the #7 ranked solution in best firewalls. PeerSpot users give Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls an average rating of 8.6 out of 10. Based on the analysis of the 189 most recent Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls reviews, the overall sentiment is positive, with a sentiment score of 7.4. Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls is most commonly compared to Fortinet FortiGate: Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls vs Fortinet FortiGate. Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls is popular among the large enterprise segment, accounting for 57% of users researching this solution on PeerSpot. The top industry researching this solution are professionals from a computer software company, accounting for 15% of all views.

Buyer's Guide

Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls

December 2024

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Featured reviews

Simon Webster

Security Architect at University Corporation for Atmospheric Research

One of the best features is that Palo Alto NGFW can embed machine learning in the core of the firewall to provide inline, real-time attack prevention. We aren't using the AWS-offered firewalls in the cloud or Azure. When I read over the specs on it, it is more like a traditional firewall where a port is open to an IP address, and that is all you know. Palo Alto can decide if traffic is of a certain kind, regardless of what port and protocol it is using. Then, it can figure that out and I can write my rules based on that. That is a huge functionality and super important to me. The machine learning as well as being able to send stuff to WildFire is pretty important too. We like to get those types of reports and know that we have more protection from zero days than most traditional companies would. The WildFire reporting and Cortex XDR platform have huge infrastructures in the cloud that secures the network against threats. So, we have the potential on the system, specifically for users, where we take care of this since the user is the most dangerous. We get reports back from WildFire on a minute-by-minute basis, rather than a daily or weekly update like I used to with different AV vendors. These features can detect viruses and malware more quickly, which is super important. We have some large data movers that we can't put behind the firewalls. We don't have the largest firewalls, we have the 5200 Series firewalls. Their throughput is about 20 gigs a second, and it is protecting networks that have 100 gig connections. So, we have to be kind of choosy as to what we put behind the firewalls, but for the stuff that we put behind it, the latency really isn't problematic at all. Even though the firewall location is just one aspect, we have three different areas that talk to each other over multiple 240 gig links or 200 gig lengths. The firewall is not hindering that at all.

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Donald Keeber

President at Margate Net

Machine learning is definitely here to stay. Machine learning has to be a part of everybody's solution now, especially going out into the cloud where we don't have as much hardware control. We don't control our perimeters as much anymore. We need to have machine learning. So, machine learning has been a critical point in the evolution of this product. DNS Security incorporates Unit 42, WildFire, and all the rest of their antivirus and threat features. It can be very effective because it will know about these bad actor zones and DNS hacks before it gets to your network, which is important. Everybody should be using it, but I haven't found as many people adopting it as they should. For anything manipulating TCP 453 or any type of DNS-type application, you will want to be all over that. It is definitely a big problem.

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Matt Gahafer

Network Engineer at Samtec, Inc.

The WildFire feature that they offer is very nice to have. The URL filtering that they offer has been a great help to us as well. We have found with the URL filtering that they offer that we are able to categorize what traffic can go outbound to the Internet from our internal network. By doing the URL filtering, we are able to say that we are not allowing gambling, adult content, or certain URL categories that we just don't want to allow. Then, with WildFire, that helps detect any viruses coming inbound or on east-west traffic inside of our network. Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls embeds machine learning in the core of the firewall to provide inline, real-time attack prevention, which is very important. I got an email saying that there was going to be a new 400 series firewall, and it was talking about the ML and AI features that it is offering. That is very exciting to see coming for all our firewalls. We have the Palo Alto Next-Gen firewalls as well as Cortex XDR for the antivirus side. We are making use of Cortex XDR and Data Lake to correlate the data. We definitely see the benefits of having all that in one unified platform. Some of my colleagues are able to see how certain malware security incidents can correlate to how the virus or malware came into the network, then how it traversed our network based on the XDR information. I can manage 1,000 firewalls from a single pane of glass.

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Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls mindshare

As of December 2024, the mindshare of Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls in the Firewalls category stands at 3.3%, up from 3.3% compared to the previous year, according to calculations based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Firewalls

PeerAnalyst reports

Type	Title	Date
Category	Firewalls	Dec 25, 2024	Download
Product	Reviews, tips, and advice from real users	Dec 25, 2024	Download
Comparison	Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls vs Netgate pfSense	Dec 25, 2024	Download
Comparison	Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls vs Fortinet FortiGate	Dec 25, 2024	Download
Comparison	Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls vs OPNsense	Dec 25, 2024	Download

Title	Rating	Mindshare	Recommending
Fortinet FortiGate	4.2	20.5%	90%	317 interviews Add to research
Netgate pfSense	4.3	18.6%	94%	206 interviews Add to research

Valuable Features

Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls offer standout features like application visibility, threat prevention, and integration with machine learning. Users appreciate its intuitive interface, policy-based routing, DNS security, and WildFire for advanced threat protection. GlobalProtect delivers seamless VPN access. Stability, user-friendly configuration, and comprehensive network control enhance cybersecurity. Features like application awareness, App-ID, and URL filtering ensure efficient traffic management. The platform provides unified security capabilities with real-time updates, enhancing protection and reducing downtime.

"The effectiveness of this technology improves with each release, bolstering confidence in the product's ability to provide robust security."
"I find Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls to be a stable product and very easy to manage from layer 4 to layer 7. They are also seamless for environments with high availability."
"Customer service and support for Palo Alto Networks are excellent."

Room for Improvement

Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls need better support, streamlined user interfaces, and enhancements in threat detection and reporting. Users desire improved integration, pricing competitiveness, and middle-range hardware options. They mention the complexity of configurations and need for faster updates. The firewalls face challenges with high performance needs during in-depth inspections. Users seek more intuitive administration tools and expanded features such as multi-factor authentication, automation, and security rule customization.

"When the primary Palo Alto Networks firewall fails over to the secondary, it requires manual intervention to bounce the IPsec for it to work properly. Unlike BGP peering, which automatically changes from idle to established, this process needs automation."
"The configuration framework for Palo Alto Networks Next-Generation firewalls should be simplified, particularly for applications like ASG authentication. Technical support needs improvement, as issue resolution takes a significant amount of time."
"When the primary Palo Alto Networks firewall fails over to the secondary, it requires manual intervention to bounce the IPsec for it to work properly. Unlike BGP peering, which automatically changes from idle to established, this process needs automation. In Cisco, there is no need to bounce the IPsec traffic during failover, and I suggest automation for Palo Alto Networks in that process."

ROI

Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls offer significant security benefits. Organizations report lower administrative overhead, centralized management, and enhanced threat visibility. Although high in cost, these firewalls reduce security vulnerabilities, enable efficient resource utilization, and prevent potential cyber threats, resulting in cost savings over time. Users benefit from reduced man-hours in maintenance and improved reliability. Despite the lack of precise metrics, many find the return on investment justified by the enhanced security and protection provided.

Pricing

Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls are generally perceived as expensive compared to other security solutions like Fortinet and Cisco. Licensing is typically annual, with costs varying based on model and features. Many cite premium pricing for advanced security and reliability. Multi-year contracts may offer cost benefits. While initial hardware costs are often lower, additional licenses for features like DNS Security and antivirus increase costs. Customers acknowledge higher expense but appreciate robust security features.

"Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls have a higher price tag, costing roughly twice as much as competing products."
"Overall, it is commercially competitive compared to Cisco and Fortinet."
"I am not sure about the specific licensing costs of Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls, but FortiGate and Palo Alto are generally cheaper than some high-end Cisco devices."

Popular Use Cases

Organizations primarily use Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls for network security, including perimeter protection, firewalling, VPN setup, intrusion prevention, and data center security. They implement it in various environments like cloud, on-premises, and hybrid setups. It helps with application control, URL filtering, threat prevention, and traffic segmentation. The firewalls are utilized for secure access, load balancing, and managing internet traffic, catering to sectors such as finance, government, and enterprise-level environments.

Service and Support

Users report mixed experiences with Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls customer service. Many describe the support as responsive and helpful, though some point to language barriers and long wait times. Local partners and premium support are often relied upon, varying by region. In more complex cases, escalations are suggested for faster resolutions. Support quality is recognized, yet consistency and response times remain areas for improvement across diverse geographic areas. Some users highlight excellent engineers and quick problem-solving skills.

Deployment

The initial setup of Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls varies from simple to moderately complex. Organizations with prior experience find it straightforward, needing minimal time. A larger team may be required for complex environments, taking weeks. Migration from other platforms may present challenges. The setup duration depends on the network's complexity and the number of policies. Despite some learning curves with features and configurations, businesses generally appreciate the ease of implementation.

Scalability

Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls show varied scalability experiences. Users note their flexibility in virtual deployments, but on-premises options often require hardware changes for increased capacity. While integration with various platforms and features is praised, some find limitations with clustering and scalability within hardware models. It's favored for large environments with the use of Panorama for centralized administration, whereas smaller entities find cost a limiting factor for scalability.

Stability

Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls are highly stable with minimal downtime issues and few bugs or glitches. They consistently outperform competitors like Cisco and Fortinet. Users praise their reliable performance, citing them as an industry leader. Occasional hardware and performance spikes occur, but these are manageable. Stability ratings often reach nine or ten, confirming dependability. Effective for network security, they offer significant performance without frequent outages, even amidst updates or configuration challenges.

These insights are based on the in-depth reviews provided by peers to help you make a better buying decision.

Download our Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls Buyer's Guide for additional reliable information.

Review data by company size

By reviewers

By visitors reading reviews

Top industries

By visitors reading reviews

Computer Software Company

15%

Financial Services Firm

Manufacturing Company

Government

Educational Organization

University

Healthcare Company

Comms Service Provider

Energy/Utilities Company

Retailer

Construction Company

Insurance Company

Media Company

Non Profit

Real Estate/Law Firm

Hospitality Company

Wholesaler/Distributor

Outsourcing Company

Logistics Company

Transportation Company

Legal Firm

Consumer Goods Company

Performing Arts

Pharma/Biotech Company

Engineering Company

Recreational Facilities/Services Company

Compare Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls with alternative products

Learn more about Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls

Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls are a key choice for managing and protecting data centers, securing remote access, network segmentation, malware prevention, and ensuring high availability and performance for business-critical applications. Known for stability and strong security, these firewalls use application-aware identifiers and IPS/IDS subscriptions to offer advanced threat protection. The unified platform facilitates seamless integration, while GlobalProtect and centralized management via Panorama enhance ease of use. However, there are areas for improvement, including pricing strategies, training, user support, and integration with third-party applications.

What are the essential features?

Stability: Reliable performance in different environments.
Application Control: Identifies applications to manage traffic.
Advanced Threat Protection: Includes DNS security, WildFire, and machine learning.
GlobalProtect: Secure remote access for users.
Centralized Management: Managed via the Panorama platform.

What benefits or ROI should users expect?

Security: Protects against threats with robust features.
User-Friendly: Simplified interface and easy configuration.
High Availability: Ensures performance for critical applications.
Integration: Seamless with existing systems and applications.
Support: Reliable technical support and resources.

In industries like finance, healthcare, and retail, Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls secure sensitive data and meet regulatory requirements. These firewalls help manage large-scale networks in these sectors, providing essential security features and maintaining high-performance standards. They are implemented to ensure compliance, protect patient information, secure financial transactions, and safeguard customer data.

Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls was previously known as Palo Alto NGFW, Palo Alto Networks Next-Generation Firewall.

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Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls customers

SkiStar AB, Ada County, Global IT Services PSF, Southern Cross Hospitals, Verge Health, University of Portsmouth, Austrian Airlines, The Heinz Endowments