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Cloud Support at a tech company with 1-10 employees
User
Top 5Leaderboard
Excellent and functional remote access vpn
Pros and Cons
  • "Setup using the manuals was easy."
  • "Generally, the license is included with the Check Point gateway licensing, however, in terms of the number of users that can be activated for use, it is generally five users."

What is our primary use case?

This functionality is very practical to be able to connect to the business network from anywhere; the monitoring that can be provided and the granularity in the VPN to provide control to users is really good.

How has it helped my organization?

It offers excellent performance to be able to connect our users to business applications outside the company perimeter.           

It is easy to use and has an easy-to-use connectivity agent, and can be integrated with MFA to provide an additional layer.

In these times when the priority is telecommuting or working from home, it is essential to provide accessibility to the company safely. Through Check Point it was possible to provide this essential comfort to users who work in this modern format.

What is most valuable?

One of the features that draws a lot of attention is the integration of the remote VPN application in our Check Point gateway and management server, where it is easy to use.

The granular control and access under the Check Point policies made applying a zero trust policy much easier, providing greater security.

The integration with MFA through a configuration and integration with Azure is quite good, providing security to the user's identity. It is a very important feature where everything is tried to shield against modern vulnerabilities.

What needs improvement?

The license is included with gw licensing, however, in terms of the number of users that can be activated for use.                                                                                       

In our case, we quote additional licensing and it is quite expensive for remote VPN, other manufacturers are not so expensive.

The support provided is slow, in addition to the fact that the service hours are contrary to ours, which generates slower problem solving, I think it is important to improve this area.

Buyer's Guide
Check Point Remote Access VPN
December 2024
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For how long have I used the solution?

This is a not-so-new tool that can be used in our gateways and management products. We have used these VPNs since we started using our environments with this manufacturer.

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

On a personal level, I had previously used Cisco and Azure VPN, among others, however, the control generated with Check Point is not the same. It is much better.

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

It is essential to validate how many remote VPNs are required, check costs, and see if they are within the scope of the company.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

We validated the scope against other manufacturers and were satisfied with the security features provided by Check Point.

What other advice do I have?

On a technical level, the tool is very good, and safe, in addition to providing a lot of control.

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
PeerSpot user
Associate Consult at Atos
Vendor
Highly stable, very stable, and offers good technical support
Pros and Cons
  • "To maintain the authorization of the connected user, Check Point provides multi-factor authentication for an RA VPN client to make sure legitimate users have access to resources."
  • "Some configurations, like idle timeout (the requirement came from multiple users), are not possible to configure directly from the Check Point management server."

What is our primary use case?

Remote Access VPN is one of those essential items for every organization in order to maintain seamless and highly secured connectivity between the end-user and the organization's local area network to access resources - including Jump server Databases, et cetera.

No matter from which device or from which location users are accessing an organization's local resources, with the help of the Check Point VPN client they can make sure they have connected securely.

Check Point offers a best-in-class encryption algorithm to ensure confidentiality and maintain integrity between the end-user and the Gateway. 

How has it helped my organization?

In disaster situations like Covid-19, most users were working from home or in remote locations. In such cases, Check Point Remote Access VPN provides feasibility to everyone to work from home and access an organization's resources remotely.

With a client-less configuration known as SSL VPN users can directly access resources via a browser-like database, share folders, et cetera.

To maintain the authorization of the connected user, Check Point provides multi-factor authentication for an RA VPN client to make sure legitimate users have access to resources.

What is most valuable?

  • Secure connectivity: Guaranteed authentication, confidentiality, and data integrity for every connection and user.
  • Straightforward Configuration: Easy to enable blades and define policies.
  • Authentication: SAML authentication makes sure the user is legitimate.
  • Compliance check: It scans the endpoint machine to detect suspicious/malicious content before connecting to an office network.
  • MEP: Multi entry points to make sure there's availability to the LAN network even if the primary gateway goes down.
  • A single client can work as sandblast agent.

What needs improvement?

Check Point RA VPN requires companies to take separate licenses initially so that only 5 connected users licenses are given as subscriptions. Most other competitors, like Palo Alto, provide 1000 connected user licenses for free.

Some configurations, like idle timeout (the requirement came from multiple users), are not possible to configure directly from the Check Point management server. We have to make changes in the local directory of the respective devices.

For how long have I used the solution?

I've used the solution for more than three years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The solution is highly stable.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

Check Point has an Unlimited License Package for the RA VPN and therefore we can scale it easily.

How are customer service and technical support?

Customer service has a dedicated team that handles RA VPN cases which ultimately leads to an early resolution.

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

Migration has taken place such as from Cisco to Check Point and Sophos to Check Point. During that phase, the customer needed to change the VPN client as well.

Browser-based functionality is one of the best things that Check Point provides.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup is straightforward during the initial configuration.

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

The setup is very straightforward but subscription-based. It isn't cost-effective.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

We did look at Cisco Anyconnect and Palo Alto Global Protect.

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
Buyer's Guide
Check Point Remote Access VPN
December 2024
Learn what your peers think about Check Point Remote Access VPN. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: December 2024.
823,875 professionals have used our research since 2012.
reviewer1662831 - PeerSpot reviewer
Accounts Administrator at a non-profit with 51-200 employees
User
Easy to install, stable, and reasonably priced
Pros and Cons
  • "The solution is easy to install, centrally managed, and stable, with good technical support and a straightforward setup."
  • "They need to increase their timeout. Right now, it will fail after ten seconds, however, it shouldn't fail until after 20 seconds."

What is our primary use case?

It allows staff to work from home, especially now during COVID-19. You can access it from any location, and it does not require technical knowledge. 

How has it helped my organization?

If any problem occurs, we are unable to work. An access to VPN enabled organization needs to improve by way of getting work done from any location in order to improve submission of work on time.

What is most valuable?

The solution is easy to install, centrally managed, and stable, with good technical support and a straightforward setup. It integrates extremely well with the Check Point Firewall.

What needs improvement?

A saving password option might save time for continuous disconnection to the server due to internet fluctuation problems. 

They need to increase their timeout. Right now, it will fail after ten seconds, however, it shouldn't fail until after 20 seconds. 

If you don't get on your phone right away and check on your authentications, it will kick you out. 

In an environment with multiple cluster checkpoints, the global properties common to all clusters in some cases give problems. 

The interface needs improvement. When you need to create something, you have to go through a lot of steps. It needs to be simplified.

For how long have I used the solution?

I've used the solution for more than three years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The solution's stability is reasonable.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The scalability of the product is reasonable.

How are customer service and technical support?

We've had a satisfactory experience with technical support.

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

We did not previously use a different solution.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup is straightforward.

What about the implementation team?

We used a vendor to set up the solution. 

What was our ROI?

We've seen a 100% ROI.

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

The product is offered at a reasonable cost.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

We did look at other solutions before choosing this product. 

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises

If public cloud, private cloud, or hybrid cloud, which cloud provider do you use?

Other
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
Network security engineer at Fidelity Bank
Real User
Stable with good technical support and a straightforward setup
Pros and Cons
  • "Technical support has been excellent."
  • "They need to increase their timeout. Right now, it will fail after ten seconds, however, it shouldn't fail until after 20. If you don't get on your phone right away and check on your authentications, it will kick you out."

What is our primary use case?

We primarily use this solution for our clients. Use cases vary, and they include VPN connectivity. It can be used as a provisional firewall and you can allow for a provisional access list, or grant permission to access or for servers or users trying to connect to the server. 

What is most valuable?

The VPN, the end-user client VPN, is excellent. 

The firewall experience that we have had has been good. It's secure. We've enjoyed it so far.

The initial setup is very easy. It's pretty straightforward. 

The solution is very stable.

Technical support has been excellent.

What needs improvement?

With this particular client VPN, there needs to be a feature that can glance at your credentials, of being able to look at credentials. You might hang for a bit or the execution might fail. It would be useful to see your credentials before you connect to take note to see if you are likely to have trouble connecting. They need to increase their timeout. Right now, it will fail after ten seconds, however, it shouldn't fail until after 20. If you don't get on your phone right away and check on your authentications, it will kick you out. They need to give a bit more time.

For how long have I used the solution?

I've used the solution within the last 12 months. I've used it for a while. 

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The stability has been quite good. It's very reliable. It connects. Our VPN connects over 1,200 people with no issues. There are no bugs or glitches. It doesn't crash or freeze.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

I can't speak to the scalability aspect. We don't have a need to scale. We have about 1,200 users and that's all we need. Therefore, I've never tried to scale it previously.

How are customer service and technical support?

I've worked with technical support in the past. I was surprised at how responsive they are, actually. They are very helpful and ready to assist us. They're knowledgeable. We're happy with the level of support they give to us. 

We also have a vendor right here in Nigeria, which is quite helpful.

How was the initial setup?

We did not find the initial setup to be overly difficult or complex. It's pretty straightforward. A company shouldn't run into problems with the initial setup.

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

You do have to pay a licensing fee, however, there aren't add-ons or additional costs that you would need to consider.

What other advice do I have?

We are customers and end-users. We don't have a business relationship with the company.

I'd advise new users that, when it comes to deploying with an authentication provider, I would advise that you use a Microsoft authenticator. We tried using their authenticator at first, but that is not good. That did not work.

I'd rate the solution at an eight 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
Head of IT Department at AS Attīstības finanšu institūcija Altum
Real User
Top 5
Customizable, and secure, but has poor technical support
Pros and Cons
  • "The security of the solution is a good feature, the stability is a valuable feature, and the customization is also a nice feature."
  • "The provisioning of VPN users has room for improvement."

What is our primary use case?

We use Check PointVPN to securely connect to our main office systems, which are behind a firewall. This ensures that all incoming and outgoing traffic is encrypted and secure.

What is most valuable?

The security of the solution is a good feature, the stability is a valuable feature, and the customization is also a nice feature.

What needs improvement?

The provisioning of VPN users has room for improvement.

The solution can improve by providing an option to centrally manage and upgrade client applications on a PC.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using the solution for five years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

We found the previous checkpoint version to be quite unstable, as it would occasionally cause issues with the VPN caching every two months. However, we have since updated the solution and the stability has improved significantly, with no further occurrences of this issue.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The solution is licensed-based, so to scale up we only need to add more licenses.

How are customer service and support?

The tech support isn't great. They take a long time to get to our ticket. Their initial response was fast, but after we provided the information they asked for, there was a month of silence before we updated the ticket again. Ultimately, the problem was resolved with newer versions without any response from tech support.

How would you rate customer service and support?

Neutral

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

I previously used Mikro Tik VPN which is cheap and includes enterprise features but is hard to configure.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup is straightforward if we are knowledgeable about the task at hand. However, it is recommended to consider a few things and to have a reliable technical support team to assist with the initial deployment. For a small company, the first step is relatively straightforward. However, if we are looking to scale up, we may need to enlist the help of a consultant to properly configure the necessary parameters, as there are many of them to consider.

Once we have configured users, access lists, written firewall rules, and deployed clients to endpoints, the next step is to educate employees on how to use the solution.

On average the deployment took around two weeks to configure all the certificates. This included preparing laptops and PCs. For just the VPN with central management deployment, it would take one week.

Our deployment was completed by two people.

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

I give the price of the solution a five out of ten. 

We have a subscription-based license.

What other advice do I have?

I give the solution a seven out of ten.

We have 250 people using the solution in our organization.

Managing updates to endpoints can be a bit of a hassle, but there isn't much maintenance required.

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
Hazel Zuñiga Rojas - PeerSpot reviewer
Administrative Assistant at Tecapro
Real User
Great for access, secure, and is easy to use
Pros and Cons
  • "One of the most outstanding features is the ability to deliver third-party services and achieve double authenticity with integrated identities."
  • "I would like this service to be easier to manage when you integrate it with third parties."

What is our primary use case?

We came to need a solution that would allow us to connect quickly and easily from our homes or from anywhere, and it was at this point that we integrated and enabled the Check Point Remote Access VPN. With it, our employees could log in from anywhere at any time. 

This solution allowed them to have the same experience that they had in the office, and they could access all the resources that were necessary for their work. 

This solution helped us mainly with the shift to remote work. Before the pandemic, everyone worked from the office. Today, more employees have become digital nomads. 

How has it helped my organization?

In terms of infrastructure, we can say that we have benefited since employees are happier being able to work from home. They make better use of their time and have become more productive. 

In the case of the organization, the impact is in being able to have to rent fewer square meters. This helps with annual returns since those operating costs have been reduced.

Everyone has told me that it is simple and easy to use. 

What is most valuable?

One of the most outstanding features is the ability to deliver third-party services and achieve double authenticity with integrated identities. We have SSO (Single Sign-On). It is a 'unified' or 'single authentication' which can be integrated to improve security in startup services. This is an advantage due to the fact that you can use the integrated services or the third-party services that you already have, and you will not incur more costs. 

What needs improvement?

I would like this service to be easier to manage when you integrate it with third parties. 

Although it is complex to configure, I cannot complain that it is complete and it is worth being able to use and integrate it. However, any administrator would welcome any changes that made configuration simpler. 

We would like the ability to perform remote access with the VPN in the future with any type of device. Lately, Android applications tend to have more errors. I hope that this will be solved in the future. 

For how long have I used the solution?

I've used the solution for one year.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

Hybrid Cloud

If public cloud, private cloud, or hybrid cloud, which cloud provider do you use?

Other
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
Works at MONT Group of Companies
User
Easy to set up standard authentication, integrates with third-parties, and allows for browser-based access
Pros and Cons
  • "Access is browser-based only and requires no additional client installation."
  • "We would like to implement HTML5 (clientless access) in the product without installing any additional software."

What is our primary use case?

The Mobile Access VPN is used to provide users with remote access to company resources.

Users can access the system at any time from corporate laptops as well as home PCs.

It is also possible to connect from Android and IOS mobile devices.

We also use the functionality of the secure Capsule Workspace container to securely provide access to corporate Web resources and mailing services from mobile devices.

It is also possible to provide restricted access to partners via SSL VPN using the Check Point Mobile Web Portal fine-tuning.

How has it helped my organization?

This solution allows users to connect from any location. The system is very flexible. We can easily control access and view statistics on the usage of this functionality.

We are also happy with the overall stability of the operation, the easy configuration on the gateway side, and the ease of deploying clients to endstations.

The user device verification functionality allows us to prevent connections if a device does not comply with corporate security policies until the device has met all requirements.

What is most valuable?

When working with different groups of users, we can easily set up both standard authentication by username and password and use two-factor authentication such as SMS + username and password or certificate + username and password. This definitely increases security and allows you to control access.

It is also possible to use third-party tools to customize HTML5 access. For example, the connection is made without the need to install any client on the user side.

Access is browser-based only and requires no additional client installation.

What needs improvement?

We would like to implement HTML5 (clientless access) in the product without installing any additional software.

It would also be desirable to be able to segregate the different authentication methods by domain user group.

Unfortunately at the moment, the division is only between domain and non-domain users.

What we also miss is control over the workstations for non-domain PCs that the client is installed on.

It would be nice if we could block such connections based on, for example, the machine name or connection ID.

For how long have I used the solution?

We have been using this solution since 2007 and started with the R65 version.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

Private Cloud
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
reviewer1591110 - PeerSpot reviewer
ICT at a manufacturing company with 501-1,000 employees
Real User
Stable, supports dual-factor authentication, and facilitates Smart Working
Pros and Cons
  • "For us, it was essential to integrate with Active Directory, which is our credentials repository."
  • "In an environment with multiple cluster checkpoints, the global properties common to all clusters in some cases give problems."

What is our primary use case?

We use this solution to permit the connection to on-premises resources to internal and external users.

We use rules specific to external users based on the real access needs of the specific company, whereas, for internal users, other rules are used.

Users connect to our headquarters and then through private connections, they reach the resources distributed in the various locations. Using dual-factor authentication, we improve the identity security of the users and also protect our company.

Check Point has been our strategic partner for approximately 15 years. 

How has it helped my organization?

Check Point Remote Access VPN has improved our organization because it has allowed remote access to various users. This includes external consultants who use their devices to access our resources, as well as internal users who use corporate devices for remote access.

With the current pandemic, the use of Smart Working has increased considerably and this solution is essential to meet the needs of users.

With the latest version, we have introduced dual-factor authentication and in this way, we have greatly increased security on the identity of the people who connect. It also allows clientless connection with major operating systems.

What is most valuable?

There are many features that make this solution interesting.

For us, it was essential to integrate with Active Directory, which is our credentials repository. 

The option of using SSL VPN, which is clientless and does not require the installation and configuration of a specific client, is a very important feature. Especially given that the latest cyberattacks are against dual-factor authentication, it allows you to significantly increase the security of the identity of the people who connect.

What needs improvement?

I would like to have the ability to specify different policies in a simple and quick way, depending on whether I am using the secure remote client or the SSL VPN.

It would be very useful to be able to apply different policies depending on the authentication method. For example, an 801x authentication can have different native permissions from those who enter the username and password.

In an environment with multiple cluster checkpoints, the global properties common to all clusters in some cases give problems.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using Check Point Remote Access VPN for about 15 years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

Stability-wise, this solution is good.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

For me, the scalability is very good.

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

We did not use another solution prior to this one.

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

The price of this product is good.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

We did not evaluate other options.

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
Buyer's Guide
Download our free Check Point Remote Access VPN Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions.
Updated: December 2024
Buyer's Guide
Download our free Check Point Remote Access VPN Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions.