Forcepoint Next Generation Firewall vs Versa Unified Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) Platform comparison

Forcepoint and Versa Networks are both solutions in the Software Defined WAN (SD-WAN) Solutions category. Forcepoint is ranked #10 with an average rating of 7.3, while Versa Networks is ranked #8 with an average rating of 7.7. Forcepoint holds a 3.1% mindshare in SDW, compared to Versa Networks’s 5.5% mindshare. Additionally, 76% of Forcepoint users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 90% of Versa Networks users who would recommend it.

Forcepoint Next Generation ...

Read 42 Forcepoint Next Generation Firewall reviews

911 Views
753 Comparison Views

76% willing to recommend

Versa Unified Secure Access...

Read 22 Versa Unified Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) Platform reviews

2,489 Views
1,902 Comparison Views

90% willing to recommend

Forcepoint Next Generation ...

Versa Unified Secure Access...

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Sep 16, 2024

Forcepoint Next Generation Firewall and Versa Unified Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) Platform are two prominent network security solutions. Based on user reviews, Versa SASE, with its superior features, seems to have the upper hand despite its higher cost.

Features: User reviews highlight that Forcepoint excels in advanced threat detection, network performance, and robust security features. Versa SASE, on the other hand, stands out with comprehensive security integrations, scalability, and a unified approach.

Room for Improvement: Users suggest that Forcepoint could improve its reporting and analytics capabilities, data insights, and user interface. Conversely, Versa SASE users feel it could benefit from enhanced configuration options, better documentation, and an easier setup process.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Forcepoint is reported to have a straightforward deployment process but mixed feedback on customer service responsiveness. Versa SASE is noted for its smooth deployment and superior customer support.

Pricing and ROI: User reviews indicate that Forcepoint provides good value with its competitive pricing and solid ROI. Versa SASE, while perceived as more expensive, justifies its cost through extensive features and high ROI.

To learn more, read our detailed Forcepoint Next Generation Firewall vs. Versa Unified Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) Platform Report (Updated: November 2024).

Buyer's Guide

Forcepoint Next Generation Firewall vs. Versa Unified Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) Platform

November 2024

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Categories and Ranking

Forcepoint Next Generation ...

Ranking in Software Defined WAN (SD-WAN) Solutions

10th

Ranking in WAN Edge

11th

Average Rating

7.6

Reviews Sentiment

6.8

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Firewalls (26th)

Versa Unified Secure Access...

Ranking in Software Defined WAN (SD-WAN) Solutions

8th

Ranking in WAN Edge

9th

Average Rating

8.0

Reviews Sentiment

7.3

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) (14th)

Mindshare comparison

As of December 2024, in the Software Defined WAN (SD-WAN) Solutions category, the mindshare of Forcepoint Next Generation Firewall is 3.1%, down from 4.1% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Versa Unified Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) Platform is 5.5%, down from 6.5% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Software Defined WAN (SD-WAN) Solutions

Featured Reviews

OusaidAbaz

Security Network Architect at Inmac

Provides decent protection for the LAN but complicated interface

We had some licensing issues with its web filtering capabilities. That's why we migrated our web filtering to Cisco Umbrella. Moreover, the interface is complicated. It's difficult to locate all the necessary menus and functions. For example, one of the many issues is with SSH. Even now, we haven't successfully opened the port to connect using SSH mode when we want to change the configuration. It's like a black box—not very open to changes and customization. It's simply not easy to configure. There are other problems, too. For example regarding Forcepoint's Websense component. We had a lot of problems managing the web settings within Websense. That's why we migrated to Cisco Umbrella for cloud-based web filtering. It's not that Forcepoint is inherently bad. The issue is that it's not user-friendly. It is not easy to use. The developers need to redesign the interface (GUI) for better management. It is very difficult to manage. For example, simple actions require too many clicks compared to FortiGate or Palo Alto. That's the main problem.

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PriyankDubey

Product manager at Ernst & Young

A flexible, stable and scalable solution

I don't have issues with the hardware, as the requisite capacity is visible in the data sheets. All the details in the data sheets are accounted for. But, I find myself confused when it comes to combining this with the software. I have not come across documentation on the Versa website which would provide information about the parameters for selecting the appropriate license. For this we are assisted by the solution's design engineer and the Versa team. I do what I can as a project manager and make the best suggestions I am capable of concerning the competition. Future releases should contain AI for the voice feature. SSL VPN is lacking in the solution. I wish to see this in the near future.

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Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Pros

"It provides decent protection for the LAN, especially in run mode."

"The most valuable feature of this solution is the support."

"Forcepoint is a complete package because it has network and systems applications. Other firewalls are only for the network."

"The feature that we like the most about Forcepoint is that we know the technology and have confidence in it. We can have several functionalities to simplify operations and management. We can combine functionalities like log ownership to review the number of devices in the infrastructure."

"We find the product to be stable and reliable in terms of performance."

"They offer templates that provide detailed reports categorized by user, device, and internal network access."

"When comparing this solution to others this one has better reporting, user management, and is easy to use."

"I like the Firewall and the IPS."

More Forcepoint Next Generation Firewall pros

"The product has a dynamic VPN feature for SD-WAN."

"Our organization finds the application routing features extremely useful."

"The division of Control Plane and Data Plane is most valuable. It can be deployed anywhere, and you can control it and configure it from anywhere. This is one of the good features of this solution."

"The solution is stable and suitable."

"There are great security and ops features without the need for having a different box for security."

"The flexibility is a great feature."

"The necessary enhancement pertains to the controller segment, specifically addressing the issue of frequent flapping when a link is left. In the case of Versa Unified, if a link experiences frequent flapping within an entire branch, it triggers instability. Hence, it is imperative that the overall routing system is not contingent solely upon the active dial branches."

"Versa is a good centralized solution, where you're setting up your infrastructure in a data center type thing."

More Versa Unified Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) Platform pros

Cons

"The ability to dynamically change policies could be improved."

"Its management center should be easier to use. The management interface of Forcepoint is unique and a little bit different from some of the firewall solutions on which people might have worked before. Sometimes, the customers say that it is not very friendly, and we help them with how to use this management interface. It just takes a little bit of time, and after some time, it gets easy to manage or use. It is quite similar to Palo Alto, Fortinet, and legacy Juniper solutions. Their support should be faster. We have received complaints that they are not responding fast, which is not good for the vendor and us."

"They should have a GUI on the product itself, not a separate management tool to be used on the management server or on a server to be used to manage the file. It should be all in one device. The device should be controlled through its own GUI. They also have to improve the learning center and the documents as the documents don't really help."

"Management could be better. They can improve the management. I think all our customers can't accept firewalls that have standalone management. So, they prefer Fortinet or Palo Alto. But overall, inspection and other features are working fine."

"While they offer a comprehensive bundled solution, some users may prefer on-premise deployments for certain features, such as URL filtering."

"They need to work on stability, it has not been the best in our experience."

"Next Generation Firewall's configuration could be improved."

"It's a complicated firewall. Until you come to know the firewall inducers, most people don't like the firewall because the components for the firewall are a little bit complex. User-friendliness is a little bit tough. It needs to be user-friendly when creating policies, and pushing policies. Committing takes more time compared to Palo Alto."

More Forcepoint Next Generation Firewall cons

"I heard about them for the first time just before I started working on Versa. They do have blogs for information, but they could publicize more about the documentation and architecture. It doesn't seem to have that much exposure, and they should work on their customer base more."

"Another thing that should be improved in Versa are their firewall features."

"With the pandemic and changing work models, it would be ideal if the product more accessibility options or more diversity within the solution itself."

"Versa provides analytics, but the reporting features have some shortcomings."

"We are thinking about how to make customers consolidate the loads to an SD-WAN network so that the customers can have bigger chunk from the SD-WAN side so that customers can have critical data be transferred with NPS VPN and non-critical data or some labeled traffic can be transferred by the SD-WAN network. I think it's a very important direction for digital transformation."

"The solution's current customer support is not that good. So, they need to improve that. Also, the solution's UI is quite complex, so they need to simplify it."

"The solution lacks a mobile version where small, manageable platforms can be developed."

"The VPN feature is relatively new. It came out two releases ago, and they're still fixing that up."

More Versa Unified Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) Platform cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"It is expensive."

"It requires a yearly subscription."

"There is a need to make payments towards the licensing charges attached to the product. The product is not expensive."

"Forcepoint Next Generation Firewall is reasonable, it is priced the same as other firewalls."

"We would love to take other solution from Forcepoint, but unfortunately the price is too high. That's why we are not considering using Forcepoing for our proxy and DLB. They have a very good DLB, but the matter in the end is the cost."

"I believe the licensing fee is for one year, three years, and five years, or something like that. If you wants to increase the support level from a simpler level to platinum, I think that there's a cost. There are differences between every kind of support, but I don't know the numbers."

"I consider Forcepoint Next Generation Firewall's price to be good."

"The big advantage of this solution is that we can select the right model for our requirements, which is not too expensive."

More Forcepoint Next Generation Firewall pricing and cost advice

"Price wise, it's more expensive than is the competition. I would give pricing a rating of three out of five."

"It is not very expensive because of the white box support. Its hardware is much cheaper than other products. With the support for x86 and white box, it is one of the most cost-effective platforms that are currently available."

"We provide subscriptions for our customers on a yearly, not monthly, basis."

"The price is expensive but it makes sense for the market."

"I find Versa a little more expensive than VMware in terms of remote access and secure web gateway elements."

"While I cannot provide too much commentary on the price, I feel it to be fair for the moment."

"It is neither cheap nor expensive. I rate the pricing a five out of ten on a scale where one is cheap and ten is expensive."

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Computer Software Company

18%

Financial Services Firm

Manufacturing Company

Government

Computer Software Company

17%

Financial Services Firm

13%

Manufacturing Company

Government

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about Forcepoint Next Generation Firewall?

The product's initial setup phase is easy.

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Forcepoint Next Generation Firewall?

There is a need to make payments towards the licensing charges attached to the product. The product is not expensive.

See all answers

What needs improvement with Forcepoint Next Generation Firewall?

My experience with this Forcepoint Next Generation Firewall wasn't very pleasant due to its complexity. For example, the firewall loses some features when working in a cluster, which is a huge chal...

See all answers

What do you like most about Versa FlexVNF?

Versa is a good centralized solution, where you're setting up your infrastructure in a data center type thing.

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Versa FlexVNF?

Both Versa and VMware are cheap in terms of the router. I find Versa a little more expensive than VMware in terms of remote access and secure web gateway elements.

See all answers

What needs improvement with Versa FlexVNF?

We've had the odd occasional stability issue with software upgrades, etcetera. They don't support certain other third-party applications, which can be a bit limiting at times, whereas VMware seems ...

See all answers

Comparisons

Fortinet FortiGate vs Forcepoint Next Generation Firewall

Compared 32% of the time

Palo Alto Networks Advanced Threat Prevention vs Forcepoint Next Generation Firewall

Compared 17% of the time

Check Point NGFW vs Forcepoint Next Generation Firewall

Compared 14% of the time

Sophos XG vs Forcepoint Next Generation Firewall

Compared 7% of the time

Netgate pfSense vs Forcepoint Next Generation Firewall

Compared 7% of the time

More Forcepoint Next Generation Firewall Competitors

Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN vs Versa Unified Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) Platform

Compared 23% of the time

Fortinet FortiGate vs Versa Unified Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) Platform

Compared 20% of the time

VMware VeloCloud SD-WAN vs Versa Unified Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) Platform

Compared 14% of the time

Meraki SD-WAN vs Versa Unified Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) Platform

Compared 10% of the time

Cato SASE Cloud Platform vs Versa Unified Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) Platform

Compared 7% of the time

More Versa Unified Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) Platform Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Forcepoint Next Generation Firewall

December 2024

Forcepoint Next Generation Firewall report

Download Forcepoint Next Generation Firewall product report

Buyer's Guide

Versa Unified Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) Platform

November 2024

Versa Unified Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) Platform report

Download Versa Unified Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) Platform product report

Also Known As

Forcepoint NGFW, Stonesoft Next Generation Firewall, McAfee Network Security Platform, Intel Security Network Security Platform

Versa FlexVNF, FlexVNF, Versa Titan

Learn More

Forcepoint

Versa Networks

Overview

Forcepoint Next Generation Firewall is a versatile and comprehensive solution for perimeter security, offering features such as SD-WAN, IPS, VPN, and cloud or on-premises subscription keys. It is preferred by many clients over Cisco and is used for obligation redundancy, VPN access, and as the main point of security in infrastructure.

The product is praised for its simplicity, flexibility, complete feature set, scalability, and central management capabilities. Other valuable features include IPS, firewall, sandbox, application control, filtering, security management center, connectivity, and integration capabilities.

The Versa Unified Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) Platform is a comprehensive solution that provides secure access to cloud applications and services. It combines networking and security functions into a single platform, making it easier for organizations to manage their network infrastructure. The platform includes features such as SD-WAN, VPN, firewall, web filtering, and more. It also offers advanced security capabilities such as intrusion prevention, malware protection, and threat intelligence. With the Versa SASE Platform, organizations can ensure secure access to their cloud applications and services from any location, while also reducing costs and simplifying network management.

Sample Customers

California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR)

CenturyLink, RCN Business, Colt Technology Services

Buyer's Guide

Forcepoint Next Generation Firewall vs. Versa Unified Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) Platform

November 2024

Free Report: Forcepoint Next Generation Firewall vs. Versa Unified Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) Platform

Find out what your peers are saying about Forcepoint Next Generation Firewall vs. Versa Unified Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) Platform and other solutions. Updated: November 2024.

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