Netgate pfSense and FortiGate Next Generation Firewall (NGFW) are two competing firewall solutions. User reviews show that while FortiGate NGFW holds an advantage due to its features, Netgate pfSense is preferred for its pricing and support.
Features: Netgate pfSense is praised for its open-source nature, extensive customization options, and affordability. FortiGate NGFW is known for its advanced threat protection, robust network management, and scalability.
Room for Improvement: Users suggest that Netgate pfSense could improve its documentation, ease of configuration, and customer support. For FortiGate NGFW, areas of improvement include reducing the complexity of advanced features, enhancing user interface usability, and simplifying initial setup.
Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Netgate pfSense is generally easier to deploy for technical users but lacks robust customer support. FortiGate NGFW offers better customer service and support but is more complex to deploy.
Pricing and ROI: Netgate pfSense is recognized for its cost-effectiveness and value for small to medium-sized businesses. FortiGate NGFW, while more expensive, provides strong ROI through its rich feature set and scalability, making it ideal for larger organizations.
Fortinet FortiGate enhances network security, prevents unauthorized access, and offers robust firewall protection. Valued features include advanced threat protection, reliable performance, and a user-friendly interface. It improves efficiency, streamlines processes, and boosts collaboration, providing valuable insights for informed decision-making and growth.
The FortiGate Next Generation Firewall (NGFW) from Fortinet is a comprehensive cybersecurity solution designed to cater to a wide array of organizational needs. It integrates seamlessly into the Fortinet Security Fabric, offering robust protection against various internal and external threats, including attacks, malware, and vulnerabilities. The NGFW is known for its advanced features such as SSL inspection, application control, visibility enhancements, and an effective intrusion prevention system (IPS). This IPS plays a critical role in identifying and blocking malicious traffic by monitoring and inspecting incoming data.
FortiGate NGFW can be deployed in diverse environments, including on-premises, in the cloud, or hybrid setups. The firewall is equipped with next-generation antivirus capabilities, IPS, web filtering, sandboxing, and intelligent security automation features like threat intelligence integration and automated incident response. Its reporting and analytics tools are comprehensive, aiding in enhancing an organization's security posture.
A notable aspect of the FortiGate NGFW is its diverse and highly rated features, including a powerful VPN, a user-friendly Firewall Management Console, policy-based controls, and advanced reporting and logging capabilities. The system also supports Identification Technologies, Visualization Tools, Content Inspection, and seamless integration with Active Directory and LDAP directories. Its High Availability and the flexibility to deploy in various configurations, such as on-premises or as a Virtual Machine, make it a versatile choice for different business needs.
The FortiGate NGFW also excels in providing secure connectivity. It supports various VPN protocols, offers SD-WAN for intelligent traffic routing, and integrates SASE for unified security and networking solutions. These features contribute to improved security, reduced operational costs, and increased agility for organizations.
When it comes to user experiences and satisfaction, FortiGate NGFW has garnered positive feedback, with an average rating of about 4.26 out of 5 on PeerSpot Reviews. Users from diverse roles, including core network teams, technical officers, and cybersecurity engineers, and from various sectors such as tech services, education, and finance, have found the solution effective. This indicates its versatility and suitability across different company sizes and types.
However, there are areas for improvement. Enhancing the details in Logging Services and making 10 Gigabit Interfaces available for lower models are some suggested enhancements. Simplifying the installation of FortiAP services is also noted as a potential area for improvement.
pfSense is a powerful and reliable network security appliance primarily used for security purposes such as firewall and VPN or traffic shaping, network management, and web filtering. It is commonly used by small businesses and managed service providers to protect their customers' networks and enable remote access through VPNs.
The solution is praised for its stability, user-friendly interface, scalability potential, open-source nature, free cost, easy installation, firewall capabilities, security features, flexibility, and simplicity. Overall, pfSense is a cost-effective solution for enterprises that need a VPN for their employees.
pfSense Key Features
pfSense has many key features and capabilities, including:
Reviews from Real Users
Below is some feedback from PeerSpot Users who are currently using the solution.
Bojan O., CEO at In.sist d.o.o., says, “The classic features, such as content inspection, content protection, and the application-level firewall, are the most important."
Another PeerSpot user, a chef at a media company, explains what he finds most valuable about pfSense: "The plugins or add-ons are most valuable. Sometimes, they are free of charge, and sometimes, you have to pay for them, but you can purchase or download very valuable plugins or add-ons to perform internal testing of your network and simulate a denial-of-service attack or whichever attack you want to simulate. You can also remote and monitor your network and see where the gap is."
T.O., a VP of Business Development at a tech services company, mentions, "What I found most valuable is the cost of the platform, the flexibility of the platform, and the fact that the ongoing fees are not there as they are with the competitor."
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