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Fortinet FortiGate SWG vs Symantec Proxy comparison

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Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Dec 4, 2024
 

Categories and Ranking

iboss
Sponsored
Ranking in Secure Web Gateways (SWG)
13th
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
7.1
Number of Reviews
14
Ranking in other categories
Internet Security (4th), Web Content Filtering (4th), Cloud Access Security Brokers (CASB) (8th), ZTNA as a Service (12th), Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) (10th)
Fortinet FortiGate SWG
Ranking in Secure Web Gateways (SWG)
4th
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
7.1
Number of Reviews
41
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
Symantec Proxy
Ranking in Secure Web Gateways (SWG)
10th
Average Rating
7.4
Reviews Sentiment
6.3
Number of Reviews
20
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Featured Reviews

Jack Hamm - PeerSpot reviewer
We experienced benefits immediately but the report generation is lagging
iboss excels on the networking side but lags slightly behind competitors like Zscaler and Netskope in terms of security feature parity. I'd like to see them accelerate development on the security side, particularly around data loss prevention. Using iboss for DLP instead of traditional endpoint solutions is preferable, but its current feature set requires some clunky workarounds. I'd also like to see better integration of DLP into the platform. Additionally, while it's improving, reporting can be slow at times. This is problematic when generating reports for executives who expect them immediately. I'd like to see further improvements in reporting speed and efficiency.
David Carlson - PeerSpot reviewer
Non-IT people could plug it in, connect it to the fiber, and get it running without IT help.
FortiGate is easy to configure. We configured one of the units and sent it to Indiana to be installed. We asked them to give us a call when they got it, so we could help them through the process, but they called us back to tell us it works great. Non-IT people could plug it in, connect it to the fiber, and get it running without IT help. That was fantastic. Fortinet also offers a single pane of glass that we can use to manage our routers with gateways, so that's convenient. We're running a VPN to our remote location, and the performance is good. We're changing all our VPN connectors on our laptops from Cisco's Anywhere to Fortinet's VPN because the performance is just so much better.
Ganesh Khutwad - PeerSpot reviewer
A user-friendly solution with good technical support
The solution's databases are long, and their support is very fast. At times, certain areas are lacking in the policy manager. It would be great if we could directly control those URLs in the policy manager through the US. At the time of policy tracing, it is necessary to determine where the policies created by Blue Coat for the solution are being dropped. We should be able to get the exact results for this. Also, it would be great to have an online tool that could provide us with confidence during encryption and decryption processes without needing different tools. This tool could help us identify which problems to manipulate and where to allow manipulation. Such additions will be great for us.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"iboss is pretty scalable. They provide good support. The case managers you work with to coordinate what you need are pretty good."
"The iboss system is highly reliable. The false positive rates are small compared to some other systems we've experienced through other partner agencies who use competing solutions."
"Our primary use case for this product is DLP,"
"We were impressed by the solution's mental health function, which can detect if someone needs help. It scans what users are browsing and flags warning signs so we can check to see if they are okay. We've had to use it a couple of times."
"Because of iboss, I did not have to assign web filtering tasks to my techs on a daily basis."
"The security aspect of the solution, particularly the malware behind it, is excellent. That's something that really helped us out. It's not just a simple proxy that just blocks the insights of potential threats that come on behind it. They do malware detection and that helps us a lot."
"Its initial setup was straightforward."
"From a use-case scenario, what I like the most is the plug-in. I like the fact that we can do the filtering of these devices offsite independent of the network they are connected to, and we do not have to have traffic coming back inside our network."
"It has a valuable SD-WAN feature and provides good performance."
"Fortinet FortiGate SWG's content is its most valuable feature."
"The product's most valuable features are SD-WAN and the integration of WiFi and switches."
"FortiGate is a great solution, although initially, it faced challenges in the Brazilian market due to lower brand recognition than Cisco. However, explaining and demonstrating its product format and offerings has proven easy. The cost-effectiveness and better features of FortiGate have made some clients skeptical. We set up a trial period, and they eventually opted for it. Many clients were convinced it was great after experiencing the solution's capabilities firsthand."
"The most useful features are application control, web filtering, and SD-WAN."
"The most valuable features of Fortinet FortiGate SWG are IPS and scanning."
"The performance is very good and the solution is simple to manage."
"FortiGate is easy to configure. We configured one of the units and sent it to Indiana to be installed. We asked them to give us a call when they got it, so we could help them through the process, but they called us back to tell us it works great."
"The developer's assistance is valuable, enabling seamless integration which allows for a comprehensive view of categories, even if not certified by the link."
"It enables us to manage bandwidth for users based on their privilege levels. For example, if a user wants to use a certain application or resource, we can provide access based on their privileges."
"This is a stable and robust solution with many features."
"We can address and rectify issues promptly, resulting in consistently positive outcomes."
"The proxy is valuable due to its reputation and categorization features for sites, which assist in blocking malicious sites."
"The content that we are getting is very good. Content caching is also supported."
"The Symantec antivirus suite and the proxy component are the most valuable feature."
"The solution is scalable."
 

Cons

"Sometimes, obviously, there are bugs."
"File integrity monitoring would be very advantageous as an additional feature."
"Sometimes when you call in support, you get someone who is just following a sheet. It feels like a runaround. You feel that you are running into that support wall."
"The reporting feature needs improvement."
"Iboss is growing so fast that it is often hard for them to keep up with the challenges."
"The dashboards for local use could be better."
"The reporting feature needs improvement. It doesn't give you the expected results. It is quite difficult to get the specific reports needed, and it is not as intuitive as the rest of the platform."
"SSL decryption: We had issues with learners using apps instead of using web browsers. This type of encryption is tough for any appliance in a BYOD environment."
"FortiGate's reporting features could provide a better picture of what is happening in the box."
"The solution’s stability could be improved."
"We have experienced a number of failures when trying to upgrade firmware and the process takes a long time. We only experienced this when doing major upgrades between versions."
"Fortinet FortiGate SWG can't be used on its own, and you have to get FortiAnalyzer."
"The solution could improve by having some additional features, such as IBS and better cloud administration."
"The software is a bit expensive to renew."
"Support could be improved."
"They should consider making some improvements regarding the pricing."
"One area for improvement in Symantec is the lack of a reporting server or dashboard integration with SIM."
"Improvements in log availability would greatly enhance its overall effectiveness."
"The initial setup can be somewhat complex, and deploying the system can take some time."
"The tool’s reporting features must be improved."
"The solution could improve by having better documentation."
"Support response time and case resolution could be improved."
"Prior to the Broadcom purchase, every appliance was application based, but now they have one ISG device and on top of it multiple applications are running. It has a single point of failure. If your device goes down, all of the applications would be down."
"The platform's pricing needs improvement."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"It is probably in line with other solutions, but I do not deal with the financial side."
"The overall pricing for iboss is very competitive and transparent."
"We have not priced the solution recently, but they were competitive with other vendors in the past."
"It is expensive compared to one of its competitors."
"It is not expensive, and it is also not cheap. iboss is priced right in the sweet spot for the number of features it offers."
"I rate the price of Fortinet FortiGate SWG a seven and a half out of ten since it is not a cheap solution, though I feel it is a good product for the money one pays."
"FortiGate SWG is reasonably priced."
"The product is expensive."
"It could be more competitive and cost-effective."
"I would rate the pricing a six out of ten, where one is cheap and ten is expensive."
"Fortinet FortiGate SWG is an affordable solution."
"It is less expensive than a Cisco solution."
"When comparing the price of Fortinet FortiGate SWG to other solutions it is expensive. The price could be better."
"The price is too expensive compared with that of another solution."
"The product is highly priced. There are no additional costs apart from the standard licenses."
"There is a license needed to use Symantec Proxy."
"The tool is pretty expensive."
"There is a different department that looks into the licensing part."
"There are no licensing fees required."
"Our cost was based on a three-year upfront CapEx contract."
"Symantec Proxy has different expiry dates and renewal dates, which is a problem, so Broadcom should improve the licensing renewal process for the solution."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
13%
Financial Services Firm
12%
Manufacturing Company
9%
Government
6%
Computer Software Company
16%
Government
9%
Comms Service Provider
7%
Financial Services Firm
7%
Financial Services Firm
19%
Computer Software Company
15%
Manufacturing Company
12%
Government
9%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
 

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about iboss?
Content filtering is the most useful feature of iboss.
What needs improvement with iboss?
I have the same complaint about them that I have about other software companies. Sometimes when you call in support, ...
What is your primary use case for iboss?
We are a PreK-12 public school district, and we use iboss to filter internet content for our students at home and sta...
What do you like most about Fortinet FortiGate SWG?
The interface and other reports are all user-friendly.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Fortinet FortiGate SWG?
The product pricing is moderate and competitive to Palo Alto. I rate the product’s pricing a six out of ten, where on...
What needs improvement with Fortinet FortiGate SWG?
Fortinet FortiGate SWG can't be used on its own, and you have to get FortiAnalyzer.
What do you like most about Symantec Proxy?
We can address and rectify issues promptly, resulting in consistently positive outcomes.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Symantec Proxy?
We're not sure about specific costs, but the overall renewal cost for Symantec services was a little over 2,000,000 A...
What needs improvement with Symantec Proxy?
There are some challenges with reporting and accessing specific logs, particularly older logs or user activity over t...
 

Also Known As

iBoss Cloud Platform
FortiGate SWG, FortiGate Secure Web Gateway
Blue Coat Encrypted Traffic Management, ProxySG Appliance
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

More than 4,000 global enterprises trust the iboss Cloud Platform to support their modern workforces, including a large number of Fortune 50 companies.
Salt Lake County, Catholic College Bendigo, Azienda Unita Sanitaria
Jefferies
Find out what your peers are saying about Fortinet FortiGate SWG vs. Symantec Proxy and other solutions. Updated: December 2024.
824,053 professionals have used our research since 2012.