Meraki MX vs SonicWall TZ comparison

Cisco and SonicWall are both solutions in the Firewalls category. Additionally, 93% of Cisco users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 88% of SonicWall users who would recommend it.

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Oct 8, 2024

SonicWall TZ and Meraki MX compete in the network security category. Meraki MX seems to have the upper hand due to its superior integration and cloud management, which are favored by businesses seeking scalable solutions.

Features: SonicWall TZ is noted for advanced threat protection, robust security features, and flexible configuration options. Meraki MX stands out with seamless cloud integration, comprehensive network visibility, and ease of access, making it a preferred choice for simplicity and scalability.

Room for Improvement: SonicWall TZ users mention a need for a more intuitive configuration setup, improved documentation, and streamlined upgrade processes. Meraki MX users desire better reporting capabilities, reduced dependency on cloud access, and enhanced offline functionalities.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: SonicWall TZ deployment requires technical expertise, with users finding the initial setup challenging. Customer service for SonicWall TZ is responsive but lacks proactivity. Meraki MX boasts an easy installation process with guided setup and offers strong customer service support.

Pricing and ROI: SonicWall TZ is cost-effective for organizations prioritizing security despite higher initial setup challenges. Meraki MX, although perceived as more expensive, provides better long-term ROI due to lower maintenance costs and efficient cloud updates.

To learn more, read our detailed Meraki MX vs. SonicWall TZ Report (Updated: October 2024).

Buyer's Guide

Meraki MX vs. SonicWall TZ

October 2024

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Categories and Ranking

Fortinet FortiGate

Featured Reviews

DineshKumar28

Senior Manager at Cognizant

Sep 25, 2024

Effective threat prevention with responsive customer support

We are using Fortinet FortiGate as a firewall Fortinet FortiGate has been invaluable. It has helped save costs due to its various features, reliable performance, very good UI, low latency, and stability. The Threat Intel engine in Fortinet FortiGate is highly rated for its effectiveness in…

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Spencer Malmad

Owner at Tech Exchange

Nov 22, 2022

Very easy to deploy with a simple configuration; stable and scalable with great support

The Cisco supply chain is problematic although that may not be all their fault. What I really want is to be able to sell the solution and deploy it for my clients. They are very cagey about the availability of their product and they definitely take better care of their larger clients, pricing out mid-sized organizations. I'd like their policy rules to be closer to those of some of the other vendors. They're very complacent and I find the rule set to be a little arcane. There's no company ou there that does the combination of hardware quality, reliability of service, and most importantly, the quality of the interface.

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Sathish Ravichandran

Server & Cloud Architect at Icare

Oct 18, 2023

Has efficient user access control feature and good technical support services

The multi-core architecture allows the running of multiple instances for checking files, even handling more than 2 GB of data. It has inbuilt reporting features, reducing the cost of external monitoring software. It's well-suited for organizations that need to transfer and scan large files. The scalability is good for small and medium-sized enterprises, but for organizations with more than 200 users, the cost can become a limiting factor. It is more suitable for large enterprises, especially for organizations with over 4,000 users. However, there could be flexibility in licensing, allowing organizations to cater to their specific needs and pay for the features and licenses they require. It can help reduce costs. I rate its scalability a seven out of ten.

Read full review

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"The product is easy to use and is stable. The SV1 functionality is a benefit."

"The most valuable feature is the web filter."

"The signature database and zero-day detection are Fortinet FortiGate's most valuable features."

"The main benefit is the grouping of our security monitoring."

"I like that you are able to manage FortiGate from the FortiManager to create a more centralized environment."

"Easy to use support and licensing portal as well as activation process."

"The user interface is relatively easy. The devices are easy to deploy and figure out when you have experience with other security appliances."

"The feature I like most is the SD-WAN. It allows you to manage more than one ISP at the same time. And there is a high-availability mode, so if one of your ISPs is down, you still have a backup."

More Fortinet FortiGate pros

"The security level of our organization has changed by using Meraki MX Firewalls. We didn't have the UTM before, but now we have sandboxing, tray scanning, attack preventions and monitorization. Our security level has improved."

"We switched to Meraki because it lets you see what's happening in your LAN and WAN in a graphic and web environment."

"I think cloud management is key. The cloud management and support are the two things that make the product great."

"In a week, we can make new policy and view what all our users did."

"When you try to create an IP or when you have an alert about when a website is banned, these features are helpful."

"What I like best about Meraki MX is that it's easy to deploy remotely. The product works. It has automatic updates. I also like that Meraki MX is a brilliant device. You turn it on, stick the key in there, activate it, and then you're done. Meraki MX does what my customers need at the end of the day, so I also like that."

"It has the most advanced security features, for example, layer 3 and layer 7 firewall capabilities and the end team and IPS protection. It also has IPS, and it has very good functioning of cloning services. You don't actually have to touch the device. If you have multiple companies in different countries, you don't really require this device to be touched. You can get it delivered directly to any office of a country, and then you can simply put your configuration over the cloud. It's very simplified and easy to manage. It gives a very good granular visibility about your network. Earlier, a lot of things were lacking in the network. We were unable to identify where the problem was, but after implementing Meraki MX, we are able to dig down and identify where is the problem. We can easily and quickly identify the sources and the root causes of the issues."

"Meraki MX has been a stable solution so far, and I haven't faced any issues with it."

More Meraki MX pros

"It lets me monitor in live time if someone is 'hogging' bandwidth."

"We use the content filter quite a lot because it's an office setting. During working hours, we like to censor the sites users can visit so it increases productivity. Therefore, the content filter has been good for us."

"I have found this solution to be easier to use when compared to other products, such as those offered by Cisco."

"It does what it says it is going to do."

"The solution is stable."

"It's a stable solution."

"From our point of view, the most valuable feature was the ease of deployment."

"It protects against intrusion while allowing needed access."

More SonicWall TZ pros

Cons

"The sniffing packets or packet captures, can be simplified and improved because it's a little confusing."

"The captive portal could be improved."

"With the addition of some features, it is possible that FortiGate can be used in all verticals."

"It is quite new for us, and we need to go more in-depth into the monitoring tools. It provides different features that we need to do what we want. So far, it is okay for us. In terms of improvement, in the future, they can provide a faster implementation of features. Some of the features are first available in other solutions. Fortinet sometimes takes a little bit longer than other solutions, such as Check Point, to implement new features."

"We would like to have the ability to disable some of the security functionalities."

"It needs more available central management."

"The stability could be a bit better."

"Fortinet FortiGate could improve by adding FortiAnalyzer to its solution, we should not have to use another solution. FortiAnalyzer can provide more detailed information."

More Fortinet FortiGate cons

"Improvements are required more on the side of troubleshooting."

"Meraki has some hidden features and information that is only privy to their engineers. If that information became available to us, then it would improve our ease of management, and we would be able to make certain adjustments instead of having to go to them."

"It would be nice to get detailed logging information without third-party software."

"We have been having a problem with the VPN. When the energy goes down and is back again, the VPN link doesn't get established. We have to manually turn off the modems and other pieces of equipment and manually establish the VPN. It has been around one month since we have been having this problem, and we don't have enough support from Meraki to solve the problem."

"Management can be improved in Meraki MX."

"The configuration options for firewall and IPS have limitations."

"The product could incorporate tools like ThousandEyes into the system so we can see things directly."

"Right now, you can postpone the update but eventually, if you don't do the update, it will install the updates automatically for you and that's something that is not working for me."

More Meraki MX cons

"The solution's cost needs improvement."

"The logs need improvement."

"We require centralized monitoring of the network features, which they have but they are not to the level that we require."

"It could be made more user friendly."

"The log analyzer in SonicWall TZ is something that they need to improve upon."

"I would like to see a SonicWall integration with the DLP tool, this would be interesting. Data Loss Prevention integration."

"The solution should provide some additional ports."

"Full monitoring obviously needs to be improved. We need full monitoring covered under the security licensing."

More SonicWall TZ cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"Fortinet has one or two license types, and the VPN numbers are only limited by the hardware chassis make."

"Easy to understand licensing requirements."

"We purchased a five-year bundle package, which worked out cheaper than competing solutions."

"For medium and enterprise organizations, FortiGate is more affordable."

"The price of Fortinet FortiGate could improve, it is expensive."

"We have the full version of Fortinet FortiGate and we are on a three-year contract with a commitment of five years."

"It is quite affordable for our customers. There is a separate cost for IPS, antivirus, web filtering, and other features. They have a great choice of licenses. You can go for the license that you want, which is quite useful."

"The pricing depends on the FortiGate model we are using, ranging from $3,000 to $20,000 US dollars."

More Fortinet FortiGate pricing and cost advice

"The price of Meraki MX is between $8 and $1,200. Additionally, we typically purchase a three-year enterprise license, and we pay approximately $899 and mark it up a bit."

"The price is slightly increased, but reasonable."

"The price could be lower, but compared to the TCO of other products, it's not really that expensive."

"Meraki is the best option — based on the price and the features available."

"capabilities" What is our primary use case? The solution is mainly based on the cloud which is highly adaptable to the needs of its users due to its large user base. By employing over fifty VPS, we strategically position these units where clients require them the most. Remarkably, the cost of this setup is notably more affordable compared to competing alternatives. The management dashboard allows users to oversee each branch within their network. This comprehensive view is unified within the dashboard, offering insights into the entire branch network. The system works mostly for financial institutions, particularly banking clients. What is most valuable? The cloud management system is really valuable. What needs improvement? Direct logging is something that can be introduced. In the absence of cloud management, the possibility of local configurations and on-premise logins becomes restricted. This limitation stands as a primary concern. When it comes to resolving issues, the inability to access login options hampers troubleshooting efforts. The stability is noteworthy; but when compared to alternative products, its stability is comparatively lower. Additionally, certain limitations are observed in terms of remote control. Price-wise, the solution stands out for its competitive and cost-effective nature compared to other alternatives. Operationally, it is user-friendly and requires minimal effort from administrators, making configuration hassle-free. For how long have I used the solution? I have been using Meraki MX for the last three years. What do I think about the stability of the solution? The solution is stable however there are issues and we need to reboot sometimes. I would rate it five out of ten. What do I think about the scalability of the solution? Considering the needs of medium-class clients, scalability proves to be highly advantageous. I would rate it nine out of ten. How was the initial setup? The initial setup is easy via the cloud portal, primarily because managed support is needed for internet access. Without this, the direct configuration of the box becomes unattainable.The duration required is significantly shorter compared to alternatives. Occasionally, when dealing with a larger number of branches, like fifty or more, we managed to complete the implementation within 14 days. In cases involving complex processes and discussions, additional time might be necessary. However, once the system is set up and connected to the cloud, other configurations can be done within an eight-hour timeframe. What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing? The solution has three licenses; enterprise, security, and SD WAN. This subscription-based method aligns with customer requirements. When procuring hardware, the minimum requirement is the enterprise license, granting access to cloud management and the portal. Customers can opt to acquire the security or SD-WAN licenses if needed. This adaptable pricing model offers great flexibility. All licenses are linked to the device count, proving advantageous for customers. If there's a future demand for additional devices, licenses can be expanded accordingly without any concerns. The flexibility of the licensing system is indeed valuable."

"I rate the tool's price a four on a scale of one to ten, where one is cheap, and ten is very expensive."

"Pricing varies as per the type of license."

"We just have to pay for the product and the license. We have a license for three years, and it is renewed every three years. It costs $1,200 for three years for one endpoint. Meraki had a good promotion for remote workers or remote workforce. The discount is very good. This promotion continues till the next fiscal year of Cisco."

More Meraki MX pricing and cost advice

"I give the price an eight out of ten."

"The license that we purchased is good for three years."

"The price is high compared to some other solutions."

"The product pricing is justified for the features provided."

"Licensing fees are on a monthly basis."

"The solution is moderately priced, where it's neither cheap nor expensive."

"There are a few features that are licensed and there should be more that are licensed. The price of the solution is midrange compared to others, I have not had anyone complain."

"The firewall with the servers costs about 80 pounds a month. We get the device, and it is replaced every two or three years."

More SonicWall TZ pricing and cost advice

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Educational Organization

22%

Computer Software Company

15%

Manufacturing Company

Comms Service Provider

Educational Organization

26%

Computer Software Company

15%

Manufacturing Company

Government

Computer Software Company

19%

Manufacturing Company

Construction Company

Educational Organization

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

Questions from the Community

Which is the better NGFW: Fortinet Fortigate or Cisco Firepower?

When you compare these firewalls you can identify them with different features, advantages, practices and usage a...

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What is the biggest difference between Sophos XG and FortiGate?

From my experience regarding both the Sophos and FortiGate firewalls, I personally would rather use FortiGate. I know...

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What are the biggest technical differences between Sophos UTM and Fortinet FortiGate?

As a solution, Sophos UTM offers a lot of functionality, it scales well, and the stability and performance are quite ...

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Fortigate 60d vs. Meraki MX67 for a small company without a dedicated IT Department

We have Meraki Mx devices now, we are looking to replace them. But that is because the Meraki MX platform lacks SSL I...

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Which is better - Meraki MX or Cisco ASA Firewall?

Cisco Adaptive Security Appliance (ASA) software is the operating software for the Cisco ASA suite. It supports netw...

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What do you like most about Meraki MX?

I am happy with the technical support for the solution. I rate the technical support a ten out of ten.

See all answers

Would you choose Fortinet Fortigate or Sonicwall TZ?

I’ll say it depends on your needs. Fortinet FortiGate and SonicWall TZ are both next-gen firewalls (NGFW) with simila...

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What do you like most about SonicWall TZ?

The most valuable feature of SonicWall TZ is the double authentication, where it asks for one password and again asks...

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What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for SonicWall TZ?

SonicWall TZ is priced average compared to other products. We usually compare prices from different local suppliers t...

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Comparisons

Sophos XG vs Fortinet FortiGate

Compared 22% of the time

Netgate pfSense vs Fortinet FortiGate

Compared 13% of the time

Cisco Secure Firewall vs Fortinet FortiGate

Compared 12% of the time

WatchGuard Firebox vs Fortinet FortiGate

Compared 5% of the time

Check Point NGFW vs Fortinet FortiGate

Compared 4% of the time

More Fortinet FortiGate Competitors

Sophos XG vs Meraki MX

Compared 10% of the time

Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls vs Meraki MX

Compared 9% of the time

Cisco Secure Firewall vs Meraki MX

Compared 7% of the time

Netgate pfSense vs Meraki MX

Compared 6% of the time

SonicWall NSa vs Meraki MX

Compared 4% of the time

More Meraki MX Competitors

Sophos XG vs SonicWall TZ

Compared 16% of the time

Netgate pfSense vs SonicWall TZ

Compared 9% of the time

SonicWall NSa vs SonicWall TZ

Compared 7% of the time

WatchGuard Firebox vs SonicWall TZ

Compared 7% of the time

OPNsense vs SonicWall TZ

Compared 5% of the time

More SonicWall TZ Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Fortinet FortiGate

November 2024

Download Fortinet FortiGate product report

Buyer's Guide

Meraki MX

November 2024

Download Meraki MX product report

Buyer's Guide

SonicWall TZ

October 2024

Download SonicWall TZ product report

Also Known As

FortiGate 60b, FortiGate 60c, FortiGate 80c, FortiGate 50b, FortiGate 200b, FortiGate 110c, FortiGate

MX64, MX64W, MX84, MX100, MX400, MX600

Dell SonicWALL TZ

Learn More

Fortinet

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Cisco

SonicWall

Overview

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.

Cisco Meraki MX appliances are next-generation firewalls with all the advanced security services needed for today’s IT security. The appliances are ideal for organizations considering a unified threat management (UTM) solution for branch offices, data centers, distributed sites, or campuses. Since Meraki MX is 100% cloud-managed, installation and remote management are simple and zero-touch.

Meraki MX’s hardware and virtual appliances are configurable in Microsoft Azure, Amazon Web Services (AWS), and Google Cloud Platform, and private cloud support is offered through Cisco NFVIS and Alibaba Cloud.

Organizations of all sizes and across all industries rely on Meraki MX to deliver secure connectivity to hub locations or multi-cloud environments, as well as application quality of experience (QoE) through advanced analytics with machine learning.

Cisco Meraki’s advanced QoE analytics offers:

End-to-end health of web applications at a glance across the LAN, WAN, and application server.

Autonomous machine-learned smart application thresholds applied to identify true anomalies that are based on past behavioral patterns.

Ability to monitor the health of all MX WAN links across an entire organization.

Ability to detail hop-by-hop VoIP performance analysis across all uplinks.

Cisco Meraki’s SD-WAN offers:

The Meraki MX’s SD-WAN is unique in that it can be easily extended to deliver optimized access to resources in public and private cloud environments with virtual MX appliances. Its SD-WAN lowers operational costs and improves the performance of remotely-accessed resources. Users can ensure the availability of the apps and services their employees use most through dynamic path selection, policy-based routing, support for application-layer profiles, and VPN.

Meraki MX offers industry-leading cloud management that has template-based settings which can scale easily from small deployments to tens of thousands of devices. It features an intuitive web-based dashboard for managing mobile devices, united firewalls, switching, and wireless LAN. Users can also benefit from role-based administration, configurable email alerts for a variety of important events, and easily auditable change logs. Meraki MX is capable of producing summary reports with device, user, and application details archived in the cloud.

Meraki MX Key Features

MX has a robust suite of network services in an all-in-one device, which saves you money by eliminating the need for multiple appliances. These services include:

SD-WAN capabilities
SNORT®-based intrusion detection and prevention
Layer 7 fingerprinting
Web caching
Application-based firewalling
Anti-malware
Geo-based firewalling
Content filtering
Site-to-site auto VPN and client VPN
Web search filtering
Cisco Advanced Malware Protection (AMP)
4G cellular failover
Dynamic path selection
Web application health and VoIP health

Reviews from Real Users

Meraki MX stands out among its competitors for a number of reasons. Two major ones are its easy management and its ability to be accessed remotely. Below is some feedback from PeerSpot users who are currently using Meraki MX as their firewall security solution.

Craig B., a central services engineer at Liberty Technology, writes, “The web console for managing everything keeps everything on Meraki and keeps us from going somewhere else. It is why I think a lot of people like Meraki. Comparing it to SonicWall or even a different Cisco firewall, like traditional ASAs, managing Meraki is a thousand times easier because of fluidity. You don't have to rebuild a table just to change one rule. It's much more readable for a human.”

Edgardo C., an IT director, notes,”By using the VPN, we can connect remotely. We have two offices, and we could connect them through the VPN. We could establish a network between two sites, and that has improved and increased communication and productivity. Our remote site is able to access the server remotely.”

The secure, sophisticated SonicWALL TZ is widely deployed at small businesses, retail, government, remote sites and branch offices. It combines high-performance intrusion prevention, malware blocking, content/URL filtering and application control.

Sample Customers

Amazon Web Services, Microsoft, IBM, Cisco, Dell, HP, Oracle, Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, Sprint, Vodafone, Orange, BT Group, Telstra, Deutsche Telekom, Comcast, Time Warner Cable, CenturyLink, NTT Communications, Tata Communications, SoftBank, China Mobile, Singtel, Telus, Rogers Communications, Bell Canada, Telkom Indonesia, Telkom South Africa, Telmex, Telia Company, Telkom Kenya

Hyatt, ONS

AeroM_xico Delta TechOps, Unimat

Buyer's Guide

Meraki MX vs. SonicWall TZ

October 2024

Free Report: Meraki MX vs. SonicWall TZ

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