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IT Manager at a insurance company with 51-200 employees
Real User
Plenty of useful features, scalable, and good technical support
Pros and Cons
  • "The solution has many useful features, such as content management, user management, user filtering, and domain controller connectivity mapping."
  • "The reporting and monitoring are a bit complex and should be easier in SonicWall NSa because other firewalls I have experienced have been more simple, such as Palo Alto. We are able to receive a clear view of our network. As a general user with little experience, it would be difficult for them to handle."

What is our primary use case?

SonicWall NSa can be used as a perimeter and ELAN firewall.

What is most valuable?

The solution has many useful features, such as content management, user management, user filtering, and domain controller connectivity mapping.

What needs improvement?

The reporting and monitoring are a bit complex and should be easier in SonicWall NSa because other firewalls I have experienced have been more simple, such as Palo Alto. We are able to receive a clear view of our network. As a general user with little experience, it would be difficult for them to handle.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using SonicWall NSa for approximately seven years.

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SonicWall NSa
October 2024
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What do I think about the stability of the solution?

I have found SonicWall NSa to be stable.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The solution is scalable.

We have approximately 180 users using this solution.

How are customer service and support?

The support of the solution has been good. We normally go through our partner support but if anything is outside the limits of their knowledge then it gets passed onto the SonicWall support.

How was the initial setup?

The installation is not easy, you should have a basic understanding of your network and what your requirements are. Generally, the implementation is done by the vendor. We have an external party who used to do the basic configuration. However, the new generation firewalls do not take much time and are easier.

What about the implementation team?

We used an outsourced vendor for the implementation of the solution. 

We have approximately two individuals that do the maintenance of the solution.

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

There is a license required for this solution and you can purchase a one, two, or three year term. Typically businesses choose the one year subscription and then later choose the three year licensing option if they are satisfied.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

I have evaluated Palo Alto firewalls.

What other advice do I have?

I would recommend this solution.

I rate SonicWall NSa a seven out of ten.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: Partner
PeerSpot user
Manager at Smeja Enterprises
User
Port forwarding could use streamlining, but support is usually good when it comes to helping with issues
Pros and Cons
  • "Support is usually good when it comes to helping with issues."
  • "Port forwarding could use streamlining."

What is our primary use case?

I walked into a job where we had an end of life ns2400 that was a mess. Coming from a Meraki environment there was a learning curve on how to navigate the sometimes overly complicated user interface. Tasks I should have been able to complete in 10-15 minutes took longer and I bounced between menus to hash out NAT rules and port forwarding.

How has it helped my organization?

There is no Network Engineer on site, and there are too many piecemeal options to realize the full effect of the firewall's capabilities.

What is most valuable?

Support is usually good when it comes to helping out with issues. Once the matrix is learned, it becomes a much better tool, but the learning curve is pretty large.

What needs improvement?

Port forwarding could use streamlining. Otherwise, once you learn the user interface, the capabilities of the firewall are good.

For how long have I used the solution?

One to three years.
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
Buyer's Guide
SonicWall NSa
October 2024
Learn what your peers think about SonicWall NSa. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: October 2024.
814,649 professionals have used our research since 2012.
System Specialist at MEC Networks Corporation
Reseller
Top 20
Provides endpoint security with advanced protection
Pros and Cons
  • "SonicWall provides endpoint security with advanced protection. Moreover, SonicWall includes access points and additional features."
  • "The product could expand its throughput capacity."

What is our primary use case?

The tool is easy to manage with a friendly GUI.

What is most valuable?

SonicWall provides endpoint security with advanced protection. Moreover, SonicWall includes access points and additional features.

What needs improvement?

The product could expand its throughput capacity.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using SonicWall NSa as a reseller for 19 years.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The SonicWall NSa is considered a high-end midrange firewall suitable for integrating small businesses and main offices. The range of NSa models can accommodate from as few as 250 users with the smallest model to 1,400 users with the NSa 6700 model.

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

All those features are the same, but NSa SonicWall is cheaper than other solutions. It has a Secure Upgrade Plus offering, with options for either one plus one or two plus one.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup is fair and quick. Deploying a certain firewall takes three or four hours, depending on the client's requirements.

We are also selling SonicWall products. We have a dedicated team that handles the deployment process. As a pre-sales engineer, I conduct presentations on the NSa and facilitate client discussions.

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

SonicWall is free for the first year and chargeable for the second year if you opt for two years.

What other advice do I have?

The NSa is a model of SonicWall firewall. It encompasses firewall, content filtering, DNS filtering, antivirus scanning, and primary and advanced firewall requirements.

It helps with threat prevention up to the memory level.

I recommend the solution.

Overall, I rate the solution nine out of ten.

Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: reseller
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PeerSpot user
Senior Network Administrator at cogniter
Real User
Easy and quick to deploy, good stability, and helpful support
Pros and Cons
  • "SonicWall NSA is easy to deploy, easy to maintain, and easy to configure."
  • "The reporting feature could be better because most of the companies want to have the analytics included, which is something that you have to buy separately."

What is our primary use case?

We are a software development company, and we have approximately 100 to 125 users working at the same time. This firewall is part of our security solution and we are planning to upgrade it to a TZ or another NSA model.

What is most valuable?

The most valuable features are the antivirus and reporting.

SonicWall NSA is easy to deploy, easy to maintain, and easy to configure. There are lots of features, which is really good for us

What needs improvement?

The reporting feature could be better because most of the companies want to have the analytics included, which is something that you have to buy separately.

For how long have I used the solution?

We bought our SonicWall NSA between nine and ten years ago.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

This is a stable solution, as per our needs. We have not experienced any problems with it.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

We have 125 concurrent users at this time.

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

We are planning to replace the current model with either a TZ or another NSA.

How was the initial setup?

The NSA model is very easy to deploy and it does not take a long time to do.

What about the implementation team?

I deployed it myself. I watched some videos online and then completed the deployment.

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

Licensing fees are paid on a yearly basis, and we are happy with the pricing. This is one of the reasons that we choose this product.

What other advice do I have?

This is definitely a product that I can recommend to others.

I would rate this solution a nine 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
Senior Manager Information Technology Infrastructure at a wholesaler/distributor with 1,001-5,000 employees
Real User
Great support, reasonably-priced, and the VPN facilitates people working from home offices
Pros and Cons
  • "This product has kept us safe and we haven't had any breaches."
  • "Initially, it may be difficult for some people to learn and become acquainted with it."

What is our primary use case?

This product is the firewall that protects us from attacks from the internet.

How has it helped my organization?

This product has kept us safe and we haven't had any breaches.

What is most valuable?

The most valuable feature for us at the moment is the VPN, given that everybody has moved to home offices.

It is easy to integrate.

What needs improvement?

Initially, it may be difficult for some people to learn and become acquainted with it. I have been using it for a long time and find it straightforward to use.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using SonicWall NSA for about 20 years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

SonicWall NSA is very stable. It is refined and well-tested, and it has been around for almost 30 years. It's a proven technology.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

Each model scales to a certain point. If you outgrow it, then you buy another version.

Nobody specifically uses this product but every day, all of the company traffic goes through it.

How are customer service and technical support?

The technical support is great.

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

At this site, SonicWall NSA is the only firewall that has been used.

How was the initial setup?

I found the initial setup to be straightforward.

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

The price is reasonable for what it does.

What other advice do I have?

My advice for anybody who is implementing this product is to get some training if it is your first time. It can be a little complex for new users.

I would rate this solution a ten 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
Cyber security consultant at a renewables & environment company with 201-500 employees
Consultant
A cybersecurity solution with stable and scalable features requires improvement in the product information it offers to its users
Pros and Cons
  • "The firewall feature is most valuable since my work is to analyze if there is any potential attack. SonicWall NSa gives the perfect analysis."
  • "SonicWall NSa needs to make their product more user-friendly."

What is our primary use case?

We use it to activate firewalls, VPN, and traffic analyzer.

How has it helped my organization?

The firewall feature is most valuable since my work is to analyze if there is any potential attack. SonicWall NSa gives the perfect analysis.

What needs improvement?

They need to improve their product information and product highlights because, here in Thailand, customers need to recognize SonicWall NSa. Also, Fortinet’s datasheet has a lot of information, but for SonicWall NSa, that information needs to be included. SonicWall NSa needs to make their product more user-friendly.

Sometimes, customers ask about the configuration and integration of SonicWall. Then I have to download the manual, configuration, and integration guide to explain the procedure. But for other brands, the configuration and integration are more accessible, and they also have a sample for implementation, which is missing for SonicWall.

Another area for improvement is compatibility; sometimes, my customers use SonicWall, and the partner uses some other brand, and there is an issue with compatibility matching. So if SonicWall could give us information about the compatible model and the name of the vendor with whom it is available, that would be helpful.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using SonicWall NSa for two years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

It is a stable solution. I rate it eight to nine out of ten.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

It is a scalable solution. I would rate it a seven out of ten.

How are customer service and support?

I have not contacted technical support. The partner has contacted the solution's technical support, as I am not a SonicWall expert.

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

The price is high. I would rate it four to five out of ten.

What other advice do I have?

I would rate the overall solution a seven 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
Presales Consultant at General Technologies
MSP
Their support is better than most competitors
Pros and Cons
  • "SonicWall's sales support is much better than other vendors'."
  • "Competitors provide SSL encryption licenses for free, whereas SonicWall only provides two licenses by default, but you have to pay for the rest of the licenses."

What is our primary use case?

SonicWall prevents and restricts access to websites for employees as well as anyone who comes into the office.

What needs improvement?

Most firewalls have active/active high-availability mode. If I'm paying for two firewalls, why shouldn't AI utilize both? It would be better if SonicWall came with n active/active feature instead of active/standby.

For how long have I used the solution?

I've been working with SonicWall NSa for more than five years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

SonicWall NSa is simple to scale. You can easily add more firewalls to the cluster.

How are customer service and support?

SonicWall's sales support is much better than other vendors'. 

How was the initial setup?

Deploying SonicWall NSa is straightforward. A new user can easily configure the firewall. You can usually complete the deployment within a day. Setting up the prerequisites takes about two hours and then it takes some time to deploy the policies. That varies depending on what the customer wants. 

Maintenance is primarily configuration-related stuff, and our customers have their own engineers, but we give them advice. One engineer can maintain the solution.

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

You don't need to pay an annual fee, but any cost matters to the customer. Let's say SonicWall is giving me a firewall at a certain price, while a FortiGate firewall costs the same but offers added features like free SSL and active/active. Then customers might think it's better to buy a FortiGate.

Competitors provide SSL encryption licenses for free, whereas SonicWall only provides two licenses by default, but you have to pay for the rest of the licenses.
However, when most customers go beyond 20 or so users with SSL licenses, they usually go with a dedicated appliance, so a firewall should provide at least 20 to 25 SSL licenses for free.

What other advice do I have?

I rate SonicWall NSa eight out of 10.

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
Principal Associate - CloudOps at a tech services company with 10,001+ employees
Real User
Stable with good filtering and perfect for SMB-sized companies
Pros and Cons
  • "The filtering is excellent."
  • "The product likely isn't a good fit for a large organization."

What is our primary use case?

We primarily use the solution for security. It's used as a firewall.

What is most valuable?

The solution is very stable.

It's an excellent product for an SMB.

The filtering is excellent.

The solution is quite stable.

We found the initial setup to be straightforward.

You can scale the solution to a certain extent.

What needs improvement?

The product likely isn't a good fit for a large organization.

They need to elaborate on their business from a technical point of view. 

For how long have I used the solution?

I've been working with the solution for about four or more years at this point. It's been a while. 

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The product scales quite well. There are no bugs. It's not glitchy. It doesn't crash or freeze. I find it to be reliable. 

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

You can scale the solution. We haven't used it beyond 1,000 to 1,500 users. Beyond that, I'm not sure what it can handle. I haven't really tried to scale it too much.

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

I've also used Palo Alto. I used it at my previous organization.

How was the initial setup?

We found the initial setup to be very straightforward. It's not overly complex or difficult. A company should have any problem with the process.

What other advice do I have?

We're a customer and an end-user. We don't have a business relationship with SonicWall.

I'd rate the solution at a seven out of ten. While we've been mostly happy with it, it's more for SMBs as opposed to larger organizations.

I'd recommend the product to small organizations for sure.

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
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Updated: October 2024
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Buyer's Guide
Download our free SonicWall NSa Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions.