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PeerSpot user
Technical & Pre-Sales Manager at GateLock
Real User
A stable, easy to scale solution with very good encryption capabilities
Pros and Cons
  • "The most valuable features of the solution are the fact that they are able to encrypt the hard disk and to encrypt USB sticks."
  • "The solution is not using other features like booting encryption, because it causes very heavy processing of the workstation. If they could find some way to handle the encryption and decryption to be lighter on the workstation it would be better."

What is most valuable?

The most valuable features of the solution are the fact that they are able to encrypt the hard disk and to encrypt USB sticks. 

What needs improvement?

The solution is not using other features like booting encryption, because it causes very heavy processing of the workstation. If they could find some way to handle the encryption and decryption to be lighter on the workstation it would be better.

It would be ideal if the solution could make the processing possible on an appliance, instead of having to install it on a machine. Also, it should be in the network layers and communicate with more workstations. The encryption and decryption processing should not be on the workstation; rather it should be on the appliance.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The solution is very stable.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

It's very, very easy to scale the solution. You do not need to make any upgrades. You just need to adjust the sizing to expand. You can expand at any time.

Buyer's Guide
Sophos SafeGuard
November 2024
Learn what your peers think about Sophos SafeGuard. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: November 2024.
824,067 professionals have used our research since 2012.

How are customer service and support?

Technical support is very good, but sometimes they take a while to respond. This solution's very complex and still in the development process. Sometimes customers will ask for items that need to be developed or are not easy to develop. The solution is putting out a lot of updates, however, so they're constantly working to create a better product.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup was straight forward. The settings are not complex. However, sometimes some encryption settings have a complex configuration.

What about the implementation team?

We are a distributor of the solution. We recommend users use professional services to assist us with the implementation.

What other advice do I have?

I would recommend the solution.

I would rate the solution eight out of ten.

There's not a good market for this type of solution here in Egypt. It might be because here in Egypt there isn't a great need for this kind of solution yet. There are no compliance regulations from the government. However, the solution offers good features and I believe would be good for customers. There are so many areas where customers need encryption technology. 

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
ManojNair2 - PeerSpot reviewer
Founder/Director at Augesys Solutions Pvt Ltd
Real User
Top 10
Very efficient at virus protection with good functional and mechanical reliability
Pros and Cons
  • "The solution can block a virus attack and prevent it from moving across the system."
  • "The solution lacks direct connectivity to Azure AD."

What is our primary use case?

I have deployed a couple of Sophos firewalls for our clients recently. We are customers of Sophos. 

What is most valuable?

The solution has the intelligence to block a virus attack and prevent it from moving across the system. It's easy to use and a very reliable firewall, functionally and mechanically.

What needs improvement?

The solution lacks connectivity to Azure AD so it can connect to the regular internal Windows AD server but there's no direct connection to Azure AD. That would be a product improvement that needs to be implemented given that almost everyone is now on the cloud.  

For how long have I used the solution?

I've been using this solution for nine years. 

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

From what I have seen, this is a very scalable product. It's a major plus point for them.

How are customer service and support?

I've had a very good experience with customer service, particularly recently as I've also been managing other Sophos firewalls for customers.

How would you rate customer service and support?

Positive

What other advice do I have?

It's worth taking the time to figure out how the solution can fit your needs. Sophos satisfies a large number of requirements and gives you unified security. It's something that has become a standard function with all other solutions in the market including with Palo Alto, SonicWall. I think Sophos leads in that space and if you're looking at a unified security function, then I recommend Sophos because of the protection from the endpoint to the gateway. It's a strong and capable system. 

I rate this solution nine out of 10. 

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
Buyer's Guide
Sophos SafeGuard
November 2024
Learn what your peers think about Sophos SafeGuard. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: November 2024.
824,067 professionals have used our research since 2012.
Customer Support Engineer at a computer software company with 11-50 employees
Real User
Beneficial system scanning, effective malware detection, but memory intensive
Pros and Cons
  • "The malware protection and the scanning features are most valuable in this solution."
  • "There are times that this solution takes up too much memory that needs to be resolved. If it is not fixed it will definitely create issues in the future."

What is our primary use case?

We use the solution primarily for email scanning.

What is most valuable?

The malware protection and the scanning features are most valuable in this solution.

What needs improvement?

There are times that this solution takes up too much memory that needs to be resolved. If it is not fixed it will definitely create issues in the future.

In an upcoming release, there should be more reports on the health status of the systems that we could fix, such as memory health, CPU utilization, and CPU health. These types of additions would be a great help.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using the solution for approximately six months.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

I have found the solution to be stable.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The solution has been scalable. Most of my clients are enterprise-size organizations using this solution.

How are customer service and technical support?

Since I have been using the solution I have not had any errors or any issues I would need to contact support about.

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

I have used Trend Micro and Symantec antivirus previously. We have had a lot of issues with Trend Micro antivirus. We were facing so many issues related to the support and integration with some applications. There were times when applications would stop running. The solution also took up too many resources that were impacting the system's performance which is why we needed to move on from that particular antivirus.

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

It would be great if the price of the solution was lower than the current price. If we are to sell this particular solution to smaller businesses and not just enterprise businesses, it needs to be lower.

What other advice do I have?

I rate Sophos SafeGuard a seven out of ten.

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
PeerSpot user
Technical & Pre-Sales Manager at GateLock
Real User
Encrypts files for all operating systems, from the hard disk to USB drives
Pros and Cons
  • "The features that I have found most valuable are encryption tools that encrypt the hard disk and the USB sticks."
  • "The security does not have 100% authentication."

What is our primary use case?

The primary use case for this solution is data encryption and decryption.

How has it helped my organization?

It is giving our customers the capability to encrypting their sensitive data from being breaches by attackers as even if dropped for any reason in them hands it will be encrypted and not useful. 


It is working for too many kinds of data, data in rest, data in use and data in motion. By full disk encryption, file encryption, portable devices encryption and encryption in the cloud. 


With a familiar dashboard and central management it makes the job easier for IT professionals. 


It is also managed through Sophos Central cloud not all features but it's in them road map. 


What is most valuable?

Sophos SafeGuard has one of the most perfect advantages, which is the data keys for encryption.

This solution uses an agent, and the agent is talking with many operating systems. It encrypts on the cloud and on the hard disk.

Even if you want to create it with login access before the Windows boot, it is working for the booting process and you can encrypt files on the mobile and use its agent also.

The features that I have found most valuable are encryption tools that encrypt the hard disk and the USB sticks. The data that is moved and the data at rest need to be encrypted.

They are not using the booting encryption because it creates heavy processing on the work station, and that delays the work. Instead, they have chosen to encrypt files that are in transit, or that are in rest only.

What needs improvement?

The encryption could be improved. If they could find a way to make the encryption and decryption to be the same on the work-stations, it would be better.

Some of the encryption settings have a complex configuration.

Here in Egypt, they don't prioritize the selling of this solution and there is no compliance from the government. There is not enough marketing for this solution. If they give it some priority it will become more familiar to customers. Many of our customers need a solution that uses encryption technology.

The security does not have 100% authentication.

This solution is complex in the development process. Customers are asking for things that are needed in the development and this solution is not easy to develop.

In the next release, I would like to see processing on the appliance and not to install it on any machine. It will be in the network layers and able to communicate with all workstations.

It would be better to have the encryption and decryption processing on the appliance and not on the workstations.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

This is a stable solution.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

This solution is very easy to scale. It does not need any upgrades. You make it to your sizing and keep it to expand with the company's needs, and they can expand it at any time.

How are customer service and technical support?

The technical support is very good, but there are delays at times with the response.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup is straightforward, not complex.

What other advice do I have?

The more customers that use this solution the better it will be in terms of developing or improving the technical issues. It will be an opportunity to have issues resolved as it will give it some importance.

They are progressing and doing some amazing things because Sophos Central is now managing the encryption but not all features.

I would recommend this solution.

I would rate this solution an eight out of ten.

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
Presales Manager at provad
Real User
Good central management of encrypted devices, and strong anti-theft protection against data leakage
Pros and Cons
  • "Policy deployment is easy and quick to do."
  • "Having a DLP integrated with the encryption engine would be very good."

What is our primary use case?

We use this solution for encrypting our laptops.

This is an anti-theft solution because I can even encrypt the boot sector, which means that the user has to enter a password to unlock the operating system. If the laptop is stolen then everything is encrypted.

How has it helped my organization?

This solution helps us to improve security, especially for sensitive data. It helps to prevent the leakage of data from the laptops.

What is most valuable?

This solution allows us to easily manage devices from Sophos Central cloud.

Policy deployment is easy and quick to do.

This solution integrates well with the antivirus solution.

What needs improvement?

I would like to have more control over the files in the Sophos encryption system.

This solution needs to have more data loss prevention techniques. Having a DLP integrated with the encryption engine would be very good.

For how long have I used the solution?

We have been using this solution for about a year.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

This is a stable solution. We have had no issues with it.

This solution is used on a daily basis.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The cloud version is easy to scale. I just add a new license with the number of users. It is already deployed, and there is no more configuration.

We have about ten technical people, including admins, and about seventy-five end-users. As the company grows, so will our use of this solution.

How are customer service and technical support?

The Sophos technical support is very helpful. We can open a chat or email them. They have a knowledge base for all cases of deployment.

Sometimes we have issues that take a long time to solve. They have a lot of teams, so once in a while, we open the case with one person but somebody else completes the ticket. This does not happen for the majority of the time.

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

We did not use another solution prior to this one.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup of this solution depends on the deployment model.

The cloud version is very straightforward to set up. Just select the package you want and send it to the client.

The on-premises version is very complicated. You have to first create the policy, then apply it and integrate your Active Directory, then install it on the machines. It's a very complicated process.

For the on-premises version, it takes about fifteen minutes to deploy after the initial setup and configuration. The initial configuration takes perhaps two days. It involves setting the policies for each of the users. 

What about the implementation team?

Our in-house team performed the implementation. There were five people involved.

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

Licensing for this solution is on a yearly basis. They tell you from day one how much it costs and what features you get. One of the great things about Sophos is if we have any added features that they send out, it will be included in the pricing. The price will not increase.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

We evaluated other encryption solutions and we found that this was the easiest one to use, especially with cloud management.

Another reason that we chose this solution is that it is a standalone package. Kaspersky have an encryption solution, but it is part of a bundle with their endpoint solution. The advantage to standalone is that you can use it even if you don't have any Sophos endpoints. 

What other advice do I have?

We are using the cloud version of this solution because the on-premises version does not have anti-ransomware or machine learning capability.

My advice for anybody who is implementing this solution is to also use the cloud version, rather than the on-premises edition. This is especially true if they have teleworkers or mobile users that are often off-premises.

The security of our data is important. One of our teams has a person who lost their laptop, and the team was not using this solution so it was not encrypted. We consider that to be data leakage.

I would rate this solution an eight out of ten.

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
Head of IT at Digital Oak LTD
Real User
It's a user-friendly solution for protecting our clients' systems from external attacks
Pros and Cons
  • "It's easy to use. You have to pay extra for additional, but the basic product is fantastic. It will be a good solution for you, depending on your requirements."
  • "You have to pay extra for some additional features, like data extraction. It would be nice if everything was available in one bundle."

What is our primary use case?

I use SafeGuard to protect the end-user's system from any external algorithms. Users have to be ready for any attack, whether it's coming from within or outside the network.

What needs improvement?

You have to pay extra for some additional features, like data extraction. It would be nice if everything was available in one bundle.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using Sophos SafeGuard for four years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

SafeGuard is extremely stable.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

SafeGuard is highly scalable.

How are customer service and support?

I rate Sophos support seven out of 10. Sometimes, it takes them time to respond.

How would you rate customer service and support?

Neutral

How was the initial setup?

Setting up SafeGuard is straightforward except the bandwidth and sync. It takes around five minutes to deploy one module, depending on your network environment. Sometimes, a client needs a strictly on-premises deployment instead of on the cloud. 

What about the implementation team?

I performed the installation by myself. 

What other advice do I have?

I rate Sophos SafeGuard 10 out of 10. It's easy to use. You have to pay extra for additional, but the basic product is fantastic. It will be a good solution for you, depending on your requirements.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

Public Cloud
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
System Administrator at GeoEnpro Petroleum Ltd
Real User
Good protection, stable, scalable, and the support is helpful
Pros and Cons
  • "It's the best solution on the market."
  • "It's a good product, but some are not happy with the boot BCN, and the point-to-point VPN requires the best protection."

What is our primary use case?

We use this solution to protect our devices in a data center environment.

What is most valuable?

The most valuable feature of this solution is the protection. It offers many different areas of protection such as trade and virus protection.

It's the best solution on the market.

What needs improvement?

It's a good product, but some are not happy with the boot BCN, and the point-to-point VPN requires the best protection. Better internet protection is required.

For how long have I used the solution?

We are currently using Sophos XG 210.21 but it expires in August, so we are looking at the Next-Generation Firewall.

We are using the latest version of SafeGuard.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

It's a stable solution. We have no issues with stability.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

We can expand the product when we have the requirements to do so. For now, we have not explored this area.

We have 150 users in various roles using this solution in our organization.

How are customer service and technical support?

The technical support is great. They are very good, and helpful.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup was complex.

It took two months to deploy.

What about the implementation team?

Initially, we started to implement this solution but required some help from support.

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

Licensing is on a yearly basis and the pricing could be better.

What other advice do I have?

I would recommend this solution to others because it's a very good product.

We are satisfied with SafeGuard and I would rate it a ten 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:
PeerSpot user
Project Manager at a tech services company with 11-50 employees
Real User
Secures the network, defends it from attacks, and is easy to install
Pros and Cons
  • "The Intercept X feature is the most valuable feature. You can't find this feature in other firewalls because Intercept X works as if it has an interaction between the endpoint and the firewall."
  • "Sophos SafeGuard is a German product. Sophos isn't really active in Europe. The Middle East, Africa, South Africa works with Sophos but their primary users aren't in Europe. They should market and push this solution to the European market."

What is our primary use case?

Our primary use case of this solution is for security and VPN connection.

The uses can vary per customer. For example, one customer wanted to protect their network, with VPN connectivity. Sophos has good features that customers know and like. It is also less expensive than other firewalls. Other customers, for example, wanted to publish their websites and their servers. They wanted to protect their servers and publish them on the internet. Another customer needs to have security because they were attacked by ransomware. 

What is most valuable?

The Intercept X feature is the most valuable feature. You can't find this feature in other firewalls because Intercept X works as if it has an interaction between the endpoint and the firewall. It makes a connection between the endpoint protection and the firewall. If Intercept X finds some behavior that's not right, it separates it and it secures the network to defend it from this attack. This is a good feature and development that Sophos implemented around five years ago.

What needs improvement?

Sophos SafeGuard is a German product. Sophos isn't really active in Europe. The Middle East, Africa, South Africa works with Sophos but their primary users aren't in Europe. They should market and push this solution to the European market. 

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using this solution for four years. It's been at my company for around eight years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

This product is stable but we have had some complaints from other customers. There is a loop on the internet. Once we deploy Sophos in our topology or in our infrastructure, the behavior or their action creates a loop on the internet. Otherwise, it's easy to install and offers good security.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

It is very scalable. If you compare the price of Sophos to Fortinet or Cisco, it's as expensive. 

How are customer service and technical support?

I would rate their technical support eight out of ten. There's a bit of a delay in their response time to tickets. 

How was the initial setup?

The setup is very easy because you just need to make the arrangements for your interfaces and your network port. After that, you can make your policy and can publish the servers. You might need more technical support for the security and for the firewall. If you come from an advanced organization, it might be more difficult and not as easy at first.

The amount of time it will take will vary per customer. If they ask for network protection features it will take, for example, a maximum of one hour. But if your customer has a topology in his network and he needs to make certain policies and synchronization with Active Directory, that will take time. The deployment can take a few days. It depends on the customer. 

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

The licensing costs depend on the series. For example, XG 85 can be around $200. If you go to ACC or to a four or five-year enterprise solution, you will find these devices can cost $10,000. It depends on the series. 

What other advice do I have?

Working with this solution will depend on your budget. If you purchase Sophos your data and your network will be secured. It's not more expensive than similar products. I recommend going with Sophos. 

I would rate Sophos a 7.5 out of ten because there are better firewalls out there. 

Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: Partner.
PeerSpot user
Buyer's Guide
Download our free Sophos SafeGuard Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions.
Updated: November 2024
Buyer's Guide
Download our free Sophos SafeGuard Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions.