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Md. Shirajur Rahman Akash - PeerSpot reviewer
Branch Manager at Shakti Foundation
Real User
Top 10
Helpful support, secure, and user-friendly
Pros and Cons
  • "The most valuable features of Sophos XG are user-friendliness and it is highly secure."
  • "Sophos XG could improve by making the remote access and VPN better."

What is most valuable?

The most valuable features of Sophos XG are user-friendliness and it is highly secure.

What needs improvement?

Sophos XG could improve by making the remote access and VPN better.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have used Sophos XG within the last 12 months.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

Sophos XG is a stable solution.

Buyer's Guide
Sophos XG
November 2024
Learn what your peers think about Sophos XG. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: November 2024.
824,053 professionals have used our research since 2012.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The scalability of the solution is good. We have approximately 4,000 concurrent users.

How are customer service and support?

The Sophos XG technical support we receive from our local vendor, they are very helpful.

What other advice do I have?

I would recommend this solution to others. I have recommended it to many organizations already. I have had a very good experience with the Sophos XG.

I rate Sophos XG an eight out of ten.

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
reviewer915126 - PeerSpot reviewer
Tech Doctor at a recruiting/HR firm with 11-50 employees
Real User
Easy to manage, reasonable price, and very stable
Pros and Cons
  • "Compared to other firewalls that I had looked at, I thought Sophos was the better solution. It just seems to be easier to manage versus Cisco, Fortinet, or one of the other options I was looking at."
  • "I'm just a sole proprietor for IT support, and from my perspective, there could be better ways to educate a proprietor, such as myself, on how to set it up, and program it, and manage it. They do tend to have support, but a lot of times, it is for larger networks. I need something that is simpler and more rudimentary as to how to go about setting up and configuring the firewall, setting up the rules, and that type of thing. So, if there is a missing component there, that would be it."

What is our primary use case?

I implemented this firewall for my clients. They're small offices. One has got half a dozen computers, and the other one has about 30 computers on the network. Both utilize VPN to remotely access their workstations in the office.

It is sized based on the client. So, there are actually two different versions that I've utilized.

How has it helped my organization?

VPN setup is great and easy to implement for outside users to access data or workstations in the network.  Easy to manage and set up.  No major glitches.  Runs reliably.   Setting up iPhones and Macs is a bit more involved since you have to use VPN apps that are compatible with Apple for VPN and remote desktop.

What is most valuable?

Compared to other firewalls that I had looked at, I thought Sophos was the better solution. It just seems to be easier to manage versus Cisco, Fortinet, or one of the other options I was looking at.

I'm not going to say that it's easy to configure, but I can understand how to configure it. There is a certain amount of support available to do the configurations. 

What needs improvement?

I'm just a sole proprietor for IT support, and from my perspective, there could be better ways to educate a proprietor, such as myself, on how to set it up, program it, and manage it. They do tend to have support, but a lot of times, it is for larger networks. I need something simpler and more rudimentary to set up and configure the firewall, set up the rules, and that type of thing. So, if there is a missing component there, that would be it. 

Any firewall will need rules for how it protects the network against a variety of threats or various degrees of protection.  My comments are not aimed at Sophos specifically.  As a new person just learning about firewall protection, it would be helpful for any vendor to have an education area that runs through various scenarios and implements them in the firewall.  Videos would be helpful.  From my initial research on which firewall to choose,  Sophos appeared to have the most straightforward interface. 

I purchased the units from www.firewalls.com, and they worked with me to do the initial setup.  That was very helpful to get started

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using Sophos XG for 4 years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

It is very stable.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

It is scalable. There are different models, and you really need to choose a model that is appropriate for your current situation. You can buy something with a certain degree of scalability. Because I purchased it through firewalls.com, I was able to have that discussion, describe the application, and then choose a model that would suit that particular client with a degree of scalability. Now, for instance, if they went from 20 employees to 500 employees, then it is not scalable to that degree, but if they went from 20 employees to 50 employees, then it would be scalable. So, you've got to define the criteria in terms of what you're trying to protect, the number of users, the bandwidth that is going through it, the speed, etc. When I purchased them through firewalls.com, they explained and helped me choose the most appropriate appliance for what I'm doing.

How are customer service and support?

I did have a circumstance where the firewall had been damaged during a lightning storm or something like that, and I called them to help me diagnose what the issue was. They were good about the diagnostic. They were good about spending the time with me to figure out what was wrong. In the particular case that I was researching, it turned out that one of the ports was bad for some reason. It was either because of the lightning storm or some other reason. It was under warranty, and they replaced it with a new unit. So, I'm satisfied with Sophos' support.

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

Previously used a small $100 cisco unit.  Not easy to implement VPN.  They may have an app, now, but at the time it was problematic and way too  complicated. 

How was the initial setup?

I purchased it through firewalls.com. They're an online vendor, and they did the initial setup and configuration on both firewalls. My experience with them was good.

What about the implementation team?

I used firewalls.com and they were excellent

What was our ROI?

Fewer management headaches

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

The pricing was reasonable.  VPN licensing is included.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

I looked at Cisco, Fortinet, and one of the others, and compared to them, I thought Sophos was the better solution. It seemed to be easier to manage. After the implementation, I could figure out what to do with a Sophos interface. If it was something like Cisco or other vendors, it would be far more complicated to deal with. So, that's one of the reasons why I chose Sophos.

What other advice do I have?

For someone who is not acquainted with firewalls, whether it is Sophos or anything else, dealing with a third party for the implementation is kind of a must. 

I am satisfied with this solution. I don't really have any hands-on experience with other firewalls that I can compare it against, but I'm satisfied with it. I like it, and I'd buy it again.

I would rate Sophos XG a 10 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 XG
November 2024
Learn what your peers think about Sophos XG. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: November 2024.
824,053 professionals have used our research since 2012.
Muhammad_Irfan - PeerSpot reviewer
Sr. Network Administrator at ACMC
Real User
Top 5
Friendly, dependable, scalable, and simple to migrate
Pros and Cons
  • "The performance is good."
  • "Sophos XG does not have the ability to disconnect a user."

What is most valuable?

Sophos XG is very good.

It's very friendly.

The performance is good.

What needs improvement?

The reporting could be improved.

Many other firewalls give you the option to disconnect a user. For example, if an end-user is using too much bandwidth, you could right-click to disconnect this user, but Sophos XG does not support this feature.

Sophos XG does not have the ability to disconnect a user.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using Sophos XG for one and a half years.

We are using the latest version.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The stability of Sophos XG is great!

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

Sophos XG is scalable.

We have approximately 120 users in our organization who are using this solution.

How are customer service and technical support?

We have never contacted the technical support for Sophos. Once or twice we called the local support but not for Sophos.

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

Previously we used Cyberoam. When they announced the end of life we switched to Sophos XG.

It was upgraded because it had reached the end of its life. We only had one option for upgrading to Sophos XG. They gave us the option to upgrade and provided us with the hardware for free.

How was the initial setup?

We migrated from Cyberoam. The migration went very well.

The migration process did not require a lot of configuration.

It took a few days to complete the migration and the testing.

This solution is being managed by myself and a colleague. We are a team of two.

What about the implementation team?

We were able to complete the migration ourselves.

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

They have different options for the license.

We paid for three years which included the migration and the free hardware.

In most cases, I believe that the licensing is paid yearly.

What other advice do I have?

I don't have any issues with this solution. I would recommend this solution for others who are interested in using it.

I would rate Sophos XG an eight 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
KhalidOmer - PeerSpot reviewer
Data Center Engineer at a retailer with 5,001-10,000 employees
Real User
Top 5
Good pricing, has helpful technical support, and offers good stability
Pros and Cons
  • "We found the initial setup to be straightforward."
  • "The VPN device could be improved upon."

What is most valuable?

The solution has a variety of very good, very useful features. We take advantage of a lot of them.

The initial setup isn't overly difficult.

The stability is good.

We found the initial setup to be straightforward.

Technical support is helpful.

The pricing is reasonable.

What needs improvement?

The VPN device could be improved upon.

The firewalls could be strengthened.

The solution could be more scalable.

For how long have I used the solution?

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

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The solution is very stable. We haven't dealt with bugs or glitches and it doesn't crash or freeze. It's pretty reliable.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

I wouldn't describe the solution as overly scalable. It's limited.

We have 100 to 150 users on the product currently.

How are customer service and technical support?

Technical support has been oaky. When we have needed them, they have been helpful and responsive. We're satisfied with the level of support we receive.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup was okay. It wasn't too complicated or difficult. It was pretty straightforward overall.

We have ten to 20 people on staff that can handle deployment and maintenance. We look at the solution monthly to see if there's anything we have to do.

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

We find the pricing to be reasonable. It's not too expensive.

We purchase a new license every three years.

I can't speak to the exact pricing of the product, however.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

We're satisfied with this solution currently. We aren't evaluating any others or looking for a replacement. 

What other advice do I have?

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

I'd rate the solution at a nine out of ten.

I prefer the advanced Sophos models. they are reliable and work well for us.

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
IT Manager at Thyme IT
Real User
A rock-solid and sensible product that works very well, comes at a fair price, and requires minimal handling
Pros and Cons
  • "There are many features. VPN, firewalling, and intrusion detection are the main features that are most useful for us at this time."
  • "Their support is fairly good, and they come back to me. I've had an issue once or twice where I couldn't understand what the support person was saying because those calls were probably routed to India. They were a bit difficult to understand, but it is generally not an issue."

What is our primary use case?

We use it for firewalling. Lately, we are also using it for remote access or VPN access for the users to the firewall and then onto the local network for people working from home. We've seen a huge jump in work from home. Everybody is working from home, so we need a secure connection to the office.

I am not using its latest version. I normally wait for a couple of months before upgrading the unit to make sure there are no bugs or issues. I check on the forums to see what other people are saying and whether there are any issues. 

What is most valuable?

There are many features. VPN, firewalling, and intrusion detection are the main features that are most useful for us at this time.

What needs improvement?

Their support is fairly good, and they come back to me. I've had an issue once or twice where I couldn't understand what the support person was saying because those calls were probably routed to India. They were a bit difficult to understand, but it is generally not an issue.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using this solution for seven years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

It is stable. We've been dealing with it for such a long time. We know exactly how to set it up. Sometimes, clients have got funny ideas, and I just say to them, "You tell me what you need, and I'll do the config and set it up." I've got two clients who have got technical skills. One of them is fairly proficient on Sophos, so he does the work as well, but for most of our other clients, we set it up, and there are no issues. It just works.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

It is scalable provided you purchase the correct product. We do a bit of homework. We don't just sell you the first device on the list because that's not always suitable. We do a scope of the client's business. They may be a startup with just five users, but they might have a plan to have 100 or 200 users. We need to just size according to what they anticipate to be. It is no good if we sell them an entry-level device now, and two months later, it is too small. We purchase according to a client's requirements.

We've got clients with four users, and the number can go up to hundreds. I'm currently busy setting one up for 150 users, and obviously, there is much more work involved in doing the remote VPN setups.

How are customer service and technical support?

I use the local support in South Africa. If they can't help me, then I log a case with their international support. They're fairly good, and they come back to me. 

I've had an issue once or twice where I couldn't understand what the support person was saying because those calls were probably routed to India. They were a bit difficult to understand. They spoke so fast, and I could not hear what they were saying, but it is generally not an issue. It is not a showstopper, and we manage to work. If I don't understand, I say to them, "Can we rather chat by email?", which makes it a lot easier.

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

There some other firewalls that my company is using, but they're way below in terms of specs and what they can do. Sophos XG is a layer 7 firewall, and most of the others are only layer 2 firewalls. Sophos is far superior. 

I do not have any knowledge about Cisco, Juniper, or other firewalls. I don't really use them. I use some open-source firewalls, but they're also a lot lighter. I've got one or two very small clients or non-profits where we run an open-source firewall, but the feature set is way limited compared to Sophos.

Sophos XG comes in at a fair price as compared to some of the other products out there. Its learning curve wasn't that steep. It makes sense, and it is a sensible product. It is not like some of the other products.

How was the initial setup?

It is simple for me. I've done so many setups. I can probably do these things in my sleep. In fact, I have got one in front of me now that I need to configure and install. I'm fairly proficient in the use of these devices. I'm happy with it.

The deployment duration depends on the setup. Some simple setups can be up and running within two hours. Complex ones most probably will take four to six hours. It also depends on the client's needs. Some of them have simple requirements, and they just want firewalling and one or two remote-access VPNs. Others have got a complex setup where we need to set up cameras and VoIP telephone systems. It all depends on a client's requirements.

It doesn't require any maintenance because the definitions are auto-updated. I've got a dashboard where I can manage all of the firewall devices from one dashboard. If I want to upgrade the software on 20 of them, I'll log onto the dashboard and upgrade the software just by selecting it and saying upgrade the software, and it is done. It requires very minimal handling on a day-to-day basis. Antivirus definitions, scanning definitions, and all those things are auto-updated anyway.

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

It comes at a fair price as compared to some of the other products out there. Its price is in the middle. It is not the cheapest, and it is also not as expensive as Juniper, Check Point, and definitely Cisco. Nowadays, everybody is very cost-sensitive, and people don't want to spend unnecessary money, but even before that, it was a fairly priced product.

You've got your choice of what license you want. There are basically two types of licenses, and it depends on what you need to do, and everything is included in that license. There is no cost for VPN and DMZ. You purchase the license, and you know upfront what you're getting or what you're not getting, and that's it. It is one license fee and done and dusted.

What other advice do I have?

I would definitely recommend this solution to others. I recommend it to all my clients. I'm using it at home as well, and it works great. I'm fairly proficient in it, so I'm very confident. I can recommend it to anybody and everybody. It is a great product, and I've got no issue with it.

I would rate Sophos XG a ten out of ten. It is a rock-solid product that works. We've so many deployments of this solution. I'm just happy with it. 

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
CTO at Kingsway Hospitals
Real User
The great interface and security are key features
Pros and Cons
  • "Good security and a good interface."
  • "Content filtering could be more effective and efficient."

What is our primary use case?

I'm the CTO of our company and we are customers of Sophos. 

What is most valuable?

I've found that the valuable features are the interface and the security, both are really great. 

What needs improvement?

The security of the solution could be improved by making it more intuitive and it should have a background reputation service for classification of websites for content filtering. It's a service which defines the type of websites enabling me to do my content filtering in a much more effective and efficient way.

They really need to include some kind of a client app for mobiles so that firewalls and all the metrics can be accessed directly on the phone; some kind of administrative application on the phone, maybe on an iOS or Android.

For how long have I used the solution?

I've been using this solution for over four years. 

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

This is a stable solution, it's a nice robust firewall. We love using it. 

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The solution is scalable, we have around 700 end users and 10 technical people on staff. 

How are customer service and technical support?

We are satisfied with the technical support but having said that, we didn't need much support because the menus and all the online documentation is self-explanatory. There was no failure so we didn't have to actually log a call with Sophos. 

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

We didn't previously use another solution before implementing Sophos. We chose it by specification and the reputation it has in the market.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup was a little complex because of the kind of configuration that we were looking at, the way the firewall had to be configured was slightly complex. We carried out the implementation ourselves and it took a maximum two days. 

What other advice do I have?

I would recommend this solution but would suggest that before buying any firewall, it's important to assess your expectations and then match it with the specification. You will not be disappointed if you do this.

I would rate this solution a nine 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
reviewer1192233 - PeerSpot reviewer
Information Systems Infrastructure Manager at a comms service provider with 1,001-5,000 employees
Reseller
Local support and good training, but the wireless controller and scalability can be better
Pros and Cons
  • "I like the firewall, inbound, and outbound modules the most. The VPN feature also works well. It is very easy to configure rules in Sophos XG. We have got local service here in Zimbabwe from Sophos, which is something that I like a lot. We have got good local support, and they come on-site when we have any challenges. Sophos provides a lot of good training all around Zimbabwe. They are quite dominant here, similar to other solutions like Fortinet or WatchGuard."
  • "When you are using it as a controller for the wireless access points, it doesn't perform well. It is not suitable for the public cloud. It is more suitable for enterprise data. It is not really the equipment for cloud data centers. I am looking for a data center firewall."

What is our primary use case?

I am using it for unified management.

What is most valuable?

I like the firewall, inbound, and outbound modules the most. The VPN feature also works well. It is very easy to configure rules in Sophos XG.

We have got local service here in Zimbabwe from Sophos, which is something that I like a lot. We have got good local support, and they come on-site when we have any challenges.

Sophos provides a lot of good training all around Zimbabwe. They are quite dominant here, similar to other solutions like Fortinet or WatchGuard.

What needs improvement?

When you are using it as a controller for the wireless access points, it doesn't perform well.

It is not suitable for the public cloud. It is more suitable for enterprise data. It is not really the equipment for cloud data centers. I am looking for a data center firewall.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using Sophos XG for more than five years. I started with Cyberoam, which was bought by Sophos.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

It is stable. I have managed to secure my network. It has been good so far.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

It is not so scalable. If you want to upgrade, you have to buy another appliance. I don't see so much scalability. You can only change a port from 1 gigabit to 10 gigabits. There are other solutions like Fortinet that are more scalable.

How are customer service and technical support?

Their support is good. We get local support from them.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup is straightforward. The deployment took two days.

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

The pricing is flexible. Sophos looks at a country's economy and offers flexible pricing. This is how they have managed to penetrate the market.

What other advice do I have?

I would definitely recommend it. It has good support and training.

I would rate Sophos XG 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
Real User
User-friendly, good load-balancing functionality, and it's easy to manage
Pros and Cons
  • "The interface is very user-friendly and it's easy to manage."
  • "All of the options should be available when I renew my subscription for the year. As it is now, there are some limitations."

What is our primary use case?

We are a digital design agency. We offer services such as website design and development, mobile applications, and more. We use Sophos XG to protect our network. It is also used for reporting and load-balancing.

What is most valuable?

The interface is very user-friendly and it's easy to manage.

The load-balancing capabilities are good.

What needs improvement?

All of the options should be available when I renew my subscription for the year. As it is now, there are some limitations.

For how long have I used the solution?

We have been using Sophos XG for between two and three years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

This is a stable product and we use it on a daily basis.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

I have not tried to scale this product.

How are customer service and support?

I have not had issues that required contacting technical support.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup is simple. It takes approximately one hour to install, create the policies, and deploy.

What about the implementation team?

I deployed it myself.

If there are any issues then I can fix them because I have the expertise.

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

The subscription costs approximately $300 yearly. I am satisfied with the price.

What other advice do I have?

Feature-wise, this is a good product.

I would rate this solution an eight 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
Buyer's Guide
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Updated: November 2024
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Buyer's Guide
Download our free Sophos XG Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions.