The most valuable features of Sophos XG are user-friendliness and it is highly secure.
Branch Manager at Shakti Foundation
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?
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.
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Sophos XG
October 2024
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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.
Sr. Network Administrator at ACMC
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.
Buyer's Guide
Sophos XG
October 2024
Learn what your peers think about Sophos XG. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: October 2024.
816,406 professionals have used our research since 2012.
Data Center Engineer at a retailer with 5,001-10,000 employees
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.
IT Manager at Thyme IT
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
CTO at Kingsway Hospitals
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.
Information Systems Infrastructure Manager at a comms service provider with 1,001-5,000 employees
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
Director
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.
Network Administrator at chegus infotech
Offers VPN functionality, has good monitoring capabilities, and IPS filtering helps secure our network
Pros and Cons
- "Over the past two years, during the COVID pandemic, the VPN has helped us a lot."
- "The interface can bit a bit more user-friendly."
What is our primary use case?
I use this product for my VPN. It links site-to-site between us and my client's VPN.
All of the users have a unique ID that they use to connect to the VPN.
The product also does site blocking based on the category of the website that the users are trying to access.
I can also use it to monitor all of the users' activities.
We use this in our physical environment.
How has it helped my organization?
During the pandemic, this product helped our employees connect with the office network. Security-wise, it provides IPS filtering, which is also quite benefiticial.
What is most valuable?
The most valuable feature is the VPN. Over the past two years, during the COVID pandemic, the VPN has helped us a lot. All of the users are able to connect with our office network using their own devices.
What needs improvement?
The interface can bit a bit more user-friendly. For me, it's still user-friendly and I don't find it difficult to use. However, the configuration should be more user-based. As an example, IPSec is complex and a little bit difficult to configure. If it were more like Microsoft Azure and the way their online configuration works, it would be an improvement. As it is now, I have all of the settings inside the device, so I can clone them and use them for customers. But, on the customer's side, it is difficult for people to understand.
Our Wi-Fi network is not working as well as expected.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been working with Sophos XG since December 2019.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
This is a product that we use every day. Without it, it is very difficult for us to work. I really like the reliability and the performance of the Sophos device, but I'm facing a few issues with my Wi-Fi networks. This device supports the Wi-Fi network, but it's not quite as good as we expected. I'm not sure why it is not working so well for me.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
This is quite a reliable device, even as we scale it. We have fewer than 35 people in the company that uses it.
How are customer service and support?
It has been a very long time since I have contacted Sophos technical support. It was very difficult to get connected with customer service. Finally, after reaching customer care, which was handled by Cyberoam, they helped me out and fixed whatever issue I was facing.
My customer care team is not in India, and this is something that we expected to have.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
Prior to Sophos XG, I was using the Cyberoam product. Cyberoam was acquired by Sophos. Aside from this, I don't have much experience with other providers.
How was the initial setup?
It is not complex to set up. Initially, it is a simple configuration but they should have default profiles available. For example, many companies only need a generic configuration. Even if it's just a static IP to get them started and then they can assign a default profile for all of the users inside the company.
Our initial deployment took between two and three days to complete. This included deploying a new server. In advance of beginning deployment, we spent one day gathering requirements. The Sophos part of the deployment only took between three and four hours.
What about the implementation team?
The initial deployment was done by the vendor and me together. We had an integrator to set up the rack, and they supplied us with Sophos. Most of the configuration was done by me because the integrator did not have enough time.
I also take care of the maintenance including the patching and updating. One person is enough for this. I used to have an assistant but now, I'm the only person that takes care of it.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The price of this product is fine for me. For example, there are open-source solutions available on the market, but I trust Sophos. I know the vendors in India and I trust the product.
I paid approximately 57,000 Rupees ($750 USD) for three years.
What other advice do I have?
Personally, I like this product and I like the vendor. The platform is very good and apart from the wireless interface issue that I am having, working with this product has been a very good experience.
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.
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Updated: October 2024
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