I use Sophos XG as a network firewall.
Founder and Managing Partner at a tech services company with 1-10 employees
Powerful, simple implementation, useful update scheduling
Pros and Cons
- "What I have found most valuable with the Sophos XG is it's a key component of the Intercept X EDR environment. You have to have it to receive the full benefit. If you've you are using Sophos SG firewalls, they're great firewalls and in many ways, I prefer them to the Sophos XG. Since I have set them up, programmed them, and manipulate firewall rules, et cetera, the Sophos SG's a better interface. However, the Sophos XG's very powerful. I prefer it over other solutions I have used, such as Cisco Meraki and SupportNet, I don't like them. They're not very friendly to people who have to set them up and implement them."
- "The interface of Sophos XG could be improved. I would prefer the Sophos XG to have an interface for the technician who is setting it up similar to the Sophos SG. I felt the Sophos SG user interface was superior. however, in terms of the functionality of the product, Sophos XG is in many ways more powerful than the Sophos SG. I have no complaints about the quality of the product or the end result. For someone who has used both, I preferred the old interface to the new one."
What is our primary use case?
What is most valuable?
What I have found most valuable with the Sophos XG is it's a key component of the Intercept X EDR environment. You have to have it to receive the full benefit. If you've you are using Sophos SG firewalls, they're great firewalls and in many ways, I prefer them to the Sophos XG. Since I have set them up, programmed them, and manipulate firewall rules, et cetera, the Sophos SG's a better interface. However, the Sophos XG's very powerful. I prefer it over other solutions I have used, such as Cisco Meraki and SupportNet, I don't like them. They're not very friendly to people who have to set them up and implement them.
What needs improvement?
The interface of Sophos XG could be improved. I would prefer the Sophos XG to have an interface for the technician who is setting it up similar to the Sophos SG. I felt the Sophos SG user interface was superior. however, in terms of the functionality of the product, Sophos XG is in many ways more powerful than the Sophos SG. I have no complaints about the quality of the product or the end result. For someone who has used both, I preferred the old interface to the new one.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have used Sophos XG within the last 12 months.
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What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The stability is what I have found attractive with the whole Sophos product line. You can have a client that starts with a three-person office and grow it to a 10,000 person operation and you keep moving the configuration to the next level of power.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I have used Cisco Meraki and SupportNet solutions previously.
How was the initial setup?
Sophos XG is a better solution for implementers, once you learn it. You have to learn the interface and once you do, it's straightforward. Additionally, you don't have to know the CLI as you do with Cisco, where you have to get into the command-line interface to do any powerful operations.
What about the implementation team?
Maintenance for Sophos XG it's pretty straightforward. I will receive an email if there's a firmware update that needs to be applied and any one of my team, or I will apply the update at our next convenience. You can schedule it to allow it to take place at a non-production time. For example, if I want the firmware update to apply it at 2:00 am in the morning I can schedule it. Additionally, it automatically applies pattern updates.
What other advice do I have?
I rate Sophos XG an eight out of ten.
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: Partner
Network Administrator at Alsafy
It protects against attacks, is simple to install, and has good technical support, but it could be more secure
Pros and Cons
- "Sophos XG is very useful, it does many things."
- "While it is a secure solution, I believe it could be improved."
What is our primary use case?
Sophos XG is used to handle my network and traffic.
It can control our employees' network behavior and prevent many attacks and other threats from outside of our company.
What is most valuable?
Sophos XG is very useful, it does many things.
It is secure.
What needs improvement?
While it is a secure solution, I believe it could be improved.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Sophos XG for almost one year.
We received the latest update one or two months back and it was great.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The stability is good.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Sophos XG is scalable.
We have 1,000 internal employees and nearly 4,000 external employees. However, Sophos Firewall only operates within an internal network or within a single company, so is used for nearly 1,000.
We plan to increase the usage in the future.
How are customer service and support?
We communicate with support frequently. Many times, we encountered hardware technical issues in the previous version, and they replaced the device for us. We have contacted them numerous times for this purpose. They resolved this issue for us.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is straightforward.
We have IT teams and managers, to help maintain this solution.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
Licensing fees are paid monthly.
What other advice do I have?
I would recommend this solution to others who are interested in using it.
I would rate Sophos XG 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.
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.
Chief-Information-Technology-Officer at ABIG
Good Protection, scales well, and is easy to setup
Pros and Cons
- "Web publishing is important, as well as the importance of the antivirus patch."
- "Our clients use Karios, and while it integrates well with it, the integration could be improved."
What is our primary use case?
We use this solution for VPN, client VPN, malware filtering, and antivirus scanning.
How has it helped my organization?
It has definitely improved the way our organization functions. Previously only using free tools, and once we started using Sophos XG, the number of threats dropped dramatically. We had a lot of threats to our network, but they have dramatically decreased since we started using this solution.
What is most valuable?
All of the features in Sophos XG are valuable.
Web publishing is important, as well as the importance of the antivirus patch.
The firewall is also essential, and the VPN.
What needs improvement?
Our clients use Karios, and while it integrates well with it, the integration could be improved.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Sophos XG for three years.
We are using the XG version.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
We encountered an issue with the hardware when we first purchased this solution. We called Sophos, who replaced the device, and we have not had any issues since.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
We have no issues with the scalability of Sophos XG.
In our organization, we have 150 users, and all are required to maintain this solution.
We don't have plans to increase the usage at this time.
How are customer service and support?
We have not really used technical support. If we have an issue, we resolve it ourselves.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
Previously, we were using older versions of Microsoft. We used it for almost 10 years before switching to Sophos.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup was easy.
We completed the installation ourselves. I took a maximum of two weeks.
What was our ROI?
I have not calculated our ROI.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
We have a three-year license.
What other advice do I have?
I am the Chief IT Officer. I don't have all of the technical details of this product. We have technical staff who use this solution for their daily routines and activities.
It's a very good product. 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.
PPC at EMMVEE Photovoltaic Power Private Limited
Offers good traffic control, has an easy setup, and is stable
Pros and Cons
- "The updates are helpful and add to the solution in a positive way."
- "The pricing has gotten much higher."
What is our primary use case?
We primarily use the solution for gateway purposes, in order to provide us with gateway security.
What is most valuable?
The product is good in terms of routing multiple ISP Internet and also it's good in internet traffic control.
The updates are helpful and add to the solution in a positive way.
The initial setup is simple.
The solution is stable.
For the most part, you can easily scale the solution.
What needs improvement?
I'm not seeing any such things that require any improvement. It's good. From time to time, some updates will come through. It's meeting our requirements right now.
The pricing has gotten much higher.
For how long have I used the solution?
We've been using the solution for three years. It's been a while now.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The stability and performance are excellent. There are no bugs or glitches. It doesn't crash or freeze. It's very reliable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
We have 50 users spread across three devices.
The solution, in terms of scalability, has its limitations, of course. Scalability in the sense of if I want to add more ISPs all depends upon my port availability. Transitions and migrations are fine and doable. I don't find any challenges there.
How are customer service and support?
Technical support from Sophos has been brilliant. We deal with them on any L3 issues and they are always helpful.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is very straightforward and simple. it's not overly complex or difficult.
The deployment was quick and took maybe one day.
In terms of maintenance requirements, We have an L1 technical person who will take care of all the routine maintenance of the firewall, and we also have L2 support with the vendor. We have an L3 support from the Sophos team itself.
What about the implementation team?
We did the implementation with the assistance of a vendor. We did not completely handle it ourselves.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
While, at first, the pricing was very good, it's since crept up. Now, upon renewal, it's pretty high. They've increased the costs.
Currently, we have three devices that are similar. Only the capacity varies.
What other advice do I have?
I'm a customer and an end-user. I don't have a business relationship with Sophos.
I'd recommend the solution to other users and organizations. I'd rate it at a ten out of ten. it's the best.
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.
Sr Information technology consultant at onkar international pvt ltd
Scalable, simple the set up and easy to understand
Pros and Cons
- "The product offers many great features."
- "When upgrading the firewalls, the process could be easier."
What is our primary use case?
The solution is mostly used for setting up a firewall and policies.
What is most valuable?
The solution is very easy to understand.
It's simple to set up the firewall and policies. Setting rules is very easy on Sophos as compared to other solutions.
The product offers many great features.
Technical support is very good.
The initial setup is easy.
We have found the solution to be very stable.
A company can easily scale the product if they need to.
What needs improvement?
When upgrading the firewalls, the process could be easier.
While we do have network control, we don't have network monitoring. If I have 200 nodes and I want to see what's happening, I don't have visibility, especially if people are working remotely.
If we could control roaming users through the firewalls and make it so that it's more of a complete security solution, which we prefer, that would be ideal. If we have to install some clients on these machines, that's fine. The only concern is the DLP. We want to protect our data from being stolen. We'd also like to monitor activities from the perspective of productivity. We want to be able to track and calculate what users are doing on their machines.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've been using the solution for more than ten years.
Earlier, Sophos was known as Cyberoam, Before that, I use Cyberoam and now this has turned into Sophos.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The stability is very good. It does not crash or freeze. There are no bugs or glitches. the solution is reliable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The level of scalability depends on the box. We do have the option to scale if we need to.
How are customer service and technical support?
I have found the technical support to be very helpful and responsive. I am pleased with the level of support I can get. They always provide proper solutions to all issues, whatever we face.
How was the initial setup?
It is not difficult to set up the solution. One ISP, internet service provider, is required, and that is sufficient. If you do have a landline, some switches are available, and we can add to that a firewall. That is secondary. However, the initial requirement is nothing. It is just a plug-and-play setup that is very straightforward.
What about the implementation team?
We had a vendor assist us with the installation.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
There's no additional cost for installation. The provider from which we purchased, the vendor, himself arranged all installation and configuration. They helped us. However, even through customer care, a company can ask for assistance.
What other advice do I have?
I'm not providing any services. I'm using the product as a customer only. The company, one day, would like to become a partner, however.
I would recommend the solution to other companies.
I would rate the solution at a seven out of ten, specifically if I compare it to other options on the market. It's pretty good.
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
IT Advisor at Silopor SA
Easy to use, easy to install, and easy to monitor
Pros and Cons
- "It is very easy to use. You can configure and monitor everything from one unique dashboard."
- "Its price should be improved. It should be cheaper."
What is our primary use case?
We use it for the protection of our network. We also have a product from Sophos for ransomware protection using which we are able to protect our network from ransomware. All of our solutions are from Sophos, and we have everything integrated.
What is most valuable?
We can define which systems can be accessed from outside of our company. We can define the connection rules for inside and outside of the company. It is easy to implement or modify rules.
It is very easy to use. You can configure and monitor everything from one unique dashboard. It is also easy to install.
What needs improvement?
Its price should be improved. It should be cheaper.
In terms of features, I am happy, and I don't need more features. The firewall is perfect, but the antivirus could be better. It would be useful if the antivirus was less heavy and had better performance.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using this solution for two years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
It is stable. We receive the updates online. They provide the updates at a good frequency.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
It is scalable to a limit. If the size of the network grows, you will have to buy new equipment. If you need just a few more connections, you will able to work with the existing system.
Currently, we have 16 users who are using it. We don't have any plans to increase its usage because our company is in liquidation. If the government decides, we can have more projects, but, as of now, we are in liquidation. We are keeping things working for now, and we plan to keep using this solution, but there are no investments.
How are customer service and technical support?
We have support from the supplier of our firewall, and if needed, we also get support from the people who develop our software.
How was the initial setup?
It is easy to install. Our company is at three locations. It takes two days to install it at all locations. It takes one day for one location and another day for the other two locations.
What about the implementation team?
For the first installation, we took the help of the supplier. Since then, we do it ourselves. We don't have teams attached directly to the system. We have two or three IT guys who work with this system, but we can have support from the maintenance team.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
Currently, we have a contract for three years. It would be good if its price is reduced before we renew the contract. We will buy the equipment if it is cheaper.
What other advice do I have?
I'm happy with what I am getting. I haven't faced any problems. Everything is integrated, and it is easy to install and easy to control.
I would rate Sophos XG a nine out of ten. I am very satisfied with this solution.
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 Engineer at Vibs
Stable, scalable, with a good central dashboard, and good technical support
Pros and Cons
- "The most valuable feature is the central dashboard"
- "I would like to see the performance improved."
What is our primary use case?
We are integrators. We integrate solutions for other our client's companies.
What is most valuable?
The most valuable feature is the central dashboard. It provides us with good performance.
What needs improvement?
When you utilize the processors, the device hangs. Many firewalls hang because of the high volume of loads.
If we are using the HP policy and the user policy at the same time, the firewall gets hung and it means that we cannot get clear reports.
We have mitigated the firewall with Palo Alto because Palo Alto is working on multiple environments.
I would like to see the performance improved.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been working with Sophos XG for three years.
Currently, we are using the MR4 v18.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
It's a stable solution.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
This product is scalable. I would rate the scalability an eight out of ten.
So far we use this solution for SMB and enterprise companies.
How are customer service and technical support?
Technical support is very good.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We are also working with Fortinet FortiGate and Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls.
Palo Alto is the best product from a compliance point of view, and security. Fortinet is the second and the last is Sophos XG.
How was the initial setup?
I have installed Sophos XG in multiple organizations.
The initial setup is very easy.
It took less than 10 minutes to deploy.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
Sophos is very good for small companies because of the cost of the product compared to other solutions.
The price is reasonable.
What other advice do I have?
I prefer Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls to Sophos. Palo Alto is very good and the customers are happy. The hardware is customizable with multiple firewalls. I think that it is the best.
I would rate Sophos XG an eight out of ten.
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: partner
Managing Director at FORESEC
Straightforward to set up, stable, and is well-suited to SMB
Pros and Cons
- "Overall, this is a good product and I would recommend it for small to mid-sized customers."
- "The number of ports, especially on the entry-level appliances, should be increased."
What is our primary use case?
We are a solution provider and Sophos XG is one of the security products that we implement for our customers. We always provide them with the latest version.
What needs improvement?
The number of ports, especially on the entry-level appliances, should be increased.
The price of adding ports should be reduced to make it more competitive.
The vendor needs to create materials to show the differences between Sophos products and those from other vendors.
Network management needs to be included in the package.
As it is now, it only supports ten multiple users, which is something that should be increased.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been working with Sophos XG for approximately two years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
This solution is stable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
This is a scalable product and we have approximately 150 users.
How are customer service and technical support?
We get our support from the local distributor.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
Prior to Sophos XG, we used products from Fortinet and Forcepoint.
The Forcepoint product is doing well. We have a different perimeter firewall for our data center that uses it because we use different vendors for different sites.
How was the initial setup?
This is an on-premises appliance and the installation is straightforward. It can be deployed in less than an hour. However, according to the number of users and the number of ports that will be connected, the design may vary. This makes it difficult to estimate the time required to do a full implementation of the product.
What about the implementation team?
We have four people in charge of maintenance, although they do not work exclusively with Sophos. We have another appliance from another vendor. The entire team, including their manager, is about 10 people.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The price is in the mid-range and it is very good for small to medium-sized businesses. One license opens everything.
What other advice do I have?
Overall, this is a good product and I would recommend it for small to mid-sized customers.
I would rate this solution an eight 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
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