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RathinVaidya - PeerSpot reviewer
Vice President (Technical) at Shaligram Infotech LLP
Reseller
Top 20
Great antivirus software that's very easy to deploy and very user friendly
Pros and Cons
  • "Easy to deploy and user friendly."
  • "Could have a more simplified functionality for users."

What is our primary use case?

It's primarily for on-premise firewall functionality and functionality of internet lines.

What is most valuable?

The appeal to our IT team is that this is an easy to deploy, user friendly, and easy to work with solution that includes antivirus software.

What needs improvement?

I'd like to see a more simplified functionality for our customers. We also had a negative experience with the sales team of Sophos, which offered a three-year renewal to our customer. We'd suggested one year, keeping the customer's cashflow in mind and Covid. The result was that it affected our credibility with the customer. These are some of the irritants in the sales policy.  

For how long have I used the solution?

I've been using this solution for four years. 

Buyer's Guide
Sophos XG
January 2025
Learn what your peers think about Sophos XG. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: January 2025.
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What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The solution is stable. 

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

We have deployed it for 100 users to date, so it's quite scalable. We mainly work with small and medium size organizations. 

How was the initial setup?

The implementation is straightforward. It depends on your environment, and the number of users as well as the complex rules you're making. That aside, it is easy to deploy.

What other advice do I have?

I rate the solution eight out of 10. 

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
Network Administrator at a construction company with 51-200 employees
Real User
A stable and easy-to-deploy solution with a fair price and useful IPS and ATP features
Pros and Cons
  • "IPS and advanced threat protection (ATP) are the most valuable features. I am able to segment my network traffic and block incoming connections. It is also easy to use."
  • "I would like to have better SSL decryption and HTTP decryption. There should be filtering of SSL and HTTP traffic. Sophos XG consumes a lot of endpoint resources. It consumes a lot of RAM and CPU resources, and they should look into this."

What is our primary use case?

It is a firewall. It is used in my defense line. It provides defense and a form of security for my internal network.

What is most valuable?

IPS and advanced threat protection (ATP) are the most valuable features. I am able to segment my network traffic and block incoming connections. It is also easy to use.

What needs improvement?

I would like to have better SSL decryption and HTTPS decryption. There should be filtering of SSL and HTTPS traffic.

Sophos XG consumes a lot of endpoint resources. It consumes a lot of RAM and CPU resources, and they should look into this.

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.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

Its scalability is fine. We have about 40 users. We don't have any plan to increase its usage at the moment. However, it depends on recruitments and other things. If required, my company would change my box to a bigger one for better processing speed.

How are customer service and technical support?

Their technical support is okay. Sometimes, during the webinars, when I have some questions, they respond to them, but sometimes, I don't get any response.

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

I have worked with Check Point before. Check Point is very expensive. At this time, we are not thinking of switching to another solution. If we were switching, Cisco Firepower would have been an option, but my colleagues, who have good experience with such solutions, would prefer to stay with Sophos XG. Cisco Firepower is a little bit complicated to use. It is also expensive. Cisco and Check Point have different boxes for different things, whereas Sophos brings everything into one box.

How was the initial setup?

It was straightforward.

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

Its price is fair. It is cheaper and way better than others.

What other advice do I have?

I like this solution. 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
Buyer's Guide
Sophos XG
January 2025
Learn what your peers think about Sophos XG. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: January 2025.
832,138 professionals have used our research since 2012.
Samir Shah - PeerSpot reviewer
CEO / Managing Director at Infinity Access Technologies Pvt Ltd
Real User
Top 20
Stable product with easy setup well recommended, customer support and fiber options on smaller models could be improved
Pros and Cons
  • "The solution was able to be integrated well with exciting hardware and software and in multiple business sectors."
  • "They should include fiber ports on smaller product models and the tools should be improved for scalability."

What is our primary use case?

We were able to integrate the solution using existing infrastructure installed, such as different firewalls and security software. We have integrated the solution in multiple sectors, for example, the education and banking sectors. 

How has it helped my organization?

UTM appliances have generally improved organization networks and given away to multiple link management, identity management, and easy firewall options. SOPHOS has a better GUI and dashboard which can be easily understood and managed in an organization.

What is most valuable?

The solution was able to be integrated well with exciting hardware and software and in multiple business sectors.

What needs improvement?

With the proliferation of fiber connectivity becoming available at our homes, consumers should not have to go and buy another module for fiber to ethernet converters or another device to get the fiber options. I understand all UTM models should have direct SFP ports available so that FFTH is directly terminated to UTM for better management and uptime. 

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using the solution for the past five years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

I have found it to be a stable product.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

I can say it is more stable rather than scalable. I do not think they have the ability for scalability with the options currently included esp in SMB segment. However, if they did have better options then I believe the product would have better scalability.

Some of our clients have been enterprise and SMB customers. Overall the range of our clients has been between medium and enterprise clients.

How are customer service and technical support?

The customer support is not that good. We found the support to be extremely slow in response.

I rate Sophos XG support a three out of ten.

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

We have used other products as well and we understand those products work well which has better and local support. In addition, it depends on the company's focus. SOPHOS has focused on small to enterprise customers but support needs improvement to be in the market. SOPHOS channel partnership program needs also improvement and commitment so that System Integrators and partners are able to pitch the products well in the market. 

How was the initial setup?

Setup is good and the integration is very easy. The technology creates several good products.

What about the implementation team?

We do the deployment and implementation of the solutions.

What was our ROI?

They should include fiber SFP ports on smaller product models as well and the tools should be improved for scalability.

What other advice do I have?

I can definitely recommend the product because it is good. There is no doubt.

I rate Sophos XG a 6 out of 10.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises

If public cloud, private cloud, or hybrid cloud, which cloud provider do you use?

Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: Channel Partner and Consultant to various Customers.
PeerSpot user
IT Project Consultant at a tech services company
Consultant
Very intuitive and easy-to-use interface making it much easier to setup access and business rules

What is most valuable?

  • URL Filtering: because of the importance of controlling what and individual might access from the organization’s network. Sophos XG has 90+ categories, providing a level of granularity that eliminates the need to create customized categories.
  • IPS (Intrusion Prevention System): because of the importance of preventing hackers from using exploits and other mechanisms that might compromise the network
  • Anti-malware: Sophos XG comes with two anti-malware engines: its own and Avira, making the UTM more effective at catching malicious code.
  • Control Center: an interface crammed with the most vital information like security issues, appliance performance, and Internet link status.

How has it helped my organization?

With a very intuitive and easy-to-use interface, it made it much easier to setup access and business rules, VPNs and to identify issues like Internet link outages and security issues.

What needs improvement?

Sophos XG lacks link load balancing options like ratio and spill over, both useful in some scenarios.

I also think they might consider improving the RAM of some of the appliances, since there are processes that are very memory intensive.

Lastly, I would say packet monitor is another area for improvement as it lacks capabilities like exporting the capture from inside the GUI tool.

For how long have I used the solution?

A year and a half.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

Yes, on the SFOS Version 15, I had to upgrade the firmware of an appliance since it had a problem with the JAMVM process (an apparently known issue in which that process consumes almost all of the CPU resources).

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

No.

How are customer service and technical support?

I would say that Sophos Brazil has an excellent support team.

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

No.

How was the initial setup?

It was very straightforward. And I credit that to the great job Sophos did on its OS interface, providing different ways of accessing the same option, hiding some of the complexities of a firewall system, and deploying it with many pre-built policies, objects and rules that for most of the environments makes it unnecessary to spend hours tuning the system.

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

Sophos is clearly trying to position itself as the market leader in the UTM niche. One way they are doing this is by having an aggressive pricing policy and this makes it a good moment to start using their products.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

Yes, FortiGate.

What other advice do I have?

Try to have the help of a Sophos Partner for the correct sizing and purchasing of an adequate licensing bundle.

In addition, I would recommend having a PoC in place in order to make sure that the solution is what the organization needs.

It is important to notice that the XG is available for a 30 days free trial and that there are virtual appliances available for the main virtualization platforms on the market.

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
LauriLaanenurm - PeerSpot reviewer
Network and Security Engineer at Datafox OÜ
Real User
Simple implementation, useful synchronized security, and helpful support
Pros and Cons
  • "The stability of Sophos XG is very good. However, there have been some issues with other weaker models because they are limited in hardware in resources."
  • "Sophos XG could improve the connectivity with Microsoft 365 or Azure Active Directory(AD). It doesn't work directly as other solutions do, such as Fortinet FortiGate. The client needs a separate AD server which is a problem."

What is our primary use case?

Sophos XG can be deployed on-premise and on the cloud.

We use Sophos XG as a network firewall for many use cases, such as offices, residential, and data centers. 

What needs improvement?

Sophos XG could improve the connectivity with Microsoft 365 or Azure Active Directory(AD). It doesn't work directly as other solutions do, such as Fortinet FortiGate. The client needs a separate AD server which is a problem.

There is no endpoint software for Linux systems, only the server version runs on Linux.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using Sophos XG for approximately fours years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The stability of Sophos XG is very good. However, there have been some issues with other weaker models because they are limited in hardware in resources.

How are customer service and support?

We had an issue, but after speaking to the technical support, I understood it was a problem with Sophos, not a firewall problem, but with the endpoint that was related to the encryption of the disc. The problem is if you have a computer controlled by Azure at the same time as Sophos, then there may be some incompatibility problem between them because both of them are trying to control the computer and the encryption of the hard drive.

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

I have used other firewall solutions, such as Fortinet Foregate and Check Point.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup of Sophos XG is simple, but Cisco Meraki is easier. 

Since I have used Sophos XG long time it is easier than Fortinet FortiGate or Check Point.

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

Sophos XG is not an expensive solution. If you are willing to pay more, then there is the Check Point firewall which is the best out of all the vendors.

What other advice do I have?

I would advise other Sophos XG is a great solution because it is synchronized security between the endpoint and firewall which is unique. I'm not sure if Fortinet FortiGate has this technology, but it is a good technology in Sophos XG. Sophos was perhaps the first to use this kind of technology. What it does is if your computer gets infected, then the endpoint tells the firewall that, it is infected and the firewall doesn't allow the use of the network at all. It'll lock it down on this computer.

I rate Sophos XG a nine out of ten.

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
Senior System & Security Administrator at a legal firm with 51-200 employees
Real User
It has a good interface that's very user-friendly
Pros and Cons
  • "I've tried out Sophos XG a little. It has a good interface that's very user-friendly, but I haven't used all of its functions because I'm only configuring and running the system."
  • "I would prefer if Sophos XG were cheaper. A lower price would benefit me as a system provider for the end customer. The cost of the license and renewal for all the software and devices is somewhat high."

What is most valuable?

I've tried out Sophos XG a little. It has a good interface that's very user-friendly, but I haven't used all of its functions because I'm only configuring and running the system.

For how long have I used the solution?

I've been working with Sophos XG for six months. I am not an end-user. I only provide the solution and implementation.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

I think Sophos XG is very stable because the users who have installed it never mention any issues. It's very stable and scalable. 

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

Sophos XG is a scalable solution. Our clients who use Sophos are not big companies. 

How are customer service and support?

I haven't dealt with Sophos support because I'm just doing the basic implementation for the Sophos. But I Sophos support is very experienced and helpful. Sophos has a team for administration and implementation—a good team to improve the application. 

How was the initial setup?

It depends on the implementation and the deployment of systems. In my small company, I have four people on my technical team. Two of them specialize in firewall and security. They're working on Fortinet. They deal with antivirus and security implementation as well as Veeam Backup. The other two handle the administration implementation, including Active Directory and other administration solutions.

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

I would prefer if Sophos XG were cheaper. A lower price would benefit me as a system provider for the end customer. The cost of the license and renewal for all the software and devices is somewhat high. 

What other advice do I have?

I rate Sophos XG nine out of 10. I am a Fortinet partner. If a user asks me which solution to buy, I'll tell them Fortinet. But if the customer needs Sophos, I will implement it for him. However, if I had a Sophos partnership, I would recommend it every time.

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
reviewer1499802 - PeerSpot reviewer
Software Engineer at a tech services company with 201-500 employees
Real User
Dual antivirus sets solution apart from other vendors
Pros and Cons
  • "Sophos CG is cost-effective, which makes it really suitable for SMB. If you want basic security and more embedded features, go with Sophos XG."
  • "We are facing some technical issues with Sophos XG right now. We have already escalated this issue with the Sophos technical support. They seem to be working on it. We are satisfied with the technical support. They reply quickly to our queries, but sometimes take time upgrading their systems."

What is our primary use case?

We do not have a primary use case for this solution. We are using Sophos XG to configure wireless networks. Some of our clients have Sophos XG integrations and we are using the MAC filtering on it. 

We also use the Sophos XG antivirus, content filtering, and as a secure email gateway. 

We have a bundled license with an email security subscription. We also use the free Sophos XG VPN. 

What sets Sophos XG apart from other vendors is the solution's dual antivirus. We enabled the Security Heartbeat feature, which synchs endpoints with the network layer antivirus; they work as a single unit. If there is a virus attack from outside world, the firewall handles it. If a virus comes when the network layer is idle, the endpoint protection takes care of it, which is why we are using this solution in our office scenario.

What is most valuable?

The solution is not vulnerable and that is the most important aspect of it for me. We deployed the Sophos XG firewall on the Edge browser and everything that comes in from the outside world as a potential threat is handled by the firewall.

I'm satisfied with the user interface and the solution's security level. They have a sandboxing solution for zero-day threats and a real-time cloud solution with millions of tags. I think the number at this point is four million tags. This is a good features in Sophos XG; it provides more security against new attacks, which are generated every day.

What needs improvement?

I don't see any drawbacks to this solution at the moment. I know of other products that have more features and are more advanced stages, but ultimately, an organization's choice of software depends on its budget. If you have a small amount of money and you want to secure your network, Sophos XG can provide you with network security. Sophos ZG is a mid-range solution. There are solutions that are above it in terms of features on the market, but they cost more money. 

They could work on their technical support to make it more productive for the end customer. Some of my friends and colleagues have had unfavorable experiences with the tech support taking too long to close their ticket. However, I opened two cases this week and both have been resolved. 

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using Sophos XG for five years. 

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

My impressions of the solution's scalability is that it varies depending on the model or capability of the box. When we have clients that want to deploy a small box on 200 or 150 users, we suggest that they get a box that's better able to cater to problems and their traffic. If a customer has 35 or 50 users, we will propose just a small box.

How are customer service and technical support?

We are facing some technical issues with Sophos XG right now. We have already escalated this issue with the Sophos technical support. They seem to be working on it.

We are satisfied with the technical support. They reply quickly to our queries, but sometimes take time upgrading their systems.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup was not complex. I was new to the solution when I deployed it and I didn't face any problems; it wasn't a hassle or challenging for me.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

I did not evaluate any other options. 

What other advice do I have?

This is a mature product. It has a good Gartner rating. It is best for the enterprise level, for the SMBs. Anyone can deploy according to the needs of their customers.

Sophos CG is cost-effective, which makes it really suitable for SMB. If you want basic security and more embedded features, go with Sophos XG. 

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: Integrator
PeerSpot user
reviewer1462965 - PeerSpot reviewer
Network Team Lead at a manufacturing company with 5,001-10,000 employees
Real User
It is user friendly and reliable, but it needs granular control over the traffic
Pros and Cons
  • "It is very user friendly and easy to manage from the administrative point of view. It is good, reliable, and easy to implement."
  • "It is a very basic and entry-level firewall. It doesn't give very granular control over the traffic. It should have more granular control over the traffic. This feature should be there similar to Palo Alto and Cisco. It should have such advanced features."

What is most valuable?

It is very user friendly and easy to manage from the administrative point of view. It is good, reliable, and easy to implement.

What needs improvement?

It is a very basic and entry-level firewall. It doesn't give very granular control over the traffic. It should have more granular control over the traffic. This feature should be there similar to Palo Alto and Cisco. It should have such advanced features.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using Sophos XG for the last two years. We are using the latest version.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

Its stability and reliability are fine.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

If you want to have multiple firewall rules, it has this type of scalability. When I compare it with some other products, such as Palo Alto, I can't find similar scalability in Sophos XG. In Palo Alto, we can have rules based on applications or app IDs, and we can create multiple rules for a single ID. We can create a single user or single IP, but such options are not there in Sophos XG. Granular level scalability should be there in Sophos, and they should do better.

How are customer service and technical support?

I appreciate their support. Their support is good.

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

I also use Palo Alto. Palo Alto provides application IDs, which is a very powerful feature. Sophos XG is a very normal next-generation firewall with URL filtering, application filtering, and all such features. It is not something extraordinary. It is a very normal next-generation firewall. 

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup is straightforward. It is a single day task to do the initial configuration and move the traffic over there. The firewall hardening, of course, will take some time depending upon the traffic, but the initial setup is a single day task.

What other advice do I have?

It is a normal firewall. All the basic features are there. However, it is not as advanced as some of the other solutions, such as Palo Alto. As we have more security threats, we need more granular control, but these features are not available in Sophos XG.

I would rate Sophos XG a five out of ten.

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
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Updated: January 2025
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