We use this solution for its antivirus capabilities . It is an on-premises deployment.
Systems Administrator at a pharma/biotech company with 51-200 employees
Centralized control and good network visibility, but more support for wireless devices is needed
Pros and Cons
- "This solution helps in that I can control quite a few computers from our central location, with ease."
- "In the next release of this solution, I would like to see more to do with malware, encryption technology, and controlling mobile devices."
What is our primary use case?
How has it helped my organization?
Centralized & localized control of client machines , using the SEPM dashboard.
What is most valuable?
The most valuable feature of this solution is the antivirus and the protection against Ransomware/Malware/Zero day attacks and device control
What needs improvement?
I would really like some of the features that are available in Kaspersky Enterprise to be available in the client version of this solution.
In the next release of this solution, I would like to see more to do with malware, encryption technology, and controlling mobile devices. I would like to be able to protect my wireless equipment at that level.
Buyer's Guide
Symantec Endpoint Security
October 2024
Learn what your peers think about Symantec Endpoint Security. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: October 2024.
816,406 professionals have used our research since 2012.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using this solution for 12 years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
I've had no issues with stability in the ten years that I have been using it.
This product is being pushed the maximum, and we are using it every day.
It is stable, and once you put in the policies, it does what it is supposed to do.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
From my experience, I find scaling this solution is difficult. You have to work your way around it. It takes some time getting used to the admin dashboard before you can make any changes.
We have about sixty users in the company. Two of them are administrators and the remaining are end-users.
How are customer service and support?
Technical support for this solution is ok. I have no issues with them.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We did not use another solution prior to using Symantec.
How was the initial setup?
From my point of view, the initial setup of this solution was pretty easy.
Only one person is required for the maintenance and to handle support assistance. Everything is done remotely. You just push the changes across the network.
What about the implementation team?
I performed the deployment myself, and it takes about an hour, or perhaps two hours at most.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
Considering the features, the price of this solution is average. We pay our licensing fees on a yearly basis, and everything is included in that price. Whether it is via email or phone call, they do what needs to be done.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
Evaluating fortigate client antivirus and security features
What other advice do I have?
My recommendation is that people should try this product.
In using this solution, I have learned a lot about our security and what needs to be done.
I would rate this solution 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.
General Manager at a tech services company with 11-50 employees
Active Threat Protection has solid detection rates, but the deployment is very limited
Pros and Cons
- "The solution is completely scalable."
- "The Centralized Management could be improved."
What is most valuable?
I find QRadar and the Active Threat Defense the most valuable. The ATP, Active Theft Protection, is very good. They've got very solid detection rates from P2. Those and some of the other programs are very valuable.
What needs improvement?
The Centralized Management could be improved. The deployment is very limited. They can improve on reporting as well. If they can improve threat incident analysis, that would be great.
The solution itself is pretty comprehensive at this stage, and the features that we would like to be added to these are available as separate purchases, so I wouldn't that there's anything new that I need in there, they probably covered all the bases at this stage.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The solution is one hundred percent stable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The solution is completely scalable.
How are customer service and technical support?
Technical support is okay. I'm not completely satisfied with them.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is pretty simple. I believe that the tools that are available to do the deployment are not up to standard as compared to some of the other products, and we deal with all the other products. We know exactly what is available and what is possible. Compared to the other products available, Symantec is lacking in that department.
What other advice do I have?
I've been using this solution for more than twenty years. While Endpoint Protection has only existed for the past couple of years, the Symantec antivirus, I have been working with more than twenty years. It used to be Symantec antivirus and then it changed a couple of years ago to Symantec Endpoint Protection. So, we've been using it obviously since its inception.
In terms of advice to others, I would say to partner with somebody that actually knows how the product is implemented and configured. Get a partner that has the technical knowledge and can give onsite technical guidance, or support. All of these Endpoint Protection solutions are getting very complex. It's not a simple antivirus that you just simply deploy to get a few viruses. It is becoming a very complex thing to implement. People buy the products, and they don't know how to implement them, so they go and slap them there and then they get burnt and they get attacked by a virus or threat or something. They get their fingers burnt and then they say the product is rubbish, but it's not the product, it's that the product was not correctly configured. So, when buying a product, you need to partner with someone who can actually provide you with support on the product.
They're one of my favorite products and we're actively working with Kaspersky, McAfee, Sophos, ESET, and Sophos. Palo Alto is my favorite firewall. But on the antivirus or Endpoint Protection side, I have the greatest of confidence in Symantec. It's something I would use at home or in the business. That's what we use to protect the business, so it's probably the product I have the most confidence in.
I would rate this solution ten out of ten.
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: Reseller.
Buyer's Guide
Symantec Endpoint Security
October 2024
Learn what your peers think about Symantec Endpoint Security. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: October 2024.
816,406 professionals have used our research since 2012.
IT Manager at Digitalis Reputation
Good firewall features and integrates with Active Directory
Pros and Cons
- "I like the firewall and the intrusion prevention features, and just the basic anti-malware and anti-virus seems to be pretty effective as well."
- "If you're not charged with administering the product and you don't do it every day it can sometimes be difficult to remember how to do the simple basic things, so some type of help or guidance for your most regular or frequent tasks would be good."
What is most valuable?
I like the ability to push it to a client, centrally from central consoles.
I like the integration of Active Directory. I like the ability for it to auto-enroll. You can add machines to the Active Directory and when it configures right, it automatically installs to those machines.
The firewall features are pretty good as well. I like the firewall and the intrusion prevention features, and just the basic anti-malware and anti-virus seems to be pretty effective as well.
What needs improvement?
Sometimes the interface can be a bit cumbersome, and maybe the help features. If you're not charged with administering the product and you don't do it every day it can sometimes be difficult to remember how to do the simple basic things, so some type of help or guidance for your most regular or frequent tasks would be good. Something similar to what the product called Serviceaid has.
I also think that the website itself should be improved. They have so many products that when you actually look on their website and you look for helpful guidance you just tend to get lost because they seem to have so much going on. So, basically, a bit more intuitive help and guidance features, as well as more intuitive service information.
Some type of solution for mobile devices would be good. For mobile devices, it's drawing from a Windows-based client, so for many core clients for OSX and Linux machines, those OS could be integrated directly. There's no client for mobile devices except for IOS and Android devices.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've been using this solution for ten years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
It's not very stable I don't think. I'll didn't have any problems when it did not work, or episodes of crashing or anything but yeah, it's not very stable.
We don't do daily scans, we do weekly scans but it is used daily and obviously, it's got a real-time scan so it's in constant use.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
I think it's very scalable, and I think you can manage the implementation as long as it's sort of implemented on the right sort of baseline platform, etc. It makes it pretty easy to scale up and add lots more users and even more servers to the implementation. We do plan to add more clients onto the system in the future.
How are customer service and technical support?
I haven't had much cause to use technical support. I might have used them only a few times. The support is okay, it's just difficult to actually find the contact numbers or email addresses because their site is so cumbersome.
How was the initial setup?
I wouldn't say it was straightforward. There wasn't anything complex, either. Once you've done it once or twice, which I have, it's not as complex as it could be. It really depends on the size of the installation you're doing and the number of clients, etc. So obviously the bigger the installation, the more thought you need to put into it. I'd probably lean towards saying it was complex, it's not straightforward.
We have approximately fifty users and only one admin, so I'm the only person who administers here. I think the largest installation I've had would probably be about 1000G's with about one, two, three, four, five, six, no about seven administrators, but yeah and here it's just about fifty devices.
What about the implementation team?
We do the implementation by ourselves.
What other advice do I have?
I would advise anyone to make sure they do their required reading before they implement. Before implementation, you need to do the reading on the best practices because obviously if you've got a larger implementation then you need to think about a few concerns. You need to think about resilient managing services as well. Also, before purchasing, do the due diligence and look at alternative products to see if there's something else that would suit your needs better.
This solution is a bit cumbersome. Some of the things they can make them easier to do, and also because their website is a bit clunky, so makes it difficult to find the solutions you need.
I would rate this solution as an eight out of ten.
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Consultant at Godimo IT
Centralized management, support, and customization of polices are important for us
Pros and Cons
- "The fact that it has centralized management is the most valuable feature."
- "Any external device which is inserted into a computer should be subject to an auto-scan policy, to automatically scan it before accepting the device... They need to make it more user-friendly, so that when anyone puts in a USB stick it will be scanned, popping up any problems before it is used."
What is our primary use case?
It's an antivirus solution. We need something centralized because we have hundreds of desktops and laptops. We have taken this solution to manage antivirus, security, etc., all together.
How has it helped my organization?
Symantec, as an antivirus solution, makes things far better on the management and the vulnerability scanning sides. From a management point of view, it is good.
What is most valuable?
The fact that it has centralized management is the most valuable feature.
In addition, the support from Symantec is very important. It is a global company and they give very good support. That is an important factor here because we are sitting in Africa and getting support on time can be a bit tougher. In this way, Symantec is a good fit for us.
Also, the console is very user-friendly. It is easy to understand, easy to play with it, easy to make up policies. And you can customize your policies. It's not like there's a set of policies that has been set out. Other products also have this kind of feature, but it is more user-friendly and a better product with better support.
What needs improvement?
We have talked to Symantec about a feature that is lacking. Any external device which is inserted into a computer should be subject to an auto-scan policy, to automatically scan it before accepting the device. Let's say I have a pen drive and there is a Trojan virus for which the signature is not updated. If the signature is not updated, then the system should automatically scan and understand that there is a foreign file and it should be blocked immediately. That is the one feature that I feel is missing. They need to make it more user-friendly, so that when anyone puts in a USB stick it will be scanned, popping up any problems before it is used. This is a feature they need to work on, in my opinion.
For how long have I used the solution?
Three to five 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?
For us, scalability is fine, there is no problem, no restriction, other than we cannot go beyond our licenses. If we are extending it, of course we need to pay for it. But it's not like something is restricting or blocking it. The scalability is okay. We have connected more than 1,200 computers and they are working well.
We have one staff member who maintains the solution. He is our network security guy and he is also Symantec-certified. We also have second-level support from Symantec. If anything is needed we get support from them. We pay them yearly for that.
Right now, we don't have plans to increase our usage of the solution.
How are customer service and technical support?
The technical support is fine, no problem.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is straightforward. I don't think it is complex. I have long experience as a system administrator. For me, as a technical person, it was straightforward. We definitely took support from Symantec and they helped us a lot in the deployment process.
Since it was a long time back, I don't remember exactly how long the deployment took. We keep updating it now. But I don't think it took more than three working days, including deployment and automating installation for all the workstations. We shifted from another antivirus to this one.
What about the implementation team?
We had help from Symantec and their partners.
What was our ROI?
We have definitely seen return on investment.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
We pay on a yearly basis and have a three-year contract.
What other advice do I have?
Understand your environment and what kind of security product you're looking for. Every environment has different requirements. Everybody has different kinds of file formats and data classifications.
For Symantec is a good product for our environment. It helps us a lot. It provides seamless operation. It's not like we have to intervene every day. People are monitoring and, if they find a machine that is not working or not connected, they create a remote connection to see what the problem is and to fix it.
We are using Symantec Enterprise, but you have new threats coming into the world market and you definitely have to be up to date. We found information on IT Central Station and we set up a comparison of the technologies.
Every antivirus, in my experience, is only successful 95 percent of the time. No antivirus can tell you that you are 100 percent protected. The important part is how the backend works. If the backend is giving you support, they answer immediately and help you, that is important. In that way, Symantec is a good product and we are happy with it.
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Lead System Engineer at a tech vendor with 1,001-5,000 employees
It's customizable, we're able to tune it to work with our products
Pros and Cons
- "It's customizable, we're able to tune it to work with our products."
- "I would like to see even more customization, the possibility to do whitelisting. It needs to be a little bit more liberal on whitelisting, even to use the name if needed, instead of hashes."
- "When, Microsoft releases a new OS version twice a year, you never know if the current version of Symantec Endpoint Protection will support it. You can have a lag between when Microsoft releases a new client - and then the current version doesn't work correctly - and it could be some months between updates from Symantec."
What is our primary use case?
Primary usage is on endpoints, desktops, clients, and servers, and it's working okay.
How has it helped my organization?
It blocks malware, as it is supposed to.
What is most valuable?
We're able to tune it to work with our products.
What needs improvement?
I would like to see even more customization, the possibility to do whitelisting. It needs to be a little bit more liberal on whitelisting, even to use the name if needed, instead of hashes.
For how long have I used the solution?
More than five years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Stability is good.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
We only have 10,000 endpoints so it's not that much, but it's working.
How is customer service and technical support?
Depending on who you end up with, it can take a while before you get the correct support.
How was the initial setup?
The out-of-the-box functionality, the vanilla setup, is okay, but then tuning is needed. Overall the setup is straightforward.
What other advice do I have?
My most important criterion when selecting a vendor is that they are easy to work with.
I rate it at eight out of 10. When, say, Microsoft releases a new OS version twice a year, you never know if the current version of Symantec Endpoint Protection will support it. You can have a lag between when Microsoft releases a new client - and then the current version doesn't work correctly - and it could be some months between updates from Symantec.
Overall, it's really good product. It has saved us a lot of time and, most of the time, it's a self-playing piano.
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Senior Security Administrator at a tech services company with 10,001+ employees
I like the intrusion prevention and sonar features. The deployment mechanism needs work.
Pros and Cons
- "I like the intrusion prevention and Sonar features."
- "Multi-domain policy options for exceptions and global blocks."
What is most valuable?
I like the intrusion prevention and Sonar features. The features have always helped strengthen our client’s proactive protection shield. The detection rate is good. False positives are less, which makes it a "perfect zero-day vulnerability encounter."
How has it helped my organization?
As a service-centric company, we have advised Symantec endpoint solution to various clients. They have been satisfied with the quality Symantec offers. It is easy on maintenance, has brilliant support. What else would a business need? It has helped to protect the endpoint infra in an efficient manner.
What needs improvement?
As an Endpoint Security Expert, I have worked on multiple anti-virus solutions of different vendors. They are turning the table in market. There are many ways in which I see Symantec overshadowing the same in near future.
The deployment mechanism needs work. There are various vendors who have been coming up with endpoint agents as small as size of a delta definition.
There are various options and tweaking which can help save the administrators a lot of effort, such as:
- Multi-domain policy options for exceptions and global blocks
- Deploying intelligent updates remotely
- Deleting AV cache remotely
- More versatile dashboard with more custom add-ons to monitor infra.
I see Symantec as being late in releasing certified definitions for the same day while other vendors are lightning fast. I would like to see a GUP monitoring tool being supported.
For how long have I used the solution?
We have been using this solution for six years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The Symantec agent is bulky in comparison to various vendors. It creates stability issues. We need a supported utility to wipe clear Symantec for a fresh installation during troubleshooting.
How are customer service and technical support?
Symantec Customer support is very good. Indeed, it is one of the best so far. The KB articles are good and helpful.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We have worked with Sophos, McAfee, and F-Secure. All have pros and cons. The console management and policy options are pretty sorted in Symantec, so it always has a upper hand over other products.
How was the initial setup?
I find other vendors' console options pretty good. Remotely evoking agent and real time results were good. Symantec’s command status is holding it back from a swift administration.
What about the implementation team?
We implemented it ourselves. I have already mentioned that we do need real time results on the console and a better deployment mechanism. We have to work with custom scripts for the removal of third-party software which makes it bit tricky.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
I never dealt in purchases, so I have no input.
What other advice do I have?
Go for it. Symantec is a promising vendor and indeed a market leader in various technologies.
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Systems Project Manager at a retailer with 1,001-5,000 employees
Uses both SONAR and IPS to help protect the system.
Pros and Cons
- "No maintenance is required after a successful installation phase."
- "The management of the server is a bit complex."
What is most valuable?
- It is stable
- No maintenance is required after a successful installation phase
- It is more than a classic Anti-virus solution: both SONAR and IPS help to protect the system
- The application and device policies are great features to help administration
How has it helped my organization?
After the initial setup, you don’t have to worry about the AV clients. It simply works.
What needs improvement?
The management of the server is a bit complex. It takes time get used to it. When upgrading the software for clients, you have to link the upgrade package to every sub-folder, and there is no inheritance.
For how long have I used the solution?
We have used this solution for three years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
I did not encounter any issues with stability.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
I did not encounter any issues with scalability.
How are customer service and technical support?
We needed help for one or two issues and the support team was good.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We used another product and we switched to SEP because of the costs.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup was straightforward. The ability of the package to uninstall the old AV was a big plus in my case.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
I’d say SEP deserves the money.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
We did not evaluable other options. Anti-virus is not something you can test in 3-4 days. The pros and cons take time to show up.
What other advice do I have?
Before installation, take your time to plan how you will manage your environment. If you already have another AV, please first check if SEP can auto-uninstall the old AV.
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Account Manager, Cybersecurity at a tech services company with 11-50 employees
Lacks support, and the price could be reduced, but it's reliable
Pros and Cons
- "Symantec End-User Endpoint Security is a stable solution."
- "The solution has become quite complicated since Broadcom acquired Symantec, and we no longer sell it or try not to sell it."
What is our primary use case?
Symantec End-User Endpoint Security is used to control some device access and protect endpoints.
What needs improvement?
Because of organizational changes, I dislike the entire situation. The solution has become quite complicated since Broadcom acquired Symantec, and we no longer sell it or try not to sell it.
There have been so many changes since the Broadcom acquisition, that we feel like abandoning the product.
It now has a lack of support, and they could be more knowledgeable.
For how long have I used the solution?
We have been selling Symantec End-User Endpoint Security for more than eight years.
It is deployed both on-premises and on the cloud.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Symantec End-User Endpoint Security is a stable solution.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
We have three or four clients who still use this solution.
How are customer service and support?
Symantec End-User Endpoint Security is bad because the support has changed.
Technical support could be more knowledgeable.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We are doing more with Forcepoint. We are not doing as much as we used to with Symantec End-User Endpoint Security.
How was the initial setup?
The installation is straightforward, it's quite simple.
We require a team of two engineers to deploy and maintain this solution.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
Licensing fees are paid on a yearly basis.
The price could be lower.
What other advice do I have?
I would not recommend this solution to others who are considering using it.
I would rate Symantec End-User Endpoint Security a five out of ten.
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer:
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Updated: October 2024
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