Sophos Software and Solutions

In my company, the solution is used for the firewall. The tool is used to monitor and create firewalls for the organization's internet since the company's network is on the internet.

Sophos Central Identity Integration Pack is a very accommodating and easy-to-understand feature for blocking other websites, especially the social media website. The features of the tool are good for protecting our organization from websites like social media websites or social engineering websites. I find the ability to use the product to test websites to be useful for our organization's network.

The high price of the tool is a drawback that can be considered for improvement.

I have been using Sophos Central for two months. I am a customer of the solution.

There are around 20 users of the solution in my organization.

I use Sophos Central and the Sophos Firewall XG Series.

When I joined the organization, I found Sophos Central already installed in the company's environment. Considering the installation of the product was easily done on an on-premises version, the hardware components from Sophos were connected to the network cables of the organization, and it was easy to understand everything when I saw it for the first time.

The product's installation phase was easy.

The solution is deployed on an on-premises model.

It is an expensive tool.

Based on the advancement in technologies, security reasons, and cybersecurity, my organization wanted a tool that ensured us a more secure environment.

The tool does work in managing security for multiple devices since the product is available at multiple prices and there are multiple licensing models. In my organization, the tool is used to manage around 30 devices easily.

I rate the overall tool a ten out of ten.

The Central manager oversees multiple client sites, with one of them being located in Colombo. Once accessed, this entry point enables management of both virtual and physical environments across all three sites from a single interface.

Utilizing Sophos Central for endpoint security management for our customers, we've installed it for a client with three sites. Within this client, there are four companies under the same group. With Sophos Central, we can seamlessly communicate between the separate locations of these companies, such as Company 1, Company 2, and so forth.

Sophos Central has enhanced our client's organization's threat detection and response capabilities significantly. The solution requires minimal resources, with very low data usage, ensuring minimal impact on daily operations. It swiftly identifies advanced threats, with zero data loss during testing, and enables easy deduction of other potential threats.\

The Central interface greatly simplifies the management of our security policies and procedures. It's remarkably straightforward and intuitive, making it easy to understand and navigate quickly. I've personally noticed this simplicity reflected in the ease with which others grasp it. Once guided through the initial steps, users can comfortably navigate and continue managing tasks with little to no difficulty.

I find the biggest advantage of Sophos Central is the absence of physical hardware requirements, which alleviates the headache associated with managing server rooms, PCs, and other hardware. This eliminates any potential issues related to maintenance and upkeep. Additionally, in terms of cost, Sophos Central is competitively priced compared to alternatives like CrowdStrike and SandBlast by Checkpoint.

Sophos Central Reporting and Analytics are highly effective in delivering quick and valuable insights. However, one area that requires improvement is in addressing the increasing frequency of yearly attacks. Apart from that, the signature detection methods and other aspects function seamlessly.

There's no need for any upfront hardware costs with Sophos Central. By leveraging cloud-based solutions, we can significantly reduce expenses.

One of the most valuable features of Sophos Central for maintaining our cybersecurity posture is its ease of use. In my experience, managing Central is simple and can be done from anywhere, at any time. This accessibility is crucial for administrators, as it facilitates seamless communication and control.

In terms of improvement, there are several areas to focus on. Firstly, addressing market perception issues is crucial. From a technical perspective, one key area for improvement is strengthening its defense against zero-day attacks. Having and option for endpoint security on mobile devices, it would be advantageous.

I have been working with it for three years.

It provides good stability capabilities.

It is scalable.

Regarding technical support in my region, there are two separate entities, one being Indian-based. Unfortunately, the quality of support from the Indian region is lacking, although I have worked with other providers such as Check Point. In comparison, the support provided by Check Point surpasses that of the Indian-based support. Locally, we have two distributors available, but we currently only collaborate with one. While we generally find satisfaction with their services at the local level, there are occasions when issues arise that they cannot resolve on their own, particularly with Sophos Central. During these times, we encounter significant challenges, often experiencing prolonged wait times for responses and resolution. I would rate it four out of ten.

Neutral

We used CheckPoint. When comparing Sophos with other solutions, one significant advantage is that they offer similar features for the same price.

The initial setup is straightforward.

Initially, we begin with a Proof of Concept phase, followed by a one-month trial period using the free license. If the results are satisfactory, we proceed to purchase the EDR solution from the distributor. Once purchased, we simply update the license using the provided link. Deployment time varies depending on the size of the company. For instance, in a company with a thousand users spread across three locations, deployment typically takes less than two hours if there are no issues with endpoint communication and the network has a high bandwidth internet connection. Maintenance is straightforward.

Our customers find Sophos Central to offer excellent value for money, and they are highly satisfied with the service it provides.

The price is reasonable.

Overall, I would rate it eight out of ten.

I use Sophos Central to manage both our endpoint protection and firewalls.

It's a great solution.  For our customers and us, the endpoint solution works well. The technology itself is good, no problem with the security.

The integration of artificial intelligence improves security posture. When we don't identify or are exposed in the sandbox environment, AI is interesting for that.

It is easy to save time using the Sophos Central centralized dashboard. It's definitely easier because you're in one place with all the products. But when connecting to a public IP address for a firewall, for example, it's faster to access directly than going through Sophos Central. For files and endpoints, though, Central is easier and faster to use.

The feature we use in Sophos Central is very interesting to us. It is synchronized security. 

When the endpoint detects a user trying to use an app, it sends information to the firewall, and the firewall can create rules to temporarily stop or allow the network connection. It's very interesting.

There's an issue with Sophos France, where their policies differ from Sophos Global. For example, we're a customer in China. 

For years, I've tried contacting resellers in China or Sophos China to deploy firewalls there. It's impossible to do business with Sophos when they don't answer our questions. That's the situation. 

We simply can't have a proper conversation with Sophos China. They seem uninterested in international exchange.

Pushing global rules and policies to all devices from Central isn't easy. You can do it for all endpoints, which is fine. But you can't do the same with firewalls. 

Firewall management with Central is very limited. You can connect one firewall to another and tell it, "I want one policy for all my customer's firewalls," but that's not possible. For a customer with multiple firewalls, you can't say, "This works for France, Great Britain, Canada," and push it. It's not possible.

I have been using it for ten years. 

It is a stable solution. 

It is a scalable solution. 

We have small and medium-level businesses as our customers. 

The customer service and support used to be good. Right now, it is okay.  

In France, many technicians have lost jobs, and new ones are coming, but they are not knowledgeable.  There's a problem of human interference in India. We need English support to solve product issues.

Worldwide support is needed because French support doesn't understand. They say, "Okay, report to legal, stage two." It's not good. We have ten years' experience. We don't need to explain every time. We call support because we're important. We need a response. Not, "I'll take the question to another level." 

Negative

For all types of endpoints: Windows, macOS, Linux. We used Sophos Intercept X but recently made the decision to switch to ESET Endpoint Security, a European security solution.

ESET has more main functions than regular performance. We can do much more with it to match the PC, to match the OS. We can do a lot of customization with ESET.

We're planning to switch both our endpoint and firewall solutions.

The initial setup is easy. After ten years of experience, I can do it in 15 minutes. 

I deployed it myself. One person is enough for the deployment. 

However, maintenance is hard. It's hard because changing or replacing hardware is very difficult with Sophos due to license terms. This is especially true with High Availability firewalls, where you have one active and two on standby. Taking out the new firewall and making it work isn't straightforward. It requires a lot of maintenance to get the solution back in a good state.

It's very difficult for us to see an ROI because our customers don't see it as an investment. It's like insurance. They pay for good work, but for them, having no security issues isn't the main concern. 

Our customers don't have any IT personnel and they don't care about security.

Most of our clients don't want to be interested in security because it's too difficult for them.

It is not cheap, it is expensive. The price is too much. 

I do currently use Sophos, and I was looking into potentially switching our customers to PFSense or OpenSense for endpoint protection. I wanted to research and understand if it would be a beneficial move.

Overall, I would rate the solution a five out of ten. It is not easy to push global policies and support needs improvement. 

I use the solution in my company for endpoint security of our servers, especially in our workspaces where we have many devices, like laptops and PCs. Basically, my company's customer uses Sophos Central for endpoint security in their company, where I manage and install the tool to support around 1000 to 2000 laptop pieces in Indonesia.

I think that in Indonesia, many companies don't use cloud services because there are problems with the internet connections. Sophos Central is a product that is available on the cloud, so it is safer than the on-premises version. When it comes to the on-premises version of the product, users may have to face a lot of scenarios where they have to deal with damaged computers and server crashes. My company can shift access with the help of a phone or laptop from anywhere or any location with Sophos Central's cloud version, allowing everyone to access the servers centrally, but it is not something that is possible with the on-premises version. For me, the product is easy to use.

Sophos Central is not available in small packages in Indonesia. I think Sophos Central needs to be made available in a smaller package because the problem in Indonesia is that there is no good internet connectivity.

I have so much trouble with the tool in Indonesia since the internet connection is bad, so it is difficult to reach the Sophos Central server or get connected to the server. Sophos Central can give better features to help establish a better connection between the server and a client.

I have been using Sophos Central for around five years. My company has a partnership with Sophos. I work as a distributor of the product in Indonesia.

In Indonesia, Sophos Central is the first choice that comes to my mind if my customers need an endpoint security product.

The tool is deployed on 2000 devices.

I deal with my companies where the employee count ranges from 1000 to 4000

I have experience with the product support team in Indonesia. The solution's technical support was very good and communicative, which were factors that helped me resolve my problems.

The product's initial setup phase was easy.

In one of the cases where I had to take care of around 1000 installations, I initially built a dummy for the on-premises version, after which I collected updates on the on-premises version, post which the PCs and laptops can download or update it from the main server, which is an easy process.

The solution is deployed on a private cloud.

The solution can be deployed in an hour or two. The problem during the deployment phase can only arise due to some internet connectivity issues. If a company has a good internet connection, then the deployment process takes less time.

In my opinion, it is not a very pricey product. The product is not expensive.

The tool has improved our company's ability to monitor network health and security.

I recommend the solution to others who plan to use it because it is one of the best and the point security solutions available on the cloud for me. The product is also easy to use, install, control, and manage.

I have used the product's automated threat response feature. With the help of the automated threat response feature, I can get a report and track malware and services.

I rate the overall tool a nine out of ten.

I've been involved in installing and supporting Sophos Central for customers, particularly focusing on server security.

I have experience using Sophos Central for endpoint security management, particularly in two major companies: Dunkin' Brothers and Shop Up Limited. Dunkin' Brothers has approximately 500 support center users, while Shop Up Limited has around 700 users. On a scale of one to ten, I would rate my experience with Sophos Central as a six or seven at most, with six being the average.

We've observed significant improvements in threat detection and response capabilities since implementing Sophos Central, especially when compared to other endpoint solutions like Fortinet. This enhanced capability has made Sophos Central a highly sought-after solution in Bangladesh. Customers appreciate the effectiveness and efficiency of Sophos Central's threat response compared to other options in the market. One notable example is a client of ours who experienced attempted hacking. Sophos Central promptly detected and blocked the intrusion, alerting our client to the potential threat. Our client appreciated the proactive response and effective blocking of the hacker, highlighting the superior quality of support provided by Sophos Central.

Sophos Central's automated threat response played a crucial role in mitigating security risks, as exemplified in a recent case at Popular Pharmaceutical Limited. With nearly 300 users relying on endpoint security with threat response and managed detection, they detected suspicious activity indicating potential hacking attempts from external networks. Thanks to Sophos Central's automated response, the malicious traffic was promptly blocked, and the IT team was alerted to the suspicious behavior. Additionally, when a ransomware attack occurred on one system, Sophos Central's support center swiftly isolated the affected system, preventing the further spread of the attack.

Sophos Central's reporting and analytics capabilities greatly contribute to providing actionable insights to our customers. I genuinely appreciate the effectiveness of Sophos in generating comprehensive reports, which cover all aspects efficiently. I would rate this feature as an eight out of ten for its robustness and usability.

The interface of Sophos Central has significantly contributed to the ease of managing security policies and procedures. In my experience, I've found it to be highly efficient, especially when compared to other solutions like Fortinet. The features such as system heartbeat and automatic system updates are particularly commendable.

One of the significant advantages of Sophos is its affordability compared to other technologies like Check Point and Fortinet. This makes it a preferred choice for businesses, especially government and smaller operations.

The most popular features of Sophos Central are its heartbeat functionality, threat response and detection capabilities, and its rule management system. Notably, the rule management system is not limited to servers but extends to client systems as well. These three components are highly valued for their effectiveness. Additionally, the ability to manage rules through a drag-and-drop system adds further convenience to our administration tasks.

One feature that I find particularly valuable for maintaining our cybersecurity posture is the automatic update functionality. This feature ensures that our systems are consistently up to date with the latest security patches and enhancements. Additionally, the ability to push updates to every software center by default is highly convenient and efficient in ensuring that all endpoints are properly secured.

Although Sophos Central is well-established, there's a shortage of engineers available locally, which has hindered our ability to effectively support and implement solutions. I believe there's room for improvement, especially in terms of traffic monitoring. If Sophos Central could provide detailed traffic monitoring based on user counts, similar to what is available in Fortinet, it would enhance the overall value proposition for our customers. Sophos could potentially provide more detailed insights into user activity, such as the number of users currently logged into the system and those already under protection. Additionally, it would be beneficial to have visibility into network traffic, including guest networks, and identify any suspicious activities or attempts to access unauthorized resources. The main drawback lies in the weak after-sales support system.

I have been working with it for two years.

I find Sophos to be quite stable, especially considering its widespread usage in Bangladesh, with approximately 1.8 million devices currently relying on it. This stability is particularly beneficial for small businesses or offices seeking security solutions.

It provides good scalability capabilities.

The installation process in Sophos Central is significantly easier compared to other solutions. It's straightforward and hassle-free – we can simply download the necessary plugins from the Central warehouse and install them with ease.

The deployment time for Sophos Central varies depending on factors such as the number of users, desktops, or nodes being connected. For smaller deployments involving around ten or twenty users connecting to Sophos Central, the process typically takes a maximum of two to two and a half hours. During this time, the network may need to be disconnected temporarily. Once logged into Sophos, the license can be installed, and then the PCs will automatically receive installation prompts via email. Each computer usually requires around fifteen to twenty minutes to complete the installation of Sophos Central nodes. 

During our previous deployment, there were three of us, including myself, working as senior system engineers. Both of my colleagues had approximately two years of experience with Sophos. With such expertise within our team, deployment tasks were typically straightforward and didn't require much effort. However, when faced with customer requests for complex rules or configurations beyond our capabilities, we would engage with our local vendor and service partners for assistance.

The pricing of Sophos is quite reasonable and generally cheaper compared to competitors like Fortinet and Check Point. However, it's important to note that certain licenses may come with higher costs, which can be a drawback.

I believe incorporating Sophos Central into security infrastructure could further enhance the defenses. However, considering customers' perspectives and budget constraints, particularly for small and medium-sized organizations, it's essential to ensure cost-effectiveness. In Bangladesh, there's a growing preference for Sophos due to its suitability for various environments and budget scales. Therefore, I suggest focusing on improving sales and after-sales support to meet the increasing demand and effectively deploy Sophos solutions across Bangladesh. Overall, I would rate it six out of ten.