CIO at ENGEREDE SOLUÇÕES EM TI
Reseller
Top 20
Good central interface and solid security features.
Pros and Cons
  • "We like the central interface and we like the security features. Additionally, we use SonicWall with VPN connectivity and we have had no problems with SonicWall all these years."
  • "I would like to see a SonicWall integration with the DLP tool, this would be interesting. Data Loss Prevention integration."

What is our primary use case?

The purpose of SonicWall is as a unified threat management appliance. We use SonicWall to protect our customers from cyber threat.

We have SonicWall in customer's on-premises environment and we have SonicWall in cloud data centers.

What is most valuable?

We like the central interface and we like the security features. Additionally, we use SonicWall with VPN connectivity and we have had no problems with SonicWall all these years.

What needs improvement?

In the next release, I would like to see a SonicWall integration with the DLP tool, this would be interesting. Data Loss Prevention integration.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using SonicWall TZ for about 10 years.

Buyer's Guide
SonicWall TZ
April 2024
Learn what your peers think about SonicWall TZ. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: April 2024.
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What do I think about the stability of the solution?

SonicWall TZ is a stable solution.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

In terms of scalability, we have to choose the right model according to the customer, their company's size, and according to the internet link capacity. Also according to the quantity of user parameters and the user quantity. The number of users and the link capacity are two parameters to define which SonicWall model is appropriate for that company.

How are customer service and support?

They have a good technical support. I have no problem with them.

How was the initial setup?

It is easy to set up SonicWall. It just depends on the scope of the project.

To set up for initial use takes about two hours. We start with the basic configuration and that is enough to start using SonicWall. After that, we do the more complex and detailed configuration of the security features.

Since we can deploy SonicWall in two hours with the basic configuration, we do a fast start because my users are starting to use the web and receive emails. After that, we do the next steps of the complex config for the more detailed secured configurations.

What other advice do I have?

I would recommend SonicWall to other companies for their security, for the end customer and for security companies, to use as a UTM appliance. 

On a scale of one to ten, I would rate SonicWall TZ a nine.

Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer:
PeerSpot user
Senior Member Of Technical Staff at Flexera
Real User
Reliable solution with low-latency and low-bandwidth utilization
Pros and Cons
  • "With the main firewall routing there, we can do connectivity point-to-point. On the low bandwidth we can connect in all the branches with my corporate office."
  • "In terms of what needs to be improved, I would say better load balancing and data filtering."

What is our primary use case?

It is cloud-based. I am managing it from my HQ to centralize all the branches connected with it, point-to point. I'm using the SonicWall for the gateway. Certainly I'm using it for DLP and antivirus logging, and we are using SonicWall firewall for the mail filtering. Also, we can use SonicWall firewall just like on SD-WAN. We can manage all our branches through that central point from their patches.

How has it helped my organization?

We have a centralized firewall here and it will take some bandwidth just like a broadband connection, but with low bandwidth or mobility connection. Through that, we can connect from the HQ to all our branches on those devices, through that particular antennae. All the data transmitted from the corporate office to branch offices works smoothly on the low bandwidth.

What is most valuable?

Because it is a software-developed feature in SonicWall, we just maintain the main firewall. With the main firewall routing there, we can do connectivity point-to-point. On the low bandwidth we can connect to all the branches from my corporate office.

What needs improvement?

In terms of what needs to be improved, I would say better load balancing and data filtering. This way we have low utilization of the net from the corporate office to all the branches. This is the connectivity there. The traffic from the HQ to all the branches goes on the low latency so that connectivity is continuous and not dropped.

In the next release it should have both the failure and load balancing combined on there. Whenever there is a failure and whenever they are load balancing, it should auto-generate the traffic for any connectivity on there, so it will run smoothly. It should also generate the alert.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using SonicWall TZ for the last 10 years. We're using the SD-WAN solution from SonicWall.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

This solution is quite stable.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

Scalability is more than fine.

We have around 500 users with connectivity on it.

We do have plans to increase usage.

How are customer service and support?

Technical support is good, there is no issue.

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

I am comfortable with them all: SonicWall, Check Point, Palo Alto, Sophos. Right now, I'm using the Sophos 225 and 125 in my offices and have a XG 862 in all the branches connected from there. I work on that firewall installation and also the NetScaler on the Citrix. That's simply fundamental. There are some differences with the connectivity and ruling. The rule tab is the same.

I work on their Azure AD platform and also Exchange. On the Exchange, I am working on the O365.

I am also using Trend Micro, Symantec, and McAfee.

This technology comes with these different platforms and you go on the previous one from a couple years ago. The SD-WAN-only technology is not that common. It costs more from US, Canada and from that area of connectivity. It will drop the packet from there.

How was the initial setup?

It has an easy setup. You can centralize all the connectivity. This OS is running with each and everything, and you can monitor it all from the centralized point.

I also give the support for Exchange, but this will take low bandwidth and low latency from any mobile connectivity, any internet, any low-bandwidth connectivity and work fine. But other products like McAfee and Symantec can support the Exchange.

It can take time for the synchronization of updating the devices. This depends on how many devices we have connecting from the portal and which devices they are working on. Sometimes, you have the scanning on there. So it will take that functionality and we can define for root causes on the other things. We can define according to policy. So this depends on the policy design. It also depends on that criteria.

What other advice do I have?

On a scale of one to 10, I would give SonicWall TZ a nine.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

Public Cloud
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
Buyer's Guide
SonicWall TZ
April 2024
Learn what your peers think about SonicWall TZ. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: April 2024.
771,740 professionals have used our research since 2012.
Vice President & Chief Information Officer at a aerospace/defense firm with 10,001+ employees
Real User
A lapse in technical support has me looking for a new solution
Pros and Cons
  • "I have found this solution to be easier to use when compared to other products, such as those offered by Cisco."
  • "The lack of support is having me look into other solutions to replace SonicWALL."

What is our primary use case?

Our primary use case for this product is for remote access to smart-building solutions that we implement.

How has it helped my organization?

I have found this solution to be easier to use when compared to other products, such as those offered by Cisco.

What is most valuable?

The most valuable feature of this solution is that it is easy to install and maintain.

What needs improvement?

The support for this product has to be improved.

With what I use, I don't really require any other features.

For how long have I used the solution?

One to three years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

We have not had any issues with the stability of this product. We have additional sites, aside from the smart-building, and we haven't encountered any hardware failure.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

In terms of scalability, it is scalable to a certain extent. The downside is that one of the models has fiber-optic connections, but the other platforms do not support it.

How are customer service and technical support?

While the product is fine, I find that there is no support. We purchased a license renewal and have not been able to apply it, even though I have raised this relatively simple issue with them. The lack of support is having me look into other solutions to replace SonicWall.

How was the initial setup?

The setup is very easy compared to other platforms, where with Cisco or Huawei you have to move from one application to another. I did not have the training, but for me, it was really easy to use. The implementation took a few hours. 

While every site is different, based on what I have implemented it takes just a single engineer to deploy and maintain this solution.

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

The product pricing is relatively good, compared to other products, including the licenses. However, if you do not get support then the cost of the outlay is not really relevant.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

We use other platforms including those offered by Cisco and Huawei. I had been looking into small firewall solutions that are capable of handling fiber-optic connections, rather than just Copper. I didn't want to pay for the premium platform just to use fiber-optic connections. However, the capability is not there on smaller platforms, including this one.

We chose this solution because it is easier to use than others.

What other advice do I have?

Currently, SonicWall is our primary solution. To me, it can no longer be the primary because if I need support then I may not get it. With other products, it is quite simple.

For any new projects that I'll be working on, I will not be using SonicWall. This is simply a business decision that is based on my experience. I am responsible for the design, implementation, maintenance, and moving forward with the customer. If I am not happy then I cannot implement the solution because it will not help me in the future.

To be honest, when it comes to integration I would rate this product a nine out of ten. But, because of the lack of support, overall, I can only rate it one out of ten.

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
IT Manager at K-Vac Environmental Services, Inc.
Real User
Protects against intrusion while allowing needed access, we feel very safe when using the solution
Pros and Cons
  • "It protects against intrusion while allowing needed access."
  • "It needs more robust self-help documentation along with examples and things to watch out for."

What is our primary use case?

We use the solution to control and protect access between our various locations.

How has it helped my organization?

With this solution, our facilities are able to act as one, easily sharing resources. 

What is most valuable?

It protects against intrusion while allowing needed access. 

What needs improvement?

It needs more robust self-help documentation along with examples and things to watch out for. 

For how long have I used the solution?

We have been using the solution for more than ten years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The stability is great.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The solution works well.

How are customer service and support?


How would you rate customer service and support?

Positive

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

Nothing is as robust and complete as SonicWall devices.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup was fairly straightforward and is particularly straightforward when upgrading.

What about the implementation team?

Our implementation was done in a combination due to locations.

What was our ROI?

We have seen a 100% ROI. There are no intrusions. 

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


Which other solutions did I evaluate?

It was chosen by an IT support company.

What other advice do I have?

Try it, you'll be glad you did, as you'll find a new peace of mind.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
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PeerSpot user
Creative Head/Director at WitBuz
Real User
A stable and scalable solution which boasts knowledgeable tech support, good performance and ease of use
Pros and Cons
  • "The solution boasts good performance and is easy to use."
  • "The solution should provide some additional ports."

What is our primary use case?

We use only the latest version. 

We use the solution for CFS, app control and in respect of integrated IAD users. 

What is most valuable?

The solution boasts good performance and is easy to use. 

What needs improvement?

The solution should provide some additional ports. Currently, we have only four to five of these.

For how long have I used the solution?

We have been using SonicWall TZ for around five to six years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The solution is stable. 

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The solution is scalable. 

How are customer service and technical support?

Tech support is knowledgeable when it comes to clarifying a technical issue. 

How was the initial setup?

Installation takes a maximum of 30 minutes. There is a default template. 

One only need register the firewall, upgrade the latest firmware and select that template. It will automatically configure the template.

What about the implementation team?

We have two teams that are responsible for the deployment and maintenance.

What other advice do I have?

We have around 20 clients making use of the solution. 

We purchase the firewalls, distribute and implement them for our clients. We are implementers. 

I would definitely recommend the solution to others.

I rate SonicWall TZ as a ten 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: Implementer
PeerSpot user
System engineer at Colourtex Ind Ltd
Real User
Top 5Leaderboard
A scalable product that is designed well, easy to set up, and has good technical support
Pros and Cons
  • "The most valuable features are security and technical support."
  • "The monitoring is a little bit confusing."

What is our primary use case?

This firewall makes up part of our security solution.

What is most valuable?

The most valuable features are security and technical support.

What needs improvement?

The pricing is of this solution is high and could be reduced to make it more competitive.

The monitoring is a little bit confusing.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using SonicWall TZ for three years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

We have had no problems with stability.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

This is a nice product in terms of scalability.

How are customer service and technical support?

The technical support is good. If I call on the helpline then a technical person will assist us.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup is very easy. If a person knows some networking and about access levels then they will be able to configure it.

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

The price is high compared to some other solutions.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

My license is about to expire and I am currently searching for a new solution. As we expand and open new offices, I am looking to change the whole setup.

What other advice do I have?

In summary, this is a very good product and I recommend it.

I would rate this solution an eight out of ten.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
Network & System Engineer at Construction Products Holding Co.
Real User
Offers good security and monitoring features
Pros and Cons
  • "I find the security we are able to do with the policies to be valuable. The monitoring is valuable as well."
  • "Full monitoring obviously needs to be improved. We need full monitoring covered under the security licensing."

What is most valuable?

I find the security we are able to do with the policies to be valuable. The monitoring is valuable as well.

What needs improvement?

Full monitoring obviously needs to be improved. We need full monitoring covered under the security licensing. The license should include reporting and monitoring. It shouldn't be an add-on, it should just go along with it. They should also make the monitoring easy to manage. Sometimes we need reports. We need some live monitoring decisions on how it's going down. We should take the live report from the SonicWall itself. I want to display the report under our monitor so I can monitor firewalls outside our area.

For how long have I used the solution?

I've been using the solution for six years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

It's very stable and working fine.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The solution is very scalable. We don't plan to increase the usage right now. We have sufficient coverage. We don't plan future deployment.

How are customer service and technical support?

I've had a good experience with technical support.

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

We haven't been using a different solution previously. We were using some antivirus software and some firewall software. We decided to implement SonicWall because it has good support and a good reputation in our area.

How was the initial setup?

Initially, the setup is not so straightforward but we managed to make it work. Deployment was not so fast. It has initially taken two days, then after that, an hour or so. You only need one person for deployment.

What about the implementation team?

Initially, we could only implement with the support from the reseller but then afterwards we handled it by ourselves.

What was our ROI?

I've seen great ROI since implementing it.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

We considered many products, and afterwards, we found SonicWall to be the best solution.

What other advice do I have?

We're using a variety of different models. The solution is very simple and works great and is working fine in the regions that are here.

I would rate the solution a nine out of 10. If it had better reporting functionality, I would give it a 10.

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
PeerSpot user
Consultant at a tech services company with 51-200 employees
Consultant
It's simple to deploy which means you can quickly & effectively have a secure network but the reporting tool needs work

What is most valuable?

Configuration of firewall policies is very easy. I would say its interface gave me the ability to step into firewall and routing. Also I find using the SonicWALL for Site to Site VPN's is extremely easy, in particular, if you want to have VPN fail-over. HA is another good feature. Only because its the most competitive in the market as they give you an HA unit at a reduced cost.

How has it helped my organization?

Being a simple to deploy product means you can quickly and effectively implement a secure network

What needs improvement?

Since the acquisition of SonicWALL by Dell, I have not seen much in the way of improvements. Probably the key area to improve are as follows

  • Better Mail Security (Spam in particular)
  • Some improvement in Application Detection and reporting
  • Its reporting tool (Viewpoint/GMS) is probably still in need of much improvement.

The death for SonicWall for us unfortunately is the Dell acquisition. You end up competing with Dell for the sale of SonicWALL and then anything else IT related. They don't work with IT partners.

For how long have I used the solution?

I've used SonicWALL NSA for five years.

What was my experience with deployment of the solution?

No issues encountered with deployment.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The only stability issues I have encountered is the reporting tools' ViewPoint/GMS. I have seen those virtual appliances fail to the point of needing to rebuild.

The NSA side of things is extremely stable as is the HA functionality.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

You need to know the environment to ensure the unit you deploy suits. One negative about the SonicWALLS is the spec sheets for their numbers seem to be quite "optimistic". I used to divide by two to get an idea.

How are customer service and technical support?

Customer Service:

I haven't dealt with customer support.

Technical Support:

Pretty good, they are more than happy to get into the details of any issues and assist in resolving them.

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

This became the de-facto firewall for us.

How was the initial setup?

Initial out of the box setup is very simple as it provides wizards to get you up and running and you can build your firewall on top of those wizards.

What about the implementation team?

When SonicWall was SonicWALL we dealt with a very good vendor team. Since going to Dell it just went downhill.

What was our ROI?

We have seen many cases where installing the SonicWall has helped with security threats or just for safe user browsing

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

Setup cost is the hardware, configuration and installation. Once its installed, you don't need to refer to it much.

What other advice do I have?

Just map out the connection requirements.

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
it_user380502 - PeerSpot reviewer
it_user380502Principal Network Engineer at a tech services company with 51-200 employees
Consultant

I like the TZ series for very small office, however I generally recommend and implement the NSA series for my clients. (I am not a reseller, I just sell my time). General rule - buy the next model up on a SonicWall if you want it to be sufficient for at least 3-5 years. I love the NSA3600, probably the best SonicWall model that I have managed over the past 10 years.

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Updated: April 2024
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Buyer's Guide
Download our free SonicWall TZ Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions.