We performed a comparison between Meraki MX and SonicWall TZ based on our users’ reviews in four categories. After reading the collected data, you can find our conclusion below.
Comparison Results: Users consider Meraki MX devices to be part of a comprehensive next-generation firewall solution with all the advanced security services required for today’s IT marketplace. They say it is also a robust dynamic Unified Threat Management (UTM) tool. Meraki MX offers zero-touch installation, is cloud-based, and can seamlessly integrate with most of today’s popular platforms. Many users feel SonicWall TZ can be bulky and slow and is lacking some key features.
"The IPS is good. It protect my network from attackers."
"The features that we have found most valuable are the SSL VPN and the User Portal."
"Easy to use support and licensing portal as well as activation process."
"The most valuable feature of Fortinet FortiGate is load balancing. It can provide central management and VPNA. Additionally, it has enhanced our security environment."
"It is useful for protecting and segregating the internal networks from the internet. Most of our customers also use the FortiGate client to connect to their offices by using the VPN client, and of course, they usually activate the antivirus, deep inspection, and intrusion prevention services. They are also using it for web filtering and implementing various policies dealing with forwardings, NAT, etc."
"The inspection and web security features are most valuable."
"Secure, user-friendly, stable, and scalable network security solution. Installation is straightforward."
"Some of the key features of the solution is that it has good reporting, you can receive many details from the connection, for example, clients and website information."
"The dashboard is very intuitive and easy to understand."
"They have very good technical support and I have relied heavily on them."
"I love the simplicity of Meraki MX — specifically, the simplicity of the dashboard."
"Since it has an integrated dashboard for all the products, customers can get complete network analytics regarding what the user is doing, monitoring, and observing."
"Easy to administer and saves time when you have many smaller locations that you have to manage."
"Meraki MX offers advanced filtration options, plus it behaves like a router and a firewall at the same time."
"It is a robust SD-WAN solution."
"MX is easy to manage, configure and install."
"The features that we have found most valuable in SonicWall TZ are the intrusion and brute force attack prevention."
"It is a scalable solution."
"I like the firewall product, the security server, and the content filter."
"The most valuable feature is the protection available, and then ease of use and flexibility."
"SonicWall TZ is stable."
"It does exactly what it says on the tin. It is good for protecting the business from being compromised. Its port protection is very good."
"Content filtering and application rules are the most valuable features. It is also easy to configure."
"Offers the right amount of control without being incredibly convoluted and frustrating."
"I need user-behavior analytics, to find threat scenarios from inside the organization, insider attacks. That would be very helpful for us. In addition, I would like next-generation features for small and medium businesses. These businesses require UTM, all in one product. Fortinet must include it."
"Scalability is one of the disadvantages. When it comes to scalability, you have to actually change the box. If you want to upgrade it, you need to actually change the existing box and probably you take the system off to other sites."
"It does not have key authentication for admin access."
"I think there could be more QoS features"
"Fortinet Fortigate could benefit by simplifying some of their processes."
"For the migration, everyone has a firewall in use and I am selling Fortinet. Typically, I am replacing another firewall. Previously, there was a tool available to convert configurations from one firewall, such as Palo Alto, to Fortinet, but this tool is no longer free. If it could be made free again, it would be very beneficial."
"As far as wanting more scalability or things in the network diagram, it's going to cost you."
"The updates Fortinet provides are sometimes unstable."
"Meraki tech support staff have a lot more visibility into your network than you do, which is frustrating at times. I understand the approach is to keep the dashboard easier to understand. This will frustrate more advanced users at times."
"Right now, you can postpone the update but eventually, if you don't do the update, it will install the updates automatically for you and that's something that is not working for me."
"The problem is that the two licenses do not currently integrate. We have to create separate companies and do an interconnection."
"The IPS, the Intrusion Prevention System, can be improved."
"In the next release, because the security is pretty basic, I think they could include additional security features."
"When we do API integrations with Meraki, they have always been hard as well as tedious to build. The data that we want out of the API integrations has been only recently available. Six months ago, it was hard to get someone to build something correctly or useful with Meraki APIs. Recently, they have made more data available on the API, but it is just a start. They need to do more."
"Direct logging is something that can be introduced. In the absence of cloud management, the possibility of local configurations and on-premise logins becomes restricted. This limitation stands as a primary concern. When it comes to resolving issues, the inability to access login options hampers troubleshooting efforts. The stability is noteworthy; but when compared to alternative products, its stability is comparatively lower. Additionally, certain limitations are observed in terms of remote control. Price-wise, the solution stands out for its competitive and cost-effective nature compared to other alternatives. Operationally, it is user-friendly and requires minimal effort from administrators, making configuration hassle-free."
"It would be nice to get detailed logging information without third-party software."
"It would be good if Analyzer would be part of the stock license, so even if a layperson is getting the device, he or she doesn't forgets about ordering the Analyzer because it's already there."
"We encounter issues while generating new reports."
"I'd like to have cloud management at no additional cost. Unfortunately, leveraging SonicWall's cloud management capabilities is cost-prohibitive, so we don't use it. They should have a reasonable subscription or offer it to us at no cost as an MSP."
"The user support could be improved because you have to go outside to get that kind of support."
"I can't get the support that I need from SonicWall."
"The marketing of SonicWall has to be increased. Currently, when it comes to firewalls, most people go for Cisco and Palo Alto. SonicWall should improve its marketing and branding policies to increase sales. Other than that, it is good."
"The solution's antivirus checking could be improved so that we can have a deeper inspection of the packets."
"Support for SonicWall TZ needs improvement, particularly the time it takes before you're able to speak to a support person, e.g. you have to wait for at least 30 minutes on the phone."
Meraki MX is ranked 2nd in Unified Threat Management (UTM) with 22 reviews while SonicWall TZ is ranked 11th in Firewalls with 19 reviews. Meraki MX is rated 8.2, while SonicWall TZ is rated 8.0. The top reviewer of Meraki MX writes "Great solution that can manage multiple devices (security, switches, APs, Cameras) with a single pane of glass". On the other hand, the top reviewer of SonicWall TZ writes "Highly acceptable on a small scale, straightforward out the box installation, with a good price point". Meraki MX is most compared with Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls, Cisco Secure Firewall, Sophos XG, Netgate pfSense and SonicWall NSa, whereas SonicWall TZ is most compared with Sophos XG, Netgate pfSense, SonicWall NSa, Cisco Secure Firewall and WatchGuard Firebox. See our Meraki MX vs. SonicWall TZ report.
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