Prisma Access by Palo Alto Networks vs SonicWall SMA comparison

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6,517 views|4,376 comparisons
91% willing to recommend
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1,227 views|858 comparisons
90% willing to recommend
Comparison Buyer's Guide
Executive Summary

We performed a comparison between Prisma Access by Palo Alto Networks and SonicWall SMA based on real PeerSpot user reviews.

Find out in this report how the two Enterprise Infrastructure VPN solutions compare in terms of features, pricing, service and support, easy of deployment, and ROI.
To learn more, read our detailed Prisma Access by Palo Alto Networks vs. SonicWall SMA Report (Updated: March 2024).
768,740 professionals have used our research since 2012.
Featured Review
Quotes From Members
We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use.
Here are some excerpts of what they said:
Pros
"It's an ideal gateway solution for small and medium businesses, i.e., around 300 devices can be easily handled.""The solution has good performance."

More Netgate TNSR Pros →

"It supports auto-scaling for mobile users. It auto-scales depending on the mobile user traffic. For example, if 1,000 people are working from home today, and tomorrow, the number increases to 2,000, it is not going to be an issue.""The most valuable features of the solution are in the areas of the secure remote access it provides while also being user-friendly.""The solution is not very complex and is easy to manage for people who may or may not have knowledge about Palo Alto Networks.""Overall, the cost savings, ease of deployment, and better VPN user experience and performance are valuable.""It's much faster and more secure than legacy solutions. It is also quite stable and scalable as well. We are able to see all the traffic in one place.""It's great that we can make sure a machine meets the minimum requirements before users are allowed to log in.""Prisma helped us build a moat around our production systems. It's now impossible to log into our production from a non-MDM laptop. Prisma Access provides decent security overall.""The tool's consolidation is pretty quick."

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"It is faster than other security options when using remote connections.""SonicWall SMA allows us to provide CML-based access to any user.""I like the load balancing capability.""The solution is reliable and has good overall performance.""Blocklisting and allowlisting are the most beneficial features for network security.""This solution has many options for remote desktop and access.""What I like best about SonicWall SMA is the relationship between its features and its price, because the solution is both affordable and functional.""Secure Mobile Access (SMA) is easy to configure and the deployment is straightforward. However, this is mostly because of the AWS setup."

More SonicWall SMA Pros →

Cons
"There must be a more easy-to-use GUI."

More Netgate TNSR Cons →

"If you compare Prisma SaaS against other products, such as Cloud Log, it's a little bit tricky to understand, but it offers different functionality that other products don't have. From a user usability point of view, you need some training for this product, as an admin, you need a couple of demos.""They can add some new characteristics. For example, when an incident triggers, they can automatically send a template for a particular match that is related to the policy. We don't have that right now. It is something to improve. There could be more automation for certain actions. For example, for a particular group, it can send an administrator alert to their manager. It was one of the concerns of our customers.""Palo Alto Prisma 10 came out over a year ago. Palo Alto added this identity management feature. The legacy way Palo Alto selected which user is sitting on an IP address it passes through has been clunky.""From any improvement perspective, the product's compatibility issues with Linux need to be resolved.""Palo Alto needs to improve the GlobalProtect agent to work as a secure web gateway agent, not only as a VPN agent because some companies would want only a secure gateway. They wouldn't want a full VPN. So, Palo Alto has to make the VPN agent work as a secure web gateway agent for those customers who want only the secure web gateway solution.""The product's price is an area of concern where improvements are required. The solution's price should be lowered.""The initial support team is not very good. Most of the time, I have found that they are one to three years experienced only. They don't have network expertise. They know about Palo Alto products but don't know how to troubleshoot the issues. We have to guide them most of the time to troubleshoot correctly since their approach is not developed.""When it comes to integration mechanisms, Prisma SaaS does not support reverse proxy type of integrations."

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"The overall menu is not very user-friendly and it could be easier.""The solution has 2FA, it will generate a token and send it to an email, but multifactor authentication is not available. I would suggest that there should be MFA integration and provided with the appliance.""I'd like to see the product maybe polish keyboards in Bookmark.""This is an expensive solution and I think that the price could be improved.""The problem is that when combined with what the client already has, there are two different logins and two different management systems, and these should be consolidated into a single interface.""User interface could be improved.""Enhancing live tracking capabilities could improve the product, particularly in monitoring user activity and request statuses in real-time on the web interface.""The timed synchronization between the network appliance needs improvement."

More SonicWall SMA Cons →

Pricing and Cost Advice
  • "There is not a license required for this solution but the price should be less expensive."
  • More Netgate TNSR Pricing and Cost Advice →

  • "The licensing cost is about 18,000 euros."
  • "Actually the solution is very expensive. I don't know the particulars since the purchasing team dealt with it."
  • "The pricing for this solution is on the higher end."
  • "Compared to other products, the price is slightly high."
  • "This is not an expensive product and everything is included with one license."
  • "Prisma Access is a little bit expensive."
  • "The licensing fees are paid on a yearly basis and for what we get, the price is good."
  • "The solution requires a license and the technical support has extra costs. The licensing model could improve."
  • More Prisma Access by Palo Alto Networks Pricing and Cost Advice →

  • "The cost of the licensing is based on the maximum number of concurrent users, and it costs a lot to add them."
  • "I don't know about the pricing of the SSL-VPN box. I know the SSL-VPN software is free. Global VPN client, by comparison, is licensed for around $150 or something like that. But the SSL-VPN software is free. It is already built-in with the box."
  • "Our licenses are stackable and can be anywhere from five users to a million users."
  • "This solution is priced well and we currently have the maximum number of licenses allowed."
  • "All the costs are included in a bundled license."
  • "The platform has medium pricing."
  • More SonicWall SMA Pricing and Cost Advice →

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    Questions from the Community
    Top Answer:It's an ideal gateway solution for small and medium businesses, i.e., around 300 devices can be easily handled.
    Top Answer:The product is very cost-effective and has no requirement for additional licenses. The setup is not easy. Users need… more »
    Top Answer:THe solution is used as a primary gateway with two lease lines of 450 Mbps total. Around 200 users are under it. There… more »
    Top Answer: We looked into Prisma Access before choosing Zscaler Private Access (ZPA). Palo Alto’s Prisma Access is a secure… more »
    Top Answer:The solution's most valuable features were the model's reduced complexity on the client side and its capability to… more »
    Top Answer:Blocklisting and allowlisting are the most beneficial features for network security.
    Top Answer:Enhancing live tracking capabilities could improve the product, particularly in monitoring user activity and request… more »
    Comparisons
    Also Known As
    TNSR
    Palo Alto Networks Prisma Access, Prisma Access, GlobalProtect, Palo Alto GlobalProtect Mobile Security Manager, Prisma SaaS by Palo Alto Networks, Prisma Access
    SonicWall Aventail, SonicWall SMA SSL-VPN, SonicWall Secure Mobile Access
    Learn More
    Overview

    TNSR is an advanced open source-based secure networking software platform with highly-scalable packet processing, manageability, and service expansion capabilities. This video provides a high-level introduction. that address a number of commonly asked new product questions - in just a couple of minutes.

    Prisma Access by Palo Alto Networks provides consistent security for all users and applications across your remote networks. Prisma Access grants users safe access to the cloud and data center applications and the internet as well. In addition, the solution combines all of your security and networking capabilities into a single cloud-delivered platform, enabling flexible hybrid workforces.

    Prisma Access can be managed two ways:

    1. Cloud Managed
    2. Panorama Managed

    Prisma Access delivers both networking and security services, including:

    • SD-WAN
    • VPN
    • Zero Trust network access (ZTNA)
    • Quality of service (QoS)
    • Clean Pipe
    • Firewall as a service (FWaaS)
    • DNS Security
    • Threat Prevention
    • Cloud secure web gateway (SWG)
    • Data loss prevention (DLP)
    • Cloud access security broker (CASB)

    Prisma Access by Palo Alto Networks Features

    Prisma Access by Palo Alto Networks has many valuable key features including: App-ID, User-ID, Device-ID, SSL Decryption, Dynamic User Group (DUG) Monitoring, AI/ML-Based Detection, IoT Security, Reporting, URL Filtering, Enterprise Data Loss Prevention (DLP), Digital Experience Monitoring (DEM)*, Logging, Policy Automation, Intrusion Prevention System (IPS), and many more.

    Prisma Access by Palo Alto Networks Benefits

    Some of the benefits of using Prisma Access by Palo Alto Networks include:

    • Security: Prisma Access gives you consistent security to protect against cyberattacks, with enforcement of policy at every location. By implementing Prisma Access, you also gain protection that works to prevent known and unknown malware, exploits, credential theft, command and control, and many other attack vectors across all ports and protocols.

    • Global connectivity: Prisma Access provides global coverage through use of its connectivity layer.

    • Scalability: With Prisma Access, scaling is automatically managed and is scalable, flexible, and agile.

    • Instant deployment: Deployment is fast, eliminating wasted time that may otherwise be associated with setting up a solution, operating it, or shipping hardware in order to get started.

    Reviews from Real Users

    Below are some reviews and helpful feedback written by Microsoft Azure Synapse Analytics

    users who are currently using the solution.

    PeerSpot user Partha D., Global Network Tech Lead at a computer software company, speaks about his experience using the product, saying, "It protects all app traffic so that users can gain access to all apps. Unlike other solutions that only work from ports 80 and 443, which are predominantly for web traffic, Prisma Access covers all protocols and works on all traffic patterns... The most sophisticated attacks can arise from sources that are not behind 80/443."

    Tejas J., a Sr. Cloud Security Architect at a computer software company, mentions that "it is geographically dispersed, and it sits on top of Google and AWS platforms. Therefore, you don't face the standard issues, such as latency or bandwidth issues, that you usually face in the case of on-prem data centers.

    Another PeerSpot reviewer, Max I., Associate Director at Cognizant, comments that "Security is absolutely spot-on, really top-notch. It's the result of all the components that come together, such as the HIP [Host Information Profile] and components like Forcepoint, providing end-user content inspection, and antivirus. It incorporates DLP features and that's fantastic because Prisma Access makes sure that all of the essential prerequisites are in place before a user can log in or can be tunneled into."

    SonicWall SMA is a unified secure access gateway that enables organizations to provide anytime, anywhere and any device access to mission critical corporate resources. SMA's granular access control policy engine, context aware device authorization, application level VPN and advanced authentication with single sign-on empowers organizations to embrace BYOD and mobility in a hybrid IT environment.
    Sample Customers
    UCLA, COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY, shopify
    Concord Hospital, State of Colorado, Essilor International, RheinLand Versicherungsgruppe, University of Westminster, Universidade Nove de Julho, SPAR Austria, CAME Group, ZipRealty, Greenhill & Co., IKT Agder, Aviva Stadium, Animal Logic, Management & Training Corporation, Brigham Young University Hawaii, School District of Chilliwack
    UnitedStack, Newport City Homes, Faith Lutheran College Redlands, PRIME aerostructures GmbH, Celtic Manor Resort
    Top Industries
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Computer Software Company16%
    Comms Service Provider10%
    Manufacturing Company8%
    Government7%
    REVIEWERS
    Computer Software Company46%
    Manufacturing Company12%
    Logistics Company4%
    Political Organization4%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Computer Software Company15%
    Manufacturing Company11%
    Financial Services Firm11%
    Government6%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Computer Software Company19%
    Construction Company10%
    Comms Service Provider8%
    Government6%
    Company Size
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Small Business29%
    Midsize Enterprise18%
    Large Enterprise53%
    REVIEWERS
    Small Business29%
    Midsize Enterprise29%
    Large Enterprise42%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Small Business18%
    Midsize Enterprise14%
    Large Enterprise68%
    REVIEWERS
    Small Business73%
    Midsize Enterprise13%
    Large Enterprise13%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Small Business43%
    Midsize Enterprise11%
    Large Enterprise45%
    Buyer's Guide
    Prisma Access by Palo Alto Networks vs. SonicWall SMA
    March 2024
    Find out what your peers are saying about Prisma Access by Palo Alto Networks vs. SonicWall SMA and other solutions. Updated: March 2024.
    768,740 professionals have used our research since 2012.

    Prisma Access by Palo Alto Networks is ranked 5th in Enterprise Infrastructure VPN with 56 reviews while SonicWall SMA is ranked 21st in Enterprise Infrastructure VPN with 14 reviews. Prisma Access by Palo Alto Networks is rated 8.4, while SonicWall SMA is rated 8.2. The top reviewer of Prisma Access by Palo Alto Networks writes "Integration with Palo Alto platforms such as Cortex Data Lake and Autofocus gives us visibility into our attack surface". On the other hand, the top reviewer of SonicWall SMA writes "It allows us to provide CML-based access to any user, but the reporting could be better". Prisma Access by Palo Alto Networks is most compared with Zscaler Zero Trust Exchange, Netskope , Cisco Umbrella, Zscaler Internet Access and Prisma SD-WAN, whereas SonicWall SMA is most compared with Fortinet FortiClient, Cisco SD-WAN, SonicWall Netextender, Peplink SpeedFusion and Microsoft Azure VPN Gateway. See our Prisma Access by Palo Alto Networks vs. SonicWall SMA report.

    See our list of best Enterprise Infrastructure VPN vendors.

    We monitor all Enterprise Infrastructure VPN reviews to prevent fraudulent reviews and keep review quality high. We do not post reviews by company employees or direct competitors. We validate each review for authenticity via cross-reference with LinkedIn, and personal follow-up with the reviewer when necessary.