Sr. Engineer at a comms service provider with 51-200 employees
Real User
Reliable with a straightforward setup and good security features
Pros and Cons
  • "It's one of the best products I've worked with. It's typically a market leader on Gartner. It's a very respected brand."
  • "The pricing of the solution is quite high. It's one of the most expensive firewall solutions on the market."

What is our primary use case?

The solution is typically used for antivirus and antimalware purposes, to help protect an organization against attacks.

What is most valuable?

The solution offers many different capabilities.

It's one of the best products I've worked with. It's typically a market leader on Gartner. It's a very respected brand.

The solution offers very good security, especially in relation to antivirus activities.

The initial setup is pretty straightforward.

The product is extremely reliable.

What needs improvement?

The pricing of the solution is quite high. It's one of the most expensive firewall solutions on the market.

Clients are typically looking for a solution that's more aggressive in the market.

For example, with Fortinet, they have an SD-WAN that really has many capabilities. For example, it can inject a GSL SIM card along with the MPLS connection. It connects the system within one product. Palo Alto doesn't offer this. This is one area that will need to improve. In Indonesia, the market is growing strategically. Palo Alto has this one product, however, with the limitation of the GSM sim card they are getting left behind. 

For how long have I used the solution?

I started using the solution around 2012 or 2013. It may have been eight years or so. Sometimes I am doing a POC or implementing the solution, so it has been on and off.

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What do I think about the stability of the solution?

While the solution itself is okay in terms of stability, there could be issues if the hardware is affected. We have hardware that gets affected by humidity, for example, which can end up affecting a wide range of infrastructure. If the environment is good, the solution will be okay. If we talking about Palo Alto's series starting from the 3,000 to 5,000 or 7,000, Palo Alto has a really stable product.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

We set up this solution for companies of all sizes, from small to large enterprises. One of our clients is a telecom, which is quite sizable. They have the most complex configuration. The solution, however, is able to work for any company, no matter what the size. In that sense, it's a scalable option.

That said, the NG firewall is not a typical product that we can scale up on a whim. If we want to scale up in this product, we need to buy a higher series. We have to replace it. If we want to scale out this product, we can do a roll out in another location. Therefore, you can expand it out, however, you do need to change the sizing, which means getting a size or two up.

How are customer service and support?

I haven't contacted technical support recently. The last time I spoke to the tech support team was five years ago or maybe as an Operation Engineer three or five years ago. Generally, I found that they were really good at understanding the product. In my experience, they were really helpful. I'd say I was satisfied with their support.

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

I've also used Juniper, however, that may have been three or four years ago or so.

How was the initial setup?

In my case, I have a lot of experience with Palo Alto and the implementation process. Therefore, I don't find it too complex. It's rather straightforward for me. However, I have a long history with the solution. I find the hierarchy of the configuration fairly easy to understand, especially if you compare it to a solution such as Juniper. Juniper is a bit more complex to set up. Whereas, Palo Alto is a bit more straightforward.

How long deployment takes can vary. It really depends on the complexity of the configuration and the environment.

If a client only buys the implementation, they will have to handle the maintenance of the product. It's a good idea to have that type of person in-house.

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

We find the cost of the solution to be very high. It's quite expensive, and one of the most expensive on the market.

The pricing is related to the complexity of the environment. The more complex the company's requirements, the more it will cost.

What other advice do I have?

We have a partnership with Palo Alto.

I am in pre-sales and often do POCs or do some aspect of evaluating the solution for clients to help them understand the usefulness.

Overall, I really do prefer Palo Alto to other options. I'm the most comfortable with it and I understand it the best out of other solutions such as Juniper or Fortinet.

I'd suggest organizations consider the solution. Yes, it is quite expensive. However, it is also very reliable and is always marked highly in Gartner due to its feature set and usability. It's easy to configure and it's very easy to add more features into your roadmap if you need to. It can easily integrate into a larger holistic security system to help keep a company safe.

In general, I would rate the solution at a nine 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: Partner
PeerSpot user
Cyber Security Trainee at Macroview Telecom Limited
Reseller
Stable, straightforward to set up, and guards against sophisticated attacks
Pros and Cons
  • "The most valuable feature is WildFire, which blocks sophisticated attacks and distinguishes it from other traditional firewall functions."
  • "I would like to see better third-party orchestration so that it is easier for the team to work with different products."

What is our primary use case?

We are a solution provider and this is one of the firewall solutions that we implement for our customers. We present this product to customers and also handle the onsite installation.

Our clients use it to secure their network infrastructure.

What is most valuable?

The most valuable feature is WildFire, which blocks sophisticated attacks and distinguishes it from other traditional firewall functions.

What needs improvement?

I would like to see better third-party orchestration so that it is easier for the team to work with different products. 

Improvements should be made in the Cortex module.

For how long have I used the solution?

I worked with this next-generation firewall for about four months as I rotated between departments.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

We have had no complaints about stability.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

Scalability has not been a problem. Our customers for this firewall are large companies in industries such as banking.

How are customer service and technical support?

I have not been in contact with technical support.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup is quite straightforward compared to other brands of firewalls. The deployment takes about one month.

What about the implementation team?

Our in-house team handles the deployment and maintenance for our customers.

What other advice do I have?

My advice for anybody who is considering this product is that it is a useful firewall and high-ranking compared to others.

I would rate this solution an eight 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: Reseller
PeerSpot user
Buyer's Guide
Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls
April 2024
Learn what your peers think about Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: April 2024.
770,141 professionals have used our research since 2012.
Technical Manager El Salvador at a tech services company with 51-200 employees
Real User
A feature-rich solution that works very well and has excellent stability
Pros and Cons
  • "Overall, it is a good solution. It is stable. We use URL filtering, which is useful for blocking undesired URLs."
  • "Currently, they don't have email protection. They can maybe add it in the future. Currently, if you want to do so, you need to go with another solution."

What is our primary use case?

We use it for perimeter security.

What is most valuable?

Overall, it is a good solution. It is stable. We use URL filtering, which is useful for blocking undesired URLs.

What needs improvement?

Currently, they don't have email protection. They can maybe add it in the future. Currently, if you want to do so, you need to go with another solution.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using this solution for two years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

Its stability is perfect. It has excellent stability.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

With this kind of solution, you need to be careful in terms of planning because once you have the appliance, it is very difficult to scale too much. You need to carefully select the right appliances because if you need to run more services and traffic beyond the ones you have selected, you would have to replace the appliance. You would have to upgrade it. We currently have 100 users in our organization who use this solution.

How are customer service and technical support?

We never had the need to open a support case. It never happened that something that was supposed to work was not working. If required, we can find the answers in the product documentation.

How was the initial setup?

If you have the right experience, it is okay. It is not very easy, but if you know how to manage it and configure it, it is okay. It takes maybe 5 to 10 hours or a day.

What other advice do I have?

I would advise others to go for it. They will not get disappointed. It is complex at the beginning because it has a lot of features, but this is something that you overcome with training. With training and experience, you can manage it.

I would rate Palo Alto Networks NG Firewall a nine 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: Partner
PeerSpot user
Regulatory Specialist at a healthcare company with 501-1,000 employees
Real User
A user-friendly next-generation firewall with good support and useful security features.
Pros and Cons
  • "Operationally, it is easier, and the manageability and their security features are good."
  • "When it comes to their support, we have to select every single component that we want to include in a particular bundle. That is a very tedious process. T"

What is our primary use case?

We use a very basic model with a small installation to secure a small office segment with 50 users.

What is most valuable?

Operationally, it is easier, and the manageability and their security features are good. Vendor support is also good.

What needs improvement?

When it comes to their support, we have to select every single component that we want to include in a particular bundle. That is a very tedious process. The vendor will help us identify the product and the features, but it could be better. The price could also be better.

For how long have I used the solution?

We have been using Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls for about four years.

How are customer service and technical support?

Vendor support is good.

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

Compared to other solutions, it's very expensive to set up and maintain.

What other advice do I have?

I would tell potential users that Palo Alto is the best, even compared to Cisco or any other competitor. 

On a scale from one to ten, I would give Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls a nine.

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
Senior Network Security Engineer at Locuz Enterprise Solutions Ltd
Vendor
Good IPS/IDS capability and good technical support, but more OTP features are needed
Pros and Cons
  • "The most valuable features are the IPS/IDS subscriptions."
  • "In the future, I would like to see more OTP features."

What is our primary use case?

We are using this firewall for security purposes.

What is most valuable?

The most valuable features are the IPS/IDS subscriptions.

The user interface is fine.

What needs improvement?

In the future, I would like to see more OTP features.

The price of this product should be reduced.

For how long have I used the solution?

We have been using the Palo Alto Next-Generation Firewall for more than two years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

In terms of stability, we have had a very good experience with this product. I would say that it is excellent.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

Scalability has not been an issue. It's good.

How are customer service and technical support?

The technical support from Palo Alto is good.

How was the initial setup?

I was not present for the initial setup and deployment. Prior to that, I was not part of the planning.

What other advice do I have?

My experience with Palo Alto is good and I definitely recommend this product. That said, there is always room for improvement.

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.
PeerSpot user
ITSM Engineer at a comms service provider with 11-50 employees
Real User
Reliable with good App-ID, Content-ID, User-ID, and encryption and decryption features
Pros and Cons
  • "The App-ID, Content-ID, User-ID, and encryption and decryption are valuable features."
  • "They can improve the handling and management of User-ID. They should also improve its price. Their technical support can also be improved."

What is our primary use case?

We are using it for data center protection, intrasystem security, endpoints protection, load balancing, and DHCP.

What is most valuable?

The App-ID, Content-ID, User-ID, and encryption and decryption are valuable features.

What needs improvement?

They can improve the handling and management of User-ID. They should also improve its price. Their technical support can also be improved.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using this solution for three years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

It is stable and reliable.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

We went from 4 devices to 16 devices, and it was not a big problem. Currently, we don't have any plans to increase its usage. Our network won't grow over the next two years. It will stay as it is.

How are customer service and technical support?

Their technical support is sometimes lousy, but sometimes, it is okay. Their technical support can be improved.

How was the initial setup?

Its initial setup is not too complex for an environment like this.

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

Its price should be improved.

What other advice do I have?

I would recommend this solution. I would rate Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls 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
CIO/CTO at a manufacturing company with 501-1,000 employees
Real User
User-friendly GUI, reliable, and the application firewall performs well

What is our primary use case?

We primarily use this product to protect our network.

What is most valuable?

The most valuable feature is the application firewall.

The GUI is user-friendly.

What needs improvement?

The way that the roles are made, specifically with how you specify the path, could be simpler.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been working with Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls for one year.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

We used the product on a daily basis and have had no critical issues so far.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

We have hundreds of users in the company and have not tried scaling it.

How are customer service and technical support?

With regards to support, they have a lot of things to improve.

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

We also use Check Point as a firewall. Both have their advantages but for my part, Palo Alto is better because of the way it handles applications. Check Point is better if you are only using ports and TCP/IP.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup is of medium difficulty. It is not simple yet not complex.

What about the implementation team?

We implement in-house with some assistance from the vendor. It took a few hours to deploy.

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

Palo Alto is more affordable than some competing products, such as Check Point.

What other advice do I have?

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

I would rate this solution a nine out of ten.

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
Senior solution architect at a comms service provider with 51-200 employees
Real User
Good management options, and we have confidence in the security that it provides
Pros and Cons
  • "The management options are good."
  • "Technical support could be faster."

What is our primary use case?

We use this product as our perimeter firewall.

How has it helped my organization?

We have a lot of confidence in this solution.

What is most valuable?

The management options are good.

What needs improvement?

There are some options available in other firewall products that are not supported, so there is room for improvement in that regard.

Technical support could be faster.

The cost of this firewall could be cheaper.

For how long have I used the solution?

We have been using the Palo Alto Networks NG Firewall for the past five years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

This is a stable product.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

This next-generation firewall solution is scalable. We have more than 500 users and we plan to continue using it.

How are customer service and technical support?

We have had experience with technical support and it is good, although they could be faster.

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

Our previous firewall did not have the next-generation capability.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup is straightforward. A typical installation takes one or two days.

What about the implementation team?

We deployed this product on our own and one person is suitable for the deployment.

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

This is an expensive product and there is a subscription cost.

What other advice do I have?

This is a good product and I recommend it.

I would rate this solution a nine 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: Integrator
PeerSpot user
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Download our free Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions.
Updated: April 2024
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Buyer's Guide
Download our free Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions.