Senior Network Security Engineer at a tech services company with 51-200 employees
Real User
Top 5
A good price for a manageable solution, but we have encountered bugs
Pros and Cons
  • "A valuable feature involves the solution's manageability."
  • "Even though things work on the back end, we have encountered bugs in the solution."

What is our primary use case?

The solution acts as a filter. 

What is most valuable?

A valuable feature involves the solution's manageability. 

What needs improvement?

Even though things work on the back end, we have encountered bugs in the solution. 

User interface and integration can stand improvement.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been working with Sophos XG for two or three years. 

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What do I think about the stability of the solution?

Owing to the fast and adequate response time we get, we do not have complaints about the stability. 

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

Scalability is not an issue for us, as we are getting the requisite support, with fast response time. 

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

The price is good for the moment. 

What other advice do I have?

We are a provider of services to our customers.

I would recommend this product to others. 

I rate Sophos XG as a seven out of ten, owing to the bugs we have come across. 

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
Service Delivery Engineer - Network Security Lead at a tech services company with 51-200 employees
Reseller
Simple to use, simple to manage, and simple to administer
Pros and Cons
  • "The most valuable feature is the Intercept X. It is the advanced features that are used for malware detection, and antivirus."
  • "Sophos can definitely improve with the interoperability between solutions."

What is our primary use case?

This firewall is part of the security solution that is implemented in medium-sized enterprises.

We are using it for endpoint and user security for laptops and mobile phones.

What is most valuable?

The most valuable feature is the Intercept X. It is the advanced features that are used for malware detection and antivirus. It's similar to antivirus on steroids.

It's simple to use and has a simple interface. It's generally straightforward and configuration-wise, it's not complex. 

It's a very simple product to use and that's why you find it is used mostly in small to medium-sized enterprises. They don't have the manpower that a large organization can have, in terms of the skilled workforce when it comes to cybersecurity. They just need something that is simple to use, simple to manage, and simple to administer, but effective at the same time. That's the main selling point for Sophos.

What needs improvement?

I have not used their SD-WAN product or the SD-WAN feature, so I don't know how scalable the SD-WAN is. But, I hope just that the SD-WAN is up to par with FortiGate.

The integration is an area that can improve a bit. One of the other solutions that I have used that is highly interoperable is Fortinet. It's easy to integrate with other products. 

Sophos can definitely improve with the interoperability between solutions.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using Sophos XG for a year and a half.

We are using the latest version.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

It is very stable. I've not had any issues with it.

In terms of bugs, I've not had any bugs, or I've not encountered any bugs when deploying Sophos or administering Sophos products. 

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

In terms of scalability, it's very scalable because they have different sized firewalls for different requirements or different specifications. 

It is also able to do high availability, so it's very scalable.

Currently, in our organization, we have coverage with Sophos Intercept X Endpoint Protection. We have 49 employees. We plan to continue to use this solution.

We are currently subscribed to a three-year product and will be using it for a duration of three years.

How are customer service and technical support?

I have not had any cases where I had to log technical support, but I believe it would be fast enough in case I needed to reach out to them.

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

We are also using Fortinet FortiGate Firewall. 

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup is very simple.

For a normal deployment with basic configuration in a  medium-sized enterprise, it can take a day and a half.

If it's a complex network design then it might be three to four days.

It only requires one person to deploy and maintain this solution.

What about the implementation team?

We used an implementor and an integrator, but usually, I do it by myself.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

The features in Sophos XG are the same features you would find in Palo Alto or Fortinet.

What other advice do I have?

I just like it the way it is. I wouldn't recommend any changes to it, because what they have is working and it's working very well. It is a product that I definitely recommend to others.

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: Partner
PeerSpot user
Buyer's Guide
Sophos XG
March 2024
Learn what your peers think about Sophos XG. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: March 2024.
768,857 professionals have used our research since 2012.
IT Security Manager at a financial services firm with 201-500 employees
MSP
Ability to be managed by all users; unfortunately there is no tracking
Pros and Cons
  • "Each user has the ability to manage the solution."
  • "Inability to investigate incidents, there is no tracking."

What is our primary use case?

We are customers of Sophos and I'm the company IT security manager. 

What is most valuable?

I like that each user has the ability to manage the solution. 

What needs improvement?

It's a problem that we are not able to investigate incidents, there is no tracking. Security is also lacking in this product. 

For how long have I used the solution?

I've been using this solution for three years. 

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

Stability is good, no problems. 

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

Scalability is fine. 

How are customer service and technical support?

Technical support could be improved, it's not great. 

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

The price is good, it's not an expensive product.

What other advice do I have?

I would not recommend this firewall to others. 

I would rate this product a seven out of 10.

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
Owner at a tech services company with 11-50 employees
Real User
Reasonably priced, stable, easy to setup and has good technical support
Pros and Cons
  • "The most valuable feature of this solution is flexibility."
  • "Scalability could be improved. It could be better."

What is our primary use case?

Sophos XG is used as our firewall.

We are an MSP, and we have a variety of clients with varying needs. It is a solution that is tailored to each of our clients and their specific requirements.

What is most valuable?

The most valuable feature of this solution is flexibility.

What needs improvement?

Scalability could be improved. It could be better.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been working with Sophos XG for approximately six years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

Sophos XG is a stable solution.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

It is scalable in the majority of cases. We've had a couple of problems.

Our main application is for medium-sized companies.

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

We are also using FortiGate.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup is easy, it's straightforward.

What was our ROI?

The technical support is good. We have no problems with technical support.

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

The price is reasonable but it would be great if it was reduced to half the price.

What other advice do I have?

I would recommend this solution. They all have different strengths and weaknesses, it all depends on the environment.

I would rate Sophos XG a nine out of ten.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

Hybrid Cloud
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: partner
PeerSpot user
Systems Administrator Team Leader at a retailer with 1,001-5,000 employees
Real User
Very solid and stable, although there are some ADL bugs that require enhancing
Pros and Cons
  • "This is a very stable solution."
  • "The MTR feature needs enhancing."

What is our primary use case?

This solution is generally used for environment protection, using the ADR and MTL features. I'm a system administrator and team leader and we are customers of Sophos. 

What is most valuable?

It is a stable product because it's on the central cloud so there's no management required. 

What needs improvement?

The MTR feature has to be enhanced. There are some bugs on the ADL which need enhancing. 

For how long have I used the solution?

I've been using this solution for two years. 

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

This is a stable solution.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

Because this is a cloud portal, scalability isn't an issue. It's fully managed by the vendor, we just login to the portal and check the logs and check the updates.

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

We have Sophos firewalls and were planning to do a full integration with XG, but unfortunately this did not happen.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup is carried out on the portal so you need to work on the configuration with the respective partner and have the portal accessing all of the environment. It's a simple setup. We have deployed this solution on around 200 machines.

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

We pay an annual license.

What other advice do I have?

I would rate this solution a seven out of 10. 

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

Hybrid Cloud
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
Administrator IT at Shopfront Limited
Real User
Synchronized security centrally monitors endpoints in real-time
Pros and Cons
  • "This kind of strategic technology makes it much easier to remove malware and address vulnerabilities quickly."
  • "It would be great if the user can have a portal to check on activities related to their account."

What is our primary use case?

We primarily use this solution for bandwidth control, intrusion prevention, and network security.

How has it helped my organization?

We now have visibility into our network.

What is most valuable?

Sophos operates using a Synchronized Security in its XG platform. It is facilitated by an active connection with all of the network endpoints. This connection operates like a heartbeat, notifying the firewall instinctively when an endpoint has been infected or compromised. The firewall then quarantines the problem area and provides detailed information on how the endpoint was compromised. This kind of strategic technology makes it much easier to remove malware and address vulnerabilities quickly.

What needs improvement?

It would be great if the user can have a portal to check on activities related to their account.

For how long have I used the solution?

We have been using Sophos SG for two years.

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
it_user431136 - PeerSpot reviewer
Consultant Information Technology at a tech company with 51-200 employees
Real User
Efficiently protects against malware attacks, gives visibility into ports, apps, and websites
Pros and Cons
  • "My clients gain efficiency in protecting against attacks from malware such as ransomware and hacker attacks. It also provides them efficient internet access control, and full visibility of ports, applications, and websites."
  • "Excellent product, meets most of the security needs of companies of various sizes. You can buy it without fear."
  • "It could offer a DNS Filter for blocking botnet networks."

How has it helped my organization?

My clients gain efficiency in protecting against attacks from malware such as ransomware and hacker attacks. It also provides them efficient internet access control, and full visibility of ports, applications, and websites.

What is most valuable?

  • IPS
  • Very efficient
  • Web Filter
  • Captive Portal with Voucher and Application Control.

What needs improvement?

It could offer other important functions such as a DNS Filter for blocking botnet networks.

For how long have I used the solution?

One to three years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

No stability issues.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

No scalability issues.

How are customer service and technical support?

Satisfactory.

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

I still use Fortigate, also Sophos UTM. As I'm a solution consultant, I have different clients where each solution fits the environment.

How was the initial setup?

Simple and easy.

What other advice do I have?

Excellent product, meets most of the security needs of companies of various sizes. You can buy it without fear.

Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: Partner.
PeerSpot user
it_user846270 - PeerSpot reviewer
Senior IT Infrastructure Solutions Engineer at a tech services company with 51-200 employees
Real User
Cloud portal allows me to manage firewall from any location; interface is user-friendly
Pros and Cons
  • "Valuable features include: the ease of setting up the VPN connection; the fact they have the cloud management option, so I can manage the firewall on a cloud platform from anywhere I am; the user interface is very user-friendly, so it's very easy for the administrator to make any policy changes."
  • "I would like the update process to be easier, to update the firmware of the boxes. I think it's much better automatically than having to do it manually: Download the file, do network discovery. I they can make the update process much more automatic that would help."

What is our primary use case?

We use it for VPN connectivity with remote sites, as well as general IPS and IDS.

It's a satisfactory solution so far, no problems. It's very easy to use, and we have technical support for any issues, so it's quite good.

How has it helped my organization?

It's cost-effective. We are not that big a company. It gives us the features that we need.

What is most valuable?

  • The ease of setting up the VPN connection. 
  • The fact they have the cloud management option, I can manage it on a cloud platform. So anywhere I am, I can always manage the firewall.
  • The user interface is very user-friendly, so it's very easy for the administrator to make any policy changes.

What needs improvement?

I would like the update process to be easier, to update the firmware of the boxes. I think it's much better automatically than having to do it manually: Download the file, do network discovery. If they can make the update process much more automatic that would help.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The stability, so far, is actually quite good. I think the only issue we have had is some flapping on the connection, but it was a bug. The support is quite good, so the issue was resolved in no time at all. We have not had many issues at all. It's been working fine.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

I don't think this applies in our own case because we just bought the medium-range box, so it's adequate for our needs.

How are customer service and technical support?

It's very good, very responsive, and they resolve our issues in no time at all.

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

We were previously using a different solution, a Cisco ASA firewall, but it was not a next-generation of firewall, next-generation meaning it can do unified threat management. We wanted a new solution that would also give us next-generation features, like anti-malware and end-point management and the like. That informed our choice of Sophos.

When selecting a vendor, the stability of the solution and then the technical support are very important. Also, the cost-to-reward ratio, the value we get from the product compared to what we pay for it. In addition, ease of management; how easy is it to manage? If it's too complex to manage it's a problem because you don't want to spend too much time managing it.

How was the initial setup?

It was completely straightforward, but our internal network is not that complex.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

We evaluated Sophos vs Fortinet and Sophos vs Cisco

The cost of Sophos was more competitive compared to the rest. We also considered the management and it was easier to manage than the rest. That's how we came to our conclusion.

What other advice do I have?

I would rate it an eight out of 10. I don't rate it "perfect" because it can always improve. But the features that come along with Sophos are very, very extensive. It gives me so many options, the ability to remotely manage my firewall from anywhere, given the cloud portal. The solution hasn't given us too many problems at all, and even when we did have an issue, it was resolved.

My advice is to take advantage of the trials, they have a trial on their website where you can see how the cloud management works; you can have a free account for one month and play around with it and see how easy it is to manage. That way you can know if it can handle the services you are going to require. Take advantage of training on their website as well. Check the industry ratings, they are pretty highly rated.

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
MelvynLee - PeerSpot reviewer
MelvynLeeNetwork Cooperations at STEVENSON ASTROSAT LIMITED
Real User

Good advice. Thanks. I am currently coparing the Sophos XG125 against the Fortigate 60E. Both close on performance and facilities but I suspect Sophos is going to be cheaper.

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Updated: March 2024
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