SonicWall TZ500 - security appliance - with 1 year Support Service 8x5
Mfg # 01-SSC-0425
CDW # 102718
Know your gear
Ethernet cards from Sonic offer a variety of solutions for Ethernet networks, including Macintosh and Windows95 platforms. All cards have 32-bit bus architecture for maximum throughput.
This Sonic's Twisted Pair network card is designed for CommSlot II Macs.
This Sonic's Twisted Pair network card is designed for CommSlot II Macs.
Enhance your purchase
SonicWall TZ500 - security appliance - with 1 year Support Service 8x5 is rated
4.23 out of
5 by
52.
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Balaji Desai from
User-friendly, reasonably priced, and good threat prevention, but the technical support needs improvement
What is our primary use case?
The primary use case is to protect all of the internal users from cyber attacks.
What is most valuable?
The most valuable feature is the user-friendly navigation.
What needs improvement?
As compared to other firewalls, they should provide an unlimited number of users for the SSL VPN.
The VPN that is available in the new version is a bit bulky and slower in speed. It should also be easier to use.
The SD-WAN feature should be enhanced, similar to Fortinet FortiGate.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been working with this solution for six months.
We have just upgraded TZ to 350.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
We are not able to use the VPN. It has limitations. It comes with a certain number of users and we have to spend a lot for VPN accessibility.
How are customer service and technical support?
The technical support is not very good. There is a facility called Geofencing where you can block IP addresses or certain countries.
When contacting their technical support, the technical support said that such a facility is not available in this firewall.
Another issue we had with technical support was when we wanted all of our VPN users to be migrated from our old firewall to this firewall, but somehow, technically they failed to do it. We had to configure it manually.
The technical competency of technical support is a bit on the lower side.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup was straightforward.
We have two engineers to maintain and deploy this solution.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The price is fair.
What other advice do I have?
If it is used for internal users, it is very good as a firewall. But if it has to be used for VPN, it will be a bit costly and the VPN may be bulky.
Using the VPN is not recommended, but as a firewall for blocking threats, it's good.
I would rate SonicWall TZ a seven out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2021-03-08T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Juan Larragueta from
Easy to set up, stable. and reasonably priced
What is our primary use case?
We primarily use the solution as a firewall for security purposes. We use it to protect ourselves and our clients.
What is most valuable?
The solution, as a firewall is very useful for any company trying to protect their premise through the internet.
The price of the solution is very reasonable.
The performance has been very good. Overall, the solution is quite stable.
We have found the solution to be scalable.
In general, it's quite a solid product.
The initial setup is quite simple.
What needs improvement?
It's worked well for us over the years. We don't have any special demands in terms of new features. It has everything we need.
Although the pricing is good, it could always be lower. If we get to pay less, we're happier.
For how long have I used the solution?
We've been working with the solution for about 22 years. It's been over two decades. We've used it for a long time.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The stability of the solution is good. The performance is pretty good. There are no bugs or glitches. It doesn't crash or freeze. It's been very good over the years.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The scalability of the product is quite good. If a company needs to expand it, it can do so easily.
We have about 200 customers using this solution right now.
We do have plans to increase usage. We're moving more and more towards managing it.
How are customer service and technical support?
For the SMV market, it's very nice support. We have no complaints. We're happy with the service they provide, especially at the price they offer.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is very straightforward. It's not overly complicated or difficult. A company shouldn't have any problems installing it.
To do an installation might take 15 minutes, then for adding any kind of complexity into the setup, there could be an added four hours or so. It depends on your setup requirements and the environment.
We have two people that handle the maintenance, and we also have one consultant.
What about the implementation team?
We handled it ourselves. We're integrators ourselves. It's very easy to do.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The product offers very competitive pricing, It's quite good. We find it very reasonable.
Users need to pay a licensing fee on a monthly basis.
What other advice do I have?
We use various versions of the solution at any given time.
I'd rate the solution at a nine out of ten. We've been quite happy with its capabilities.
I'd recommend the solution to other users and companies.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclaimer: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer:Integrator
Date published: 2021-06-10T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Darshil Sanghvi from
Easy to set up with good pricing and a variety of security features
What is our primary use case?
We primarily use TZ300 for our branch offices.
What is most valuable?
The price of the solution is great. It's a very cost-effective solution.
There are a lot of security features - including Capture Client, URL filtering, content filtering, application filtering, et cetera, and they are all very useful in terms of protecting our company.
The initial setup is easy.
What needs improvement?
The stability could be a lot better. The SonicOS, which we were using, was not that stable. Sometimes it is not performing as expected as per the policies we have set.
The log, the logging capabilities, are not so good. For example, the logging for traffic logs was not being stored properly. The logging must support some storage space. If there is a storage device or storage mechanism within it we would be able to get the log easier.
For how long have I used the solution?
We've been using the solution over the last 12 months or so. It's been a while.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
We haven't found the solution to be very stable. t doesn't operate as we expect it to sometimes. We'd like it to be better, performance-wise.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
We currently have 20-25 users in our branch offices. We started with 15 users and therefore we scaled up a bit, however, not in a massive sense. At this point, we likely won't scale anymore.
How are customer service and technical support?
We have been in touch with technical support and I would say that they are responding fine. We are happy so far with their attention. Occasionally we deal with stability issues and we find that they respond quickly.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup was not overly complex or difficult. It's very straightforward. The whole setup is pretty plug-and-play.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The pricing is very reasonable. It's quite cost-effective. We purchase a license that renews yearly.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
We did previously also look at Sophos.
What other advice do I have?
We are partners and resellers. I'm a consultant.
I'd advise new users that if they are planning to deploy it for their SMB or have up to 100 users, then they should go with the SonicWall firewall.
I'd rate the solution at an eight out of ten overall.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclaimer: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer:Partner
Date published: 2021-06-10T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Roy Haddad from
Effective content filtering, interface easy to navigate, and excellent customer support
What is our primary use case?
We use the solution for internet access, content filtering, point-to-point tunnels, and bandwidth management.
What is most valuable?
The most valuable features have been content filtering, and the interface is easy to navigate and to use.
What needs improvement?
The log sections could be done more clearly.
I would like there to be the ability to manage content filtering on a per-user basis or by using the application as we normally would for all users. Currently, it is applied to a group of users and I do not think it is reliable or performing as good as it should.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using this solution for approximately 12 years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
I have found this solution reliable and stable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The solution is scalable. Our client's user usage sizes vary. We have clients with five to 200 users using the solution. The number of connections is not limited and there is always room for expansion.
How are customer service and technical support?
The technical support is excellent.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We previously used Microsoft before SonicWall. We switched because this solution has more features, such as embedded content filtering.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is easy.
What about the implementation team?
If you are not using a vendor or implementation team it can take a maximum of three hours for a medium-size company of 50 users.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The price is fair for the solution for the quality you receive.
What other advice do I have?
I would recommend this solution because it is easy to use and the configuration is simple.
I rate SonicWall TZ an eight out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclaimer: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer:Partner
Date published: 2021-06-12T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Patti Braun from
Real-time bandwidth monitoring, website blacklisting, and IE Intrusion prevention
What is our primary use case?
The primary use case for this solution is as a Network Firewall.
How has it helped my organization?
This solution protects the network. It lets me monitor in live time if someone is 'hogging' bandwidth. It lets me block websites, and the list goes on.
It is a very nice tool to have on the school network.
What is most valuable?
The most valuable features are for the protection of data, and IE Intrusion on the network.
What needs improvement?
I would like to see lower antivirus pricing. So far I haven't found any situation that I needed anything else added/included.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using this solution for five years.
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2019-10-28T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Apparao Ruthala from
Easy to install, scales well, and has good support
What is our primary use case?
We use SonicWall TZ as our perimeter gateway, similar to an internet gateway.
What needs improvement?
I would like to see more integration with other platforms.
The flexibility can also be improved and it could be more user-friendly.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using SonicWall TZ for a couple of years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
SonicWall TZ is a stable product.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
It is a scalable product. We have more than 40 people in our organization who are using this solution.
How are customer service and technical support?
Technical support is good. We have no issues with the technical support.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup was straightforward. It was easy to install SonicWall TZ.
The time it takes to deploy is based on the clients requirement.
We have one or two technical engineers to maintain this solution. Developers are not required.
What about the implementation team?
We completed the installation ourselves. We did contact an integrator or vendor team, we are consultants.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
Customers are required to pay for a yearly subscription.
What other advice do I have?
I would recommend this solution to others who are interested in using it.
I would rate SonicWall TZ a ten out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclaimer: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer:Partner
Date published: 2021-07-30T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
SandeepKumar13 from
Stable with good pricing and helpful technical support
What is most valuable?
The web security and IPsec VPN are both valuable aspects of the solution.
The NAT policies and port forwarding are great.
We were initially actually using very basic features for my organization's requirements. It is a very simple model. There isn't much complexity to it.
It's been very easy to implement and deploy.
The solution is stable.
Technical support is perfect.
We've found the pricing to be pretty good overall.
What needs improvement?
It would be nice if it was more user-friendly. The user interface is a bit difficult to navigate.
The technology in this particular version is very old.
They have to improve their assistant client application.
In this particular SonicWall has a challenge with the SSL client. It provided NetExtender, a client application that is very challenging and is difficult to manage.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've been working with the solution for about six years or so.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
I would say that it is 100% stable. Sometimes there's an issue, and we have to log a ticket, however, they will have it resolved. Rarely are there bugs or glitches. It doesn't crash or freeze.
How are customer service and technical support?
Sometimes support is delayed, and sometimes we get items resolved within hours. Overall, it is okay. Overall it is okay. They are very helpful and responsive most of the time and we are quite satisfied with their level of attention.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We previously used a solution called AnexGATE. However, we had issues with port following and needed to switch.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is very straightforward. It's not overly complex. A company shouldn't have too much trouble implementing it. This is especially true if you have a bit of a technical person implementing it.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
For the most part, the solution is very economical.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
Although we have been using it for the last six or seven years, it is now expired and we want to upgrade it with either Fortinet or Sophos, and so, we are looking into those.
What other advice do I have?
We are a customer and an end-user.
We are using the TZ300 model at this time. We haven't used the latest version of the solution just yet.
I'd rate the solution at an eight out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2021-07-18T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Pedro Escalona from
A user-friendly security solution with a useful interface
What is our primary use case?
We use SonicWall directly with on-premise site filtering and BPM. Now we're using monitoring tools from SonicWall to get control of the clientside and help them remotely. That's most of the cases we are using.
What is most valuable?
We like their interface very much. It's pretty easy to use.
What needs improvement?
There is a point I don't like about SonicWall in the past and now. Most of the destinations we look at when we're detecting some user using too much bandwidth or something like that, SonicWall just gave us the destination IP address instead of the full qualified domain name. I think that's the most important part that is still missing. I think that's the most important thing for us.
The fully qualified domain name is very good flexible information. We can detect issues on each page, so we don't have to wonder a lot about other tools. It would also help if there was a simple way to log in the users, which is one login from Windows Active Directory, without having to deploy patch information or using external tools like SSO.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using SonicWall TZ for about ten years now.
What other advice do I have?
On a scale from one to ten, I would give SonicWall TZ a nine.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2021-06-14T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
SrEngineer672 from
It's simple to deploy which means you can quickly & effectively have a secure network but the reporting tool needs work
Valuable Features
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.
Improvements to My Organization
Being a simple to deploy product means you can quickly and effectively implement a secure network
Room for 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.
Use of Solution
I've used SonicWALL NSA for five years.
Deployment Issues
No issues encountered with deployment.
Stability Issues
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.
Scalability Issues
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.
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.
Previous Solutions
This became the de-facto firewall for us.
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.
Implementation Team
When SonicWall was SonicWALL we dealt with a very good vendor team. Since going to Dell it just went downhill.
ROI
We have seen many cases where installing the SonicWall has helped with security threats or just for safe user browsing
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.
Other Advice
Just map out the connection requirements.
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2015-01-26T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Aaron Krytus from
Review about Dell SonicWALL TZ
What is most valuable?
Easy to use GUI
VPN (Site-to-Site and Client-to-Site)
Gateway Security
Built in A/V options
Content Filtering
How has it helped my organization?
The site-to-site VPN allows for consistent communication between sites.
Upgrading the OS is easy and they alert you when an upgrade is available.
Content filtering and gateway security has help reduce visiting unwanted websites and attacks.
Logging helps track down issues bandwidth hogs.
What needs improvement?
I would love to see a more detailed logs and filtering.
Wireless versions have week signal strength in comparison to other wireless routers.
For how long have I used the solution?
5 years
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Absolutely no issues with stability. I try to reboot them every 6 months to a year for good measure, but not because I have to.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Most of the TZ series are for small to mid size office. I would not recommend these for large to enterprise solutions. I do use one currently for a small community school of 250 students with no issues.
How is customer service and technical support?
Customer Service: I have not worked with their customer service.
Technical Support: Excellent customer service. Very knowledgeable.
Which solutions did we use previously?
This has been a great solution and have never bothered trying anything else. I do have a few Cisco ASA installs, however the cost is a bit higher and more complex to implement.
How was the initial setup?
Setup is quite straight forward. There are some deeper more complex setups that can be implemented. These more complex setups can be achieved through their support or a quick google search.
What about the implementation team?
I personally implemented the solution.
What was our ROI?
I like to think that the TZ series has the best bang for the buck. Full of features and options that you need to control security with out breaking the bank. Perfect solution for smaller businesses.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
Sonic Wall has an a la carte pricing model. There are many features and options that you may not need or want and therefore no need to pay for them
The only problem with this model is that it does now use a yearly subscription model. Although the router itself may be less expensive than other competitors, you may spend more in subscriptions.
Product support will require a yearly maintenance.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
I only work with SonicWALL TZ and Cisco ASA.
What other advice do I have?
Sonic Wall OS is very easy to use but still has all the options and features you need to implement your security.
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2016-05-26T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Vpcoffice0877 from
A lapse in technical support has me looking for a new solution
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.
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2019-04-23T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Khizar Iqbal from
Offers good protection and support for my network
What is most valuable?
Most of the features are valuable. They give good protection to my network and support it. It has a good facility with side to side VPN and everything. I use it in all my offices.
What needs improvement?
I currently have two issues from SonicWall. One issue is that the IP is not the public IP. Sometimes it moves to an alternate source and I have to refresh the new IP then we can proceed.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've been using the solution for the past three years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The solution is stable. I like it. The TZ600 is good. I've had no issues or problems. We have about 100 users at the moment.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
It's scalable.
How are customer service and technical support?
Technical support is not good. If we send complaints to the SonicWall support they don't provide good support for us. You can't call them by phone.
How was the initial setup?
It's easy to install. I don't remember exactly how long the deployment took.
What other advice do I have?
My advice would be if you're buying this product, you will have to look up the security design. There are not a lot of firewalls up on the market, but I've found SonicWall to be reliant.
I would rate this solution 9 out of 10. It's good.
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2019-07-11T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
it_user574446 from
Easy to configure.
What is most valuable?
Easy to configure. Good for any organization.
How has it helped my organization?
Always saves time for any implementation. IT guys never have lots of time for R&D in some live box.
What needs improvement?
Content filtering, Load balancing. Bandwidth management.
For how long have I used the solution?
5 years.
What was my experience with deployment of the solution?
Never.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Once.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
No issues.
How is customer service and technical support?
Customer Service: 7/10
Technical Support: 9/10
Which solutions did we use previously?
Technical support and it wasn't fit for our organization.
How was the initial setup?
Never, it's so easy.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
Fortigate ( https://www.itcentralstation.com/products/fortinet-fortigate )
Disclaimer: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer:
Date published: 2016-12-20T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Essam Alhanini from
Offers threat protection but their technical support is not responsive
What is our primary use case?
Our primary use for SonicWall TZ is for a network firewall and for threat protection.
What needs improvement?
With SonicWall TZ, they should make the interface useful for the user. This needs to happen very soon because now the interface is not sufficient.
When I need to apply some features, I get many tasks and too many to create objects.
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?
SonicWall TZ is stable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Our IT administrator is just one person, me.
How are customer service and technical support?
I don't get the support that I need from SonicWall.
If you previously used a different solution, which one did you use and why did you switch?
I didn't use any other solutions previously.
What other advice do I have?
From one to ten, I would rate SonicWall TZ a seven for the end user experience. Other products have unlimited end users, but in SonicWall TZ there are just two admin users.
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2019-06-29T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Adriano Amorim from
It's straightforward to setup but reporting needs to be improved.
Valuable Features
* All feautures related to deep packet inspection (IPS, application control, anti-malware, anti-spyware)
* Single Sign On
* Web content filter
* VPN
Improvements to My Organization
We sell the product, and we have a lot of business for it, and our customers are happy with the solution.
Room for Improvement
* Advance malware analysis (sandbox)
* Reporting
Use of Solution
I've been using the NSA, E-Class and Supermassive models over the last 12 years.
Deployment Issues
If it's planned correctly, there will be no problems.
Stability Issues
Sometimes there are issues.
Scalability Issues
No issues encountered.
Customer Service and Technical Support
Customer Service: It's good.
Technical Support: It's medium.
Previous Solutions
We previously used CheckPoint and switched because it was expensive.
Initial Setup
It was straightforward.
Implementation Team
We are a vendor team.
ROI
It normally comes within eight months for us.
Other Advice
------------
Disclaimer: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer:We are a Dell Premium Partner.
Date published: 2015-06-03T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
John Sturman from
Algorithm detects and deals with any kind of malware that comes into our network
What is our primary use case?
Our primary use case for this solution is to protect our network.
How has it helped my organization?
This product has a really good algorithm to find and deal with any kind of malware that comes into our network. We have had no incidents at all of any kind of piracy, corruption, etc.
What is most valuable?
In terms of features, I find that this product has good configurability. It also does its job really well.
What needs improvement?
I find that the user interface for the product configuration needs improvement. It is not intuitive when you are trying to figure out how to get something done.
An additional feature that I would like to see is reporting that includes metrics to give me more information about the number of viruses that it has actually detected and interrupted.
For how long have I used the solution?
One to three years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
I have found the stability of this product to be excellent. It is very stable, and nothing goes wrong. It just works.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
I imagine that the product is very scalable, but what we are using is probably one-tenth of its capacity. We have around fifty users.
How are customer service and technical support?
Their technical support is excellent.
If you previously used a different solution, which one did you use and why did you switch?
We did not use a different solution prior to this one.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup was straightforward. It took us under ten minutes to deploy, from taking it out of the box, plugging it in, and having it up and running.
Beyond this initial setup, everything is automatic and it does not require maintenance.
What about the implementation team?
I handled the installation myself, with some help from their technical support.
What was our ROI?
I imagine that we have seen a return on our investment, but it is invisible. It is a firewall and we haven't suffered any loss. Had we, then it would have been a lot more than the cost of the device and the license. As far as I'm concerned it pays for itself instantly.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The pricing was a factor for us, and we felt that the price was good.
The licensing cost is on an annual basis, and there are no additional costs.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
I did some research on other solutions, and I found that they were all pretty much similar. I was having a very hard time choosing an alternative, so I went with what we already had in place.
What other advice do I have?
My advice to others who are implementing this solution is to take advantage of their technical support.
I would rate this solution a nine out of ten.
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2019-04-23T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Darrel Harvey from
Provides protection with ease of use and flexibility
What is our primary use case?
It is used as firewalls are normally used and performance has been outstanding. We've been very happy with it.
How has it helped my organization?
It has provided the necessary security, that's what it's there for.
What is most valuable?
I really don't know. I'm not really an IT person, per se, but I would say number one is the protection available, and then ease of use and flexibility. Those would be the top three.
What needs improvement?
I'm not an IT guy. What I will say is that the market seems to be going to a cloud-supported, new generation of firewall products. I think that's probably going to be important to us, the next time around.
For how long have I used the solution?
Less than one year.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
It has been, to the best of my knowledge, trouble-free.
How is customer service and technical support?
We haven't used tech support, at least, not that I'm aware of. We outsourced all of our IT stuff. They may have used it, but I'm not aware of anything.
Which solutions did we use previously?
We've used nothing but SonicWall, up until now.
What other advice do I have?
I would say the most important criterion, when selecting a vendor, is probably the technology utilized.
The one we've got now is five years old. The next generation with the cloud-based signature and operation... I know SonicWall has what they call Capture, which is advanced threat protection type stuff. I think that is probably what we're going to be looking at next.
There are certainly a lot of options out there, and there are a lot of good options. I would say, stick with a name brand, whether it's SonicWall, or Check Point, or Palo Alto, or Cisco - any of those. You need to stick with a big name brand that is at the forefront of things.
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2018-06-06T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Svein Jensen from
Easy to use and has a straightforward setup
What is our primary use case?
We use it for a variety of businesses and schools.
How has it helped my organization?
Its ease of installation has improved my organization. That's what I do most. I install the firewalls.
What needs improvement?
I don't have anything that I would say needs improving at the moment. The small business line has less PPS throughput and that's what you're going to lose on when you use WatchGuard. So they need to improve the throughput of the firewall in the small business line.
Easy to explain :
WatchGuard T70 vs SonicWall TZ600
Firewall Throughput : 4Gbps vs 1.9Gbps
Price : 610€ vs 973€
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using this solution since 2015.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
I've only ever had one problem. I have a bank that has two NSAs in high availability. The only time I had a problem was with the high availability from the update. That's the only time. And that was last month. I did an update. I disabled the high availability and we reset it, the firewall, and installed the config again. And updated it one by one.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
I have no negative impression of the scalability.
How are customer service and technical support?
I haven't tried technical support yet, so I haven't needed support yet on anything.
If you previously used a different solution, which one did you use and why did you switch?
Moved to new Employer.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is straightforward. I deploy at least one solution a month, to different sites. You only need one person for deployment.
What about the implementation team?
I did the implementation myself.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The pricing is where you might lose to WatchGuard now. I'm looking into moving some parts over to WatchGuard because they are on the small business side. But if you compare the TZ300 and 400 series against WatchGuard series, they are the same, but there is a price difference between them.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
I wasn't a part of any decision making in terms of options.
What other advice do I have?
We use a variety of models, from the TZ300, up to the NSA 2600. For businesses, I recommend TZ400.
I would rate the solution 8 out of 10. I would rate WatchGuard itself 10, because I really like that product, and the ease of use. And when I say ease of use, I mean I know that product in and out. And it's very easy to set up external sites with the system management tool that comes free with WatchGuard.
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2019-07-03T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Bruce Bower from
Provides the cost-effective level of sophistication we need in firewall protection
What is our primary use case?
Firewall protection from the internet.
How has it helped my organization?
It allows us to be a little bit less worried about what's coming in and it does the same for our clients too.
What is most valuable?
It's sophisticated enough without breaking the bank.
What needs improvement?
I would like them to make the interface a little bit easier to use so you can find out where in the heck you're going instead of having to go to 15 different places to get something installed.
For how long have I used the solution?
More than five years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
It's very stable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
For the small clients that we're using it for it has quite a bit of capability. We don't need anything more.
How is customer service and technical support?
Technical support is very good. Sometimes it takes a little bit of time to get to them, but once you get to them they're pretty good.
What other advice do I have?
Important criteria, when selecting a vendor, are that the product has
* to be one that my small clients can afford
* the capability of doing what needs to be done
* good quality and good technical support
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2018-08-12T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Murali Govindarajan from
Powerful unified threat management for enterprise networks
What is our primary use case?
SonicWall TZ is a UTM. We use it for unified threat management. It helps us a lot, although the software needs to be installed on a better machine to do the analysis.
How has it helped my organization?
The log analyzer in SonicWall TZ is something that they need to improve upon. With other firewalls, they have built-in storage. We also need to retain the logs for analysis.
With SonicWall TZ, these features are less when we compare it to other solutions.
What is most valuable?
The features that we have found most valuable in SonicWall TZ are the intrusion and brute force attack prevention.
What needs improvement?
This product has room for improvement in the cloud version. Also, the support could be better. Otherwise, SonicWall TZ is good for us.
The additional feature I would like to see included in the next release of SonicWall is a better analyzer. That would be more helpful. Then people will stay with SonicWall.
For how long have I used the solution?
We have been using this firewall solution for almost 10 years now.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
We like the product. SonicWall TZ is stable and serving the purpose required.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The scalability of SonicWall TZ is good. It's easy-to-use and straightforward. One or two admins should be sufficient for user management.
How are customer service and technical support?
The SonicWall TZ support is okay overall but could be improved in many ways.
If you previously used a different solution, which one did you use and why did you switch?
We were using Cisco previously.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup was straightforward. Deployment here is quite simple. We were using Cisco products previously.
What other advice do I have?
SonicWall TZ firewalls are very easy to use. It's a next-generation firewall. Compare products in terms of the features. With SonicWall TZ, we get more value for the money.
On a scale from 1 to 10, I would rate this solution an eight. The analysis meter and other important features are still missing.
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2019-07-04T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
reviewer988362 from
Has the best ease of use I've encountered in my limited experience
What is our primary use case?
This was for a small business with roughly twelve 5x8 employee users. This is not a healthcare client but they do value their security.
How has it helped my organization?
We bought a T115 which was working fine, but when we went to renew the contract, it jumped to twice the amount. I asked why and was told the two-year-old model was being discontinued. My option was to upgrade to a SOHO or TZ. Not only was this a waste of money, but it also made me look bad.
What is most valuable?
SonicWall does have the best ease of use I've encountered in my limited experience. It's easy to set up.
What needs improvement?
The hardware is outdated and very slow. They are far behind Sophos and even FortiGate when it comes to hardware.
For how long have I used the solution?
One to three years.
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2019-01-16T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
reviewer2351 from
An easy to use solution with a fast deployment
What is our primary use case?
What is most valuable?
What needs improvement?
For how long have I used the solution?
I've been using the solution for 10 years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
How are customer service and technical support?
If you previously used a different solution, which one did you use and why did you switch?
How was the initial setup?
What about the implementation team?
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
What other advice do I have?
----------------------------
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2019-07-22T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Rias Majeed from
The product's modular nature is a huge plus, but work is needed on the ransomware application
What is our primary use case?
The primary use is for protecting the internet for client-to-search sites. We also use site-to-site VPN, and it segregates the traffic.
How has it helped my organization?
We are an integrator and a solution provider. We implement this and other solutions for our customers.
What is most valuable?
The most valuable features are the UTM, site-to-site VPN, and client-to-site VPN. The site-to-site VPN allows us to connect between the branches. We also use the global VPN client and the local VPN client.
I find most of the features are useful.
What needs improvement?
In some places, we face problems, especially in the client VPN portion. There are certain places where we are not able to contact. We don't have the lease line, static IP addresses, or dynamic IP addresses. This is an area of concern.
Another thing which I don't like about SonicWall is that it tries to bypass the resellers. That is not good. SonicWall suddenly calls the client, goes to them directly. That is not a good thing.
They should consider working a bit more on their ransomware application.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've been using the solution for more than five years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The solution, once it's configured properly, is unbreakable. The only thing is that on the dynamic DNS we are facing some problems. Fortinet is doing much better, compared to SonicWall because they have their own data center and the dynamic DNS is working better. It provides a much better and more stable VPN. This is dependent upon third-party servers. If their server is down then we're finished. We depend upon them, and we have to wait for some time. This is a big problem.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Scalability-wise, with most of the mid-range solutions, there is no scalability. If you want to upgrade, you have to upgrade it. One good thing about SonicWall is the modular nature of the product. That means you can buy whatever part of the solution you want. That is one beauty of it. If you don't want IPS, you don't have to buy the IPS. That option, that's much better than anybody else.
How are customer service and technical support?
I would rate technical support a seven out of ten.
If you previously used a different solution, which one did you use and why did you switch?
We did use a previous solution, but the client wanted to switch.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup was complex. It is not so straight forward. It's not tough like others, but still, they can improve on it.
Deployment takes, depending upon the concentration, anywhere from half a day to two days, depending upon the password you need to deal with for all the configuration. If everything is not the same, like you have UTM features and all those things, it may go up to one day, depending upon the configuration. If the training is also added into it, two, three days including training and assistance.
What about the implementation team?
We are a reseller. I've been doing this for three years. I set up most of the firewalls, and we work with the company and also we have direct end users. We work as a consultant for other IT companies.
For deployment, in terms of staff, the maximum you need, depending on the project, would be two to three people. Sometimes it will be enough even to use one or two people. A lot of that depends on requirements.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
License renewals come in around $35,000 to $45,000. That's the retail price.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
When it comes to marketing this type of solution to customers, we try to focus more on the Fortinet side. However, if they are already invested in a solution like SonicWall then we continue with the same thing.
What other advice do I have?
If the client is using SonicWall, we use SonicWall as well, for reliability. If they're using Fortinet, we try to use the same thing and try to minimize the cost, that's how we work.
In terms of advice, I would say that you have to look at the entire solution. There are certain things which SonicWall cannot do. SonicWall doesn't support ADSL because of security reasons but sometimes you need it, you want a little bit, you need to have that option to be working. Unfortunately, that option is not there, but sometimes you need it. Therefore, you have to evaluate the requirement.
Also, sometimes the quality is not so good. We have trouble sometimes with SonicWall. Unfortunately, sometimes the normal way of getting into the remote connectivity doesn't work because it's on a data correction. Or we only need to get into another specific connection. SonicWall doesn't support this connection. If we can't access the VPN we can't establish a check with the VPN. There was an incident like that and we had to take another break and then finish the product. You have to evaluate all this and then implement it. It's not possible to just not do something because SonicWall cannot. If it's for security you have to do it, there is no other option.
I would rate this solution between a six and seven out of ten. More work can be done on the servers, and the VPN areas also. It's a little bit confusing on the route side. I think the routes need to be cleaner, better.
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2019-07-11T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
reviewer471591 from
Enables us to centralize our servers so they can provide applications to different locations and users.
What is most valuable?
The main features are support and security.
How has it helped my organization?
We have several locations, each with a VPN to a central office. SonicWall provides each location with its own security and provides our company with the ability to centralize our servers so they can provide applications to all the locations and users.
What needs improvement?
The SonicWall is somewhat misunderstood due to its being a lot more complicated to use and set up. A simpler interface would help this issue.
For how long have I used the solution?
We have been using this solution for four years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
There were no stability issues.
How is customer service and technical support?
I would give technical support and rating of 8/10. Most of the time support is with foreign staff and can be hard to understand.
Which solutions did we use previously?
We have not used a different solution since I have been with the company.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup was somewhat complex. The interface can be a little hard to get used to and understand.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
It is not cheap, but it is probably one of the best secure firewalls. You get what you pay for!
What other advice do I have?
Shop around and make sure you need this level of security. Have lots of time to get to know this device because the rewards are plenty.
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2017-07-26T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Lucius Quarshie from
It is very stable with no issues. The firewall has been up for the past 35 days non-stop.
What is our primary use case?
It is a multi-setting tool. We have about 50 users at any point in time. So far, we haven't had any problems.
How has it helped my organization?
We use the content filter and the SSL VPN:
* The content filter has increased our productivity, especially during working hours. We don't have users spending time on social media during working hours. This means productivity is good.
* Then, when the guys are offsite, they are still able to work without taking any breaks due to the SSL VPN that we use.
What is most valuable?
We use the content filter quite a lot because it's an office setting. During working hours, we like to censor the sites users can visit so it increases productivity. Therefore, the content filter has been good for us.
We have been using the SSL VPN as well, because most of our people do travel. They go for rest and recuperation approximately every six weeks, and they are offsite for about 10 days. More often than not, they need to login, or get onto shared drives, to do some work.
What needs improvement?
SonicWall Analyzer needs a different license. 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.
This is what we realized that over the last few months. We tried to pull some analysis, and without the Analyzer, we couldn't. Now, we are in the process of buying the additional license. It would have been better embedded from the beginning.
For how long have I used the solution?
Three to five years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
It is very stable with no issues. The firewall has been up for the past 35 days non-stop. It's performed great. It has performed as it should perform.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Scalability is fine. Our needs do not vary regarding scalability. They are constant. We have about 50 users.
How is customer service and technical support?
We used it on one occasion. It was quite straight forward. We have a 24/7 support service option. The people who provided support were very efficient.
Which solutions did we use previously?
The main company has been using SonicWall for awhile. When we setup our local office in Ghana, we decided to use what was being utilized in the main office for the local office.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup was very straightforward. The wizard was helpful. It took less than an hour and a half to set it up and have at least the basic functions apparent. The primary set-up took less than two hours, then we were up and running.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
SonicWall has authorized distributors in our country. They have about two or three distributors in the country, so it makes it a bit easier. What we do is to request a quotation from these distributors, then we do a value for money analysis and see which one of them is giving us a competitive price.
Getting licenses in our country, Ghana, is not easy. Though, once we have them, adding them is quick (about a day).
Overall, the cost is great.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
No, because we chose SonicWall because they are on our main company's vendor.
We did decide to go with SonicWall TZ instead of SonicWall NSA, because the SonicWall NSA is bigger and more costly.
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2018-07-30T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
it_user277950 from
Its easier to deploy and configure than other options, but the GUI configurations and menus are not intuitive.
Valuable Features
The affordability.
Improvements to My Organization
It's provided security and a VPN connection.
Room for Improvement
GUI configurations and menus are not intuitive, thus making it difficult to identify dependent configurations completion.
Use of Solution
I've used it for two years.
Deployment Issues
In most cases no issues, except a few times when the External Interface would not take a public dynamic IP address.
Stability Issues
There were some issues, when the firewall would work for six months straight, and then cause VPN slowness, which was resolved right after a reboot. Not many companies allow themselves to have such downtime.
Scalability Issues
No issues encountered.
Customer Service and Technical Support
Customer Service: Service is great.
Technical Support: Service is great.
Previous Solutions
We previously used a mix of WatchGuard and Cisco firewalls. We switched because Dell offered an affordable, stable, flexible option that is easier to deploy and configure.
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2015-07-26T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
it_user391749 from
The devices are not as good as others, but the price and business model are attractive.
Valuable Features
The MSSP partnership program is valuable, but is still too expensive. The devices are not as good as others, but the price and business model are attractive.
Improvements to My Organization
We were focused on traditional service provider model, so if one customer ask us to implement an NGFW, we look for the best solution for the client within the market. After getting in contact with Dell Spain, they proposed us to become MSP partner, so we consider to improve our business model to MSSP model.
Room for Improvement
Support is not as good as should be. An NGFW is supposed to use all the functions, so they must be considered as a must. If you switch on all of them, the system is working under the spected figures...
Use of Solution
I have done a benchmark for around two months. The 500 is still working after benchmarking. We were looking for a solution for a law firm to be able to communicate in a safer mode.
Deployment Issues
The figures are not valid when you active all the functionalities. So, an office with only 15 workstations is not able to work with a TZ500, which is supposed to be for up to 40 workstations.
Stability Issues
They are stable if you are not very demanding, if so, they become unstable.
Scalability Issues
I don't think they are designed to scale, but I haven't tested it.
Customer Service and Technical Support
Customer Service: 6/10 - they are not providing the same support level as before.
Technical Support: I haven't used it, but they have contacted me several times to offer their help.
Previous Solutions
I was looking for the best solution for my customer and I found a better one after implementing SonicWALL. I have been a user, administrator and certified architect of Cisco, Checkpoint, StoneSoft, Fortinet, Sophos, Juniper, and most of them are focused for massive environments, not for SMEs.
Initial Setup
It was straightforward, but I had to make a few changes to adapt it. However, every installation is different so, you need to adapt.
Implementation Team
It was an in-house implementation.
Other Solutions Considered
I didn't choose this product.
Other Advice
Consider Sophos solution or maybe Fortinet if you don't need the Sophos extra features.
Disclaimer: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer:R3CyberSecurity.com is a Dell partner, but we have several partnership agreements with different vendors, so we are independent Managed Security Service Providers.
Date published: 2016-04-28T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Umut Erol from
Easy to use solution that enables us to write rules for our network firewall
What is our primary use case?
We use SonicWall TZ to write rules for our network firewall. You can use the matrix. It's easy to use.
How has it helped my organization?
We like the graphic user interface on SonicWall TZ. We use matrix principles to improve our organization.
What is most valuable?
The feature we found most valuable in SonicWall TZ is that it is user-friendly for an administrator.
What needs improvement?
We would like to improve the rules configuration in SonicWall TZ. Sometimes the rules don't work. We cannot prove that the rules don't work. Maybe they can improve that.
Sometimes you write a rule in SonicWall and users are not able to use YouTube, Facebook, or Instagram. Users can see YouTube or Instagram for a while, but five minutes later, they cannot visit the sites.
The additional feature I would like to see included in the next release of this solution are analyzers. They can put it in the software, i.e which users are in which sites.
We need to see which users are on which sites simultaneously. In this edition, it's hard to see. You can just see the IP address. FortiGate has 40 analyzers. Maybe SonicWall can put it in the license for at least three.
For how long have I used the solution?
We have been using SonicWall TZ for five years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
We have shifted to SonicWall on our customers' sites and sometimes they're not reliable or stable. I don't see SonicWall TZ as stable. It happened after the Dell company bought SonicWall. I see this stability problem rarely, not often.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
SonicWall TZ is scalable. The scalability is very good.
How are customer service and technical support?
We don't need any technical support. We don't have any tickets. We don't have any calls. Customer support is not a problem.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is not complex. It's easy. It's about the scale of the company. If we have just 15 employees, the setup takes almost one hour. If the company has 100 employees, it is three hours.
It's the user management that the company wants. They just want to let people go to the internet. If there are no rules or no constraints, it does not take time. It's easy to deploy.
What other advice do I have?
On a scale from one to ten, I would rate this product a nine. You can always improve some things.
Disclaimer: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer:Reseller.
Date published: 2019-07-01T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
ShaikSajid from
Offers good security and monitoring features
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.
If you previously used a different solution, which one did you use and why did you 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.
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2019-07-22T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Hamza_Farhan from
You will be easily impressed with the performance and features available but they doesn't offer virtual UTM models.
Valuable Features
* The management GUI is easy to configure, friendly to use, manage, and troubleshoot
* IPSec/SSL VPN is easy to configure
* It offers granular level of control for IPS and firewalls ( http://www.itcentralstation.com/category/firewalls ) with advanced application control features
* You have one console to manage different aspect of the product
* It provides a high level of security
* It is easy to integrate into an existing network
* It provides a high level of throughput
Room for Improvement
* The DPI SSL Inspection needs a lot of improvements
* Dell SonicWALL doesn’t offer virtual UTM models which is a very fast growing area in the world
Use of Solution
I've used it for three years.
Deployment Issues
No issues encountered.
Stability Issues
The firewall does crash and/or unexpectedly reboots.
Scalability Issues
Generally speaking no, but sizing correctly is main challenge, and that is why you need to make sure you select the right model.
Customer Service and Technical Support
Customer Service: The hold time is very long, and they need to hire more people to handle the huge number of incoming calls.
Technical Support: Dell SonicWALL tech support is excellent, and they meet the evolving needs of their clients.
Previous Solutions
I had a chance to work with Fortinet and Netasq. and am also currently exploring CheckPoint. It was a part of my job when I joined different companies, and each with had partnership with these products.
Initial Setup
Most of the deployments were straightforward, whether as a standalone unit or as part of an HA setup.
Implementation Team
It was an in-house team who consulted with the vendor for complex installations.
ROI
It delivers an immediate ROI with a low cost of managing and maintaining multiple security solutions, it increases productivity, and improves security.
Other Solutions Considered
No other options were evaluated.
Other Advice
Dell SonicWALL UTM is strong in the UTM space with great support. They continue to innovate and deliver a solid UTM product with high throughput speed. Added to this, Dell partners are pleased with their SonicWALL partnership as well as the products features and excellent support.
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2015-04-29T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Tammy Elliott from
Protects against intrusion while allowing needed access
What is our primary use case?
Controlling and protecting access between two locations.
How has it helped my organization?
Our two facilities act as one, easily sharing resources.
What is most valuable?
It protects against intrusion while allowing needed access.
What needs improvement?
Needs more robust self-help documentation along with examples and things to watch out for.
For how long have I used the solution?
More than five years.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
No.
How was the initial setup?
I did not set these devices up. I just maintain them.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
I have no basis to advise.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
It was chosen by an IT support company.
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2020-04-12T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
reviewer952554 from
A scalable product that is designed well, easy to set up, and has good technical support
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
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2020-06-19T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Bob-Thomas from
Easy to implement, fairly stable, and supports SSL-DPI
What is most valuable?
Once we moved the units up to the Gen 6 platform, they could support SSL-DPI. We are huge fans of the DPI. That piece is incredibly easy to implement. I'd say probably the most powerful thing about the solution is that coupled with the captured functionality.
What needs improvement?
We've turned the SSL inspection on, and it is a nightmare. It doesn't mean it doesn't work, but it will turn your world upside down for weeks until you tune it and get it right. That's an across the board problem. It's not just TZ. That's TZ's, NSA's, etc. Wherever you're using their implementation of SSL, where you've got to implement a certificate on every machine. Once you even get past that it's still going to be particular and finicky. Banking sites are driven crazy by it every time we turn it on.
It is trying to lock down outbound traffic so tightly that you get to sites that are already very security conscious. It's just a battle to get the traffic through. Intentional traffic, the traffic you want to get through, seems to be a problem. It will stop almost everything. Too much in fact. I understand the concept. It's just a little threatening. We just had a client sign off on a 6650. Then we send them a scope of work for implementing it. We specifically put a note in there in enormous bold type: "Note does not include SSL-DPI implementation". That is additional. The client responded that "That's the one piece I wanted you guys to do. I'm scared of it."
He said, "We're scared of it," and I told him, "We're scared of it too." I said, "I don't know how long it's going to take. And it's going to turn your universe upside down for a week to 10 days to maybe two weeks." He said that he heard that this would be the case.
My fear is that the client thinks that we'll say it will take four hours and then, when it turns into 40, try to make us give them the submission for free.
Even tiny environments, for example, 10 user environments, once you turn it on, you will spend days tuning it. The last one we did took us 22 hours to get it perfect. We learned our lesson. We slotted in four to eight hours to do it and it took us 16 to 20.
From a support perspective, if we're talking tech support I think Silver Partners, Gold Partners, Platinum, whatever level, should have a different number to call. End users can call tech support over at SonicWall if they've paid for support as part of their AGSS or whatever services they bought. The end-user can call, or we can call, however, I don't want to be calling the same line that an end user's calling. I don't want the same response time. I need a different level of expertise.
For how long have I used the solution?
We've been a SonicWall dealer for 21 years approximately. We've been handling the solution since 1999. I personally didn't start using the solution until 2004.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Once you get past all the configuration issues, If you are on a rock-solid GA (Generally Available firmware), I don't know if I want to say it's bulletproof, however, the stability is really, really good. I don't sit and worry, thinking, "Oh, God. We know another one's going to fail today." We never think that way about that type of stuff. It's the odd time where we might get hardware failures or random reboots. We've had a couple of SMA units go sideways. Even SonicWall couldn't solve the problem. However, that said, it's rare.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
There's a couple of different ways to answer the question of scalability. They've built the TZ line wide enough so that we've got enough of a selection to be able to fit most bandwidth and user count situations. It's never going to fit everybody and it's not meant to. It shouldn't. It is a little challenging to try to get one of the boxes to do full wire speed. I'm not so sure inside that box, at the price point, you're going to solve that problem.
That's why we sold the 6650. One client has got a one gig fiber line and they're in a school. On an NSA 3600, he can't get over 400 on it. I told him he never would. Some days I'd be surprised to get 400, depending on the user count. The TZ lineup is pretty good, however, I'm not so sure I'd use the word scalable.
If what we mean by scalable is, "oh, well, I buy a 300 and I buy it for 10 users, but I can scale up to 30 users with that box," the answer to that is no you can't. If you ask "could I scale up to 25 users and move to 200 or 300 or 400 meg?" You can't. We've got somebody in that situation right now and we're quoting a box replacement because it just can't scale that way.
You can't necessarily scale on the appliance. You've got to get the right size. That's the easiest way to scale. If it's the right-sized appliance for the environment with some headroom then I think most situations users are going to be fine. There's going to be some issues where somebody cheaps out. For example, we worked with a law firm. They bought a TZ 300 because they didn't want to spend the money for the 500. Now they're going to have to spend the money for the 500 anyway because they need to scale up.
How are customer service and technical support?
I don't think they really separate support from line to line. Maybe if you get all the way up into supermassive issues they do. Between NSA and TZ, it's the same level of service that you get on the other end of the phone. To be quite honest, level one support is not sparkling. Level two is usually really good. Level three is usually a combination. You get to level three, and you're almost talking to development or a combination of a crew that's dealing with development and senior technical expertise. Those guys rarely fail us.
That's a typical support story. The level one guys will read the scripts and don't necessarily fix anything. We've already run through level one through three on our end with my staff. If they can't fix it, talking to a level one script reader is definitely not going to get it fixed. You should be able to bypass those guys if you're a reseller and a long-standing Silver Partner, like we are.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We've also used Cisco previously. A while back, we used to have Cisco as our primary choice, with SonicWall being our second. That changed when I came to the company in 2004, where SonicWall became our solution of choice. We've got 400 or 500 firewalls out there and we don't plan on changing over to anything else.
What other advice do I have?
We're a Silver Partner.
I'm not an engineer. I was a field engineer for nine years a long, long time ago. However, I'm not typically the one that gets my fingers into stuff, and it would be my engineering and senior engineering staff that do that. That said, I can say that I don't think any of our guys have touched the virtual platform yet.
We use TZ and traditional NSA tech every day. That's our bread and butter.
The current version we're using right now is the 600 series, although we do still have some 350 series. 90% of what we use are Gen 6. They're either TZ 300, 400, 500, 600 or NSA 2600, 3600, 4600.
We've got a smattering of 2650s that we've rolled out, which have been really, really good. Those are powerful units.
I'd rate the solution eight out of ten. It doesn't warrant more than that. There's plenty of products I'd give a five to out there, however, for the quality of the product offering, I think an eight is a fair mark.
Disclaimer: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer:Partner
Date published: 2020-07-09T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Rajendra Burla from
Provides all required security features and the ability to block anything we want to block
What is our primary use case?
We are using this firewall with content filtering and other features.
What is most valuable?
We are able to block whatever we want to block by using this product. It provides all required security features, such as content filtering, VPN, in one box. Before switching to SonicWall, we had specified all required features.
What needs improvement?
It could be made more user friendly.
For how long have I used the solution?
We have been using SonicWall products for around ten years. Specifically, we have been using SonicWall TZ for the last five years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
It is a stable solution.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
It is fine in terms of scalability.
How are customer service and technical support?
Their technical support is good. For technical support, sometimes we write directly to SonicWall, and they provide the solution. We sometimes also contact our vendor for support.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We used GajShield previously. The product went down once, and the GajShield team was unable to provide the support. That's why we replaced the product.
How was the initial setup?
Its installation is very easy. It took around four hours to install it.
What about the implementation team?
Implementation was done by me with some help from the vendor. I also manage this solution and use it on daily basis. We have an AMC contract with SonicWall, and we renew it directly with them.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
Its pricing is okay as compared to other solutions.
What other advice do I have?
We have been using this product for around ten years, and we are very comfortable with this product. I would recommend this product based on your requirements.
I would rate SonicWall TZ a nine out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2020-09-14T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Munjal Bhalgama from
Good management console and we are happy with the throughput
What is our primary use case?
We are a solution provider and the SonicWall TZ firewall is one of the products that we implement for our clients. We also use it for our company.
What is most valuable?
We are familiar with the console and it is good to work with.
We are very happy with the throughput.
What needs improvement?
We have been facing issues with reporting. We use to have a free tool for reporting, but now there is a licensing fee.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using SonicWall TZ for the past eight years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
I would say that SonicWall TZ is stable, as we have not had many issues with it.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
We have not needed to scale.
We regularly have between 60 and 70 users in our company. Our customers for this product are small and medium-sized businesses.
How are customer service and technical support?
We are very much happy with the support.
We do not often need technical support, but it is available from the local distributor or through the SonicWall portal.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
In the future, we will be looking for a cloud-based replacement for this device.
What other advice do I have?
This is a product that we recommend, and also suggest that people upgrade their old devices to this model.
I would rate this solution a nine out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclaimer: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer:partner
Date published: 2020-07-05T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Rajeshkumar Rajan from
Low maintenance, beneficial network MAC binding, and effective firewall
What is our primary use case?
We are primarily using SonicWall TZ for a VPN.
What is most valuable?
SonicWall TZ is very user-friendly and has network MAC binding. Additionally, the firewall works well.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using SonicWall TZ for approximately three years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Sometimes there is a glitch between the network connection. Last time, something happened on our IP phone, the SonicWall team did some updates to fix the issue. However, glitches happen very rarely. I did not experience any other types of problems.
95% of the time the solution is operating well, the performance is good overall.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
There are approximately 40 users using this solution and it is scalable.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I have used other solutions in the past, but I have found SonicWall TZ the most user-friendly.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup was not complex.
What about the implementation team?
We used some help from the vendor for the implementation. When new implementations or devices are added we sometimes use the vendor for assistance.
The solution is low maintenance. There is some updating that needs to be done by the two-person IT team.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
There are a few features that are licensed and there should be more that are licensed. The price of the solution is midrange compared to others, I have not had anyone complain.
What other advice do I have?
I rate SonicWall TZ a nine out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2022-01-12T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Jefferson Monfardini from
Excellent protection, secure VPN connection, that is simple to install, and reliable
What is our primary use case?
I am a SonicWall certified professional, and my company has SonicWall MSP, as well as projects, security, and limited protection.
I am a reseller, as well as a Silver partner.
SonicWall TZ is primarily used by the NSA to secure internet network and products.
What is most valuable?
The most valuable feature is content filtering and app control.
I like to security with integrated thread prevention and SD-WAN.
What needs improvement?
SonicWall has many problems with the reporting analytics.
The reporting analytics could be improved, it is very unstable.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using SonicWall TZ for approximately nine years.
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?
It is a scalable product.
There are approximately 1,000 users among all of my customers.
I am an MSP SonicWall provider and about 50 SonicWall solutions spread across many customers, each with 10-100 users.
We intend to increase our usage because, in Brazil, we have a lot of problems with viruses, crypto viruses, and trojans. We can offer them security.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup was straightforward and simple.
It took approximately two hours to deploy the initial setup.
It can be deployed very quickly both on the cloud and on-premises.
I have a team of ten technical professionals to maintain and deploy this solution.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
Licensing fees are on a anual or monthly basis.
There are no additional costs. It is only about support and license fees.
What other advice do I have?
SonicWall is a good product that I enjoy using, and the security is superior to that of other security companies. It provides excellent protection.
I would rate SonicWall TZ a nine out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Public Cloud
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2022-01-11T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
reviewer969738 from
Straightforward installation, good support, but feature need updating
What is our primary use case?
We use SonicWall TZ for site-to-site VPN and as an NSa firewall. We have a mixture of SonicWall TZ devices that we use which are the TZ300, TZ350, and TZ400.
What needs improvement?
We have experienced some issues with SonicWall TZ and they are lacking some advanced features other vendors have.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using SonicWall TZ for approximately nine years.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
We have approximately 30 people using the solution in our organization.
How are customer service and support?
The support for SonicWall TZ is good.
How was the initial setup?
The installation is straightforward and took approximately 30 minutes.
What about the implementation team?
We have one technician that does the maintenance for this solution.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
I have evaluated Fortinet and we may have future plans to switch solutions.
What other advice do I have?
I would recommend this solution to others.
I rate SonicWall TZ a seven out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2021-10-26T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
ShatrughanSingh from
Reliable solution with low-latency and low-bandwidth utilization
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
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2021-11-16T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
VINEETHBABU P from
Great throughput, no packet loss, but has feature limitations
What is our primary use case?
Our primary use cases are a site-to-site VPN connection, content filtering and in addition SSL VPN connectivity for remote desktops.
How has it helped my organization?
It provides our organization with very low throughput.
What is most valuable?
The site-to-site VPN connections, content filtering, and in our current remote working situation, SSL VPN remote desktop connectivity are the most valuable features.
What needs improvement?
The areas we would like to see improvement include more features available similar to the equivalent FortiGate appliance, e.g. SSL encryption and inspection. Two-factor authentication capability would be another additional feature that could be included in the next release.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using SonicWall for 2 years. We have utilized SonicWall appliances for the last 7 years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The overall stability has been good, there were no issues or concerns from the viewpoint.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
We size our appliance based on the number of users, in this solution the TZ appliance was suitable for 30-40 users.
How are customer service and support?
We experienced a very good level of support from the vendor and they have assisted us in real time via remote session when needed.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is very straightforward. It took approximately 3-4 hours.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
In comparison to competitors the license price is higher and as a suggestion, for 10-15 users potentially provide a free basic license.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
We did evaluate the Fortinet FortiGate equivalent option.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2021-11-23T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
NeilMckie from
Protects the business from being compromised
What is our primary use case?
We use it for protection. We're about two versions behind the latest version.
What is most valuable?
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.
What needs improvement?
It could probably be more user-friendly, and it could be more scalable with releases and subscriptions.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using this solution for a few years.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Its scalability is not bad. It could be more scalable with releases and subscriptions.
We have about 200 users.
How are customer service and support?
I never needed their support.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I can't remember the old solution we had, but it was no good. So, we went to SonicWall.
How was the initial setup?
It was a long time ago. From what I recall, it was pretty straightforward.
For deployment and maintenance, we have a technical team of around five internal people.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
We have to pay yearly. Its licensing can be improved, and they should provide more features, such as AV, email filtering, and so on with the basic subscription.
What other advice do I have?
There are a lot of products out there, and I don't have that much experience with any other product. If I have to buy a new product, I would probably review and do a comparison with SonicWall.
Overall, I don't have any issues with the product. I like this product. It is very good. I would rate it an eight out of 10.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2021-12-11T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Enrique PerezAfonso from
Modern and clear interface for ease of use at all scales
What is our primary use case?
Our use case is that our email and CRM are in the cloud but the rest of the solution is here on our old server on premise. That includes file sharing and internal programs, too. We have some kind of replication of the cloud on premise to use in case of problems.
What is most valuable?
The feature with SonicWall that I have found most valuable is that all the models have the same interface. We don't need to learn different interfaces in the smaller or bigger models. The other thing is the actualization and upgrade politic are really strong, really good, very high quality. Lastly, the performance and the price are excellent.
I am really happy with the product. The new interface is really modern and really clear. The 7th generation is a really big improvement.
It has a very good design.
What needs improvement?
In terms of what could be improved. That is a very good question. Maybe the price could be lower. That is the only thing. Otherwise, it is really a very good product with really good performance. The only thing is maybe to lower the price a little bit - but it's not a complaint. I don't have complaints with SonicWall.
SonicWall is really a very complete product.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using SonicWall TZ for five or six years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
SoinciWall TZ is really very stable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Their scalability is wonderful. SonicWall has a migration table and it's easy to migrate the configuration of a small model to medium or all types. It's really easy. No problem. I have done this a few times and each time was perfect.
We have almost 100 users.
One person is enough for doing maintenance on SonicWall.
We do have plans to increase usage to more or less 10 or 20% more users next year.
How are customer service and support?
The support is excellent
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
Previous to being introduced to SonicWall, I used Softforce.
How was the initial setup?
The initial deployment is easy. Even in the case when a client has a particularly exotic configuration - the support is quick, fast, and very professional.
How long the deployment takes depends. Normally, the delays are the fault of the misinformation we receive from a client. Or misunderstanding the information the client provided us before we did the setup of the firewall. Normally it's not a problem with SonicWall.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
We pay yearly or bi-yearly. Normally we offer the license for two or three years. But it's common to buy the license year by year.
What other advice do I have?
My only recommendation is that you need to be a certificate holder to set it up and configure it. It's really important because it looks easy, but it is complex. You need to have the knowledge and experience. But this is normal for technical products. It is not a product for the regular user. It's for technical people. You need to have skills.
As a customer and a reseller, we feel they are doing a really good job.
On a scale of one to ten, I would give SonictWall TZ obviously a 10.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Hybrid Cloud
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2021-11-29T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
reviewer1729701 from
Works for small businesses, but should provide more features in the standard license
What is most valuable?
SonicWall is perfectly okay for businesses that need to support around 100-150 users.
What needs improvement?
SonicWall is very expensive in terms of using it for 500 users. It's very expensive compared to Cisco Meraki. Cisco Meraki is half the price with the same features. Even FortiGate is less expensive than SonicWall.
I'd like to see anti-spam included in the standard license. I have to pay more for anti-spam when really it should be the standard feature.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using SonicWall for about two years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
No issues with stability. There's an automatic update that defines everything and then implements it to where I can see it on the dashboard. I can see all the spam or malware that was detected, as well as the vulnerability. It then stops those issues.
General maintenance is okay, but if some users require changes, or I have to deploy some policy on the users, then the steps are actually pretty lengthy.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The only issue I have with scalability is the price.
How are customer service and support?
I get in touch with technical support whenever we require the support, the support is okay. We have a toll free number to connect with them. I just connect support and then discuss the issues. They take control of my firewall and then make changes as per my requirement. That's fine. The support is more or less is good. That's not an issue.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
I license SonicWall TZ for three years subscription and support. I would say the price is about 20% more when compared to the competition. The standard service for what my company needs is already covered in that license. But if I need more licenses like for VPN or some other filtering, then I need to pay more.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
I worked with Meraki and Fortigate. I can differentiate the products in terms of ease of use. If I go for ease of use and deployability, then I would prefer Cisco Meraki in any case.
It's not user friendly as compared to Meraki.
What other advice do I have?
I would rate this solution a seven out of ten.
If an organization has about 200 users with slow growth, then SonicWall would be great. But if the growth is exponential and rapid, they may want to consider other solutions or SonicWall NSA.
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2022-01-26T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
reviewer1100799 from
Does what it says it is going to do
What is our primary use case?
I was a technical consultant, and I was helping clients out. I've had two clients. Both of them have had SonicWall, and both of them have gone through upgrades.
What is most valuable?
It does what it says it is going to do.
What needs improvement?
The user support could be improved because you have to go outside to get that kind of support.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using this solution for five years.
How are customer service and support?
We haven't used it. We've had to go outside and get technical support through a third party.
What other advice do I have?
I would rate it an eight out of 10.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclaimer: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer:Partner
Date published: 2022-01-16T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Tharuka Fernando from
Stable, user-friendly, and helpful for seeing the bandwidth usage
What is our primary use case?
We are using a server for all our details, and we are accessing data from multiple countries. So, we needed a firewall.
We are using the SonicWall TZ400 model.
How has it helped my organization?
It has been helpful in many ways. We can see the bandwidth usage for users and how they have used it. From time to time, we get complaints that the server is a bit slow, and we then go to the reporting part to check the bandwidth usage for each user. It has also blocked a couple of viruses.
What is most valuable?
It is very user-friendly, and there is no problem in using its interface.
What needs improvement?
Its reporting can be improved. Currently, we cannot directly get the user names. It only shows the IP, which makes it a bit confusing because we need to use the IP to find the user. If we could directly get the name of the user, it would be better.
Its licensing should be improved. We would like to get the reporting part along with the license, without having to purchase it separately. It would be good if they combine both of these.
Its scalability can also be improved.
For how long have I used the solution?
We have been using this solution for about two years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
It is a stable solution. There is no doubt about it.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Currently, we have 17 users in our country with access to the firewall. We have given them a VPN connection to the firewall to access some of their data.
It is more suitable for small businesses. It would be useful if they can improve its scalability so that even big companies can use it.
How are customer service and technical support?
Whenever I needed any kind of support, the local partner gave me the best possible support. Their support was extremely good.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
It is a bit expensive. We have to purchase the license and the reporting part separately, which makes it a bit pricey. This is the main reason why we have thought of moving to another firewall. It would be good if they combine both of these.
What other advice do I have?
We were a small business at the beginning, and we did not think of allowing all of our countries to access the server, but now, we need to give everyone access to the server. We are thinking of moving to a firewall that would be better than this.
I would rate SonicWall TZ a 10 out of 10. It is a good product.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2021-08-31T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Keyur_Shah from
Offers good protection, but it's expensive, and there are no upgrades for phased out technology
What is our primary use case?
It is for our company. We are not customers, we are direct clients. I am the end user.
What is most valuable?
The general feature is the antivirus policy, followed by the ransomware protection, and these are the features I was looking at. The VPN feature is not something that I'm a great fan of, but I mean, it is not something that I would even complain about. Whatever is required for my organization, the TZ 400 has performed admirably.
What needs improvement?
The user interface is a little challenging. It is not something I am familiar with. Things could go much more smoothly if they could be improved.
The interface and technical support are probably the two most important things that I would like SonicWall to improve. If the product that they have is to be phased out, there must be an upgrade in technology as well.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been working with SonicWall TZ for seven years.
The version we are working with is SonicWall TZ400.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
SonicWall TZ is a stable product.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
SonicWall TZ is scalable.
How are customer service and support?
It was difficult to contact technical support online.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
Before SonicWall TZ, I have not worked with another similar product.
I recently purchased a FortiGate from Fortinet. I am about to receive the delivery, which will most likely be in a fortnight, so I do not have much experience. We are planning to use Fortinet FortiGate, our plan is to switch from SonicWall to Fortinet.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is smooth. It is not complex.
It can take an hour to two hours to deploy.
What about the implementation team?
The vendor was able to assist us.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The prices are expensive. I wouldn't say the prices are reasonable.
What other advice do I have?
Personally, I find it challenging. Previously, they had an Adobe Flash interface. When Adobe Flash was phased out and a new version was released, it was difficult for us to upgrade, and we received little help from the SonicWall team.
I had also purchased the SonicWall Analyzer. The Analyzer was also based on Adobe Flash, which they did not support. One must consider future expandability and the technology that is being deployed, as well as whether or not it is supported by the company if it is phased out.
I would rate SonicWall TZ a six out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2022-02-09T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Eric Barba from
Offers the right amount of control very simply; great integration and ease of management
What is our primary use case?
In some cases SonicWall is used to outfit a company, replacing existing infrastructure and getting site-to-site VPN set up for easier management. It provides ease of use for VPN setups. We are customers of SonicWall and I'm a senior system analyst.
How has it helped my organization?
The solution offers the right amount of control without being incredibly convoluted and frustrating, or without being too dumbed down where you don't have options to do certain things. It's very to the point with the controls and simplifies things for us. It's great value for money.
What is most valuable?
The solution has a lot of robust options and it's easy to use. NSM is a good feature, a single pane of glass security center where you can monitor SonicWall for different clients and troubleshoot without it requiring individual access. The product has good integration with their SMA solution, which we deployed for one of our financial firms, and we've also provided a remote access solution for people with PCs at home who want secure access. It offers good content filtering.
What needs improvement?
I would probably say their GSM or their Sonic Analyzer could be improved. I have always found it difficult to manage and not very intuitive. I'd like to have better visibility of what each endpoint is doing. That's something Meraki has that is very easy to use.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've been using this solution for over seven years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The solution is stable. We're an MSP, so if our clients have any dated hardware, we'll make a plan to switch to SonicWall, otherwise there can be issues with the internet or configuration where we can't get in and troubleshoot. We need to know we can get into the firewalls and make sure that they're online, as opposed to having to schedule someone to come in and deal with the basic physical connections or troubleshoot.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The scalability is very good because if you know how to work the base model, the old solution or the TZ 105, all the way up to the NSAs, they just scale up in terms of features and functionality and you don't change a whole lot. They have good terminology that sticks throughout, so if you work with one, you can work with them all. It means upgrading and scaling is very easy. We manage about 1300 users or so across about 100 different clients. For the most part, maybe 80% of them are on SonicWall, and we try to push that just because it makes our lives a lot easier.
How are customer service and support?
We don't use the technical support very often, but the last call I had with them, everything was resolved within the hour. I spent more time on hold than I did with the person. It was 15 minutes on hold, for 10 minutes to resolve the issue. Otherwise, it's great.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup was very straightforward. Deployment time depends on the client but if we're starting from scratch, you can have it updated and deployed within an afternoon without issue. We have our own techs with experience who can get things set up to the best of our ability. Implementation takes one person who knows what they're doing, but we have a team that can help out and troubleshoot if we run into issues.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
I'm not sure of licensing costs, but the price point isn't bad. In addition, you need to buy the hardware. There is also a standard support license, and they offer an advanced security gateway with other intrusion detection, prevention, content filtering, etc. There are some additional options we usually go with, but things like content filtering are hit and miss, and depend on what the client wants.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
I've tried Meraki, but their price points are ridiculous and feature functionality is somewhat lacking. After Dell sold SonicWall, things improved a lot, and they've come a long way. There were some things about Meraki that I liked such as endpoint visibility. You can see the list of connected devices and apply a policy. You can get very low network so that bandwidth is not eaten up if someone is watching Netflix all day but they can still receive emails. Those kinds of things are what's missing in SonicWall. I've never been able to do something like that easily on the firewall side. Unfortunately, the cost of Meraki is really prohibitive. We tried a few other solutions and they just didn't pan out. If you want a good firewall, you have to pay thousands of dollars for what SonicWall does in a way that's easier to manage.
What other advice do I have?
I would recommend trying the product, it's not too difficult, whether it's the setup or the cost. If you're looking for a really low-cost solution, you'll probably end up using something like pfSense which doesn't really compare to SonicWall. There are probably better solutions out there, but there are things that SonicWall does better, it just depends on your budget.
I rate the solution eight out of 10.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2021-10-09T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
reviewer1307946 from
Provides a very good VPN connection, stable with good support
What is our primary use case?
We use SonicWall for the connectivity it provides. We are customers of SonicWall and I work in network support.
What is most valuable?
The VPN connection is the most valuable feature for us. For me, it's all good - implementation and data tools are also good.
What needs improvement?
The GUI interface could be improved. It would make a difference if they could update that.
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?
I've had some problems with the VPN connection but I think stability is good.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Most of our clients are small companies but the scalability is good.
How are customer service and technical support?
I've had good experience with technical support.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup was easy for me.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
I also use Fortinet FortiGate and I prefer it to SonicWall. The difference is that SonicWall is a cheaper solution.
What other advice do I have?
I would recommend this product, I haven't had any problems with it.
I would rate this solution an eight out of 10.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2021-02-10T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
reviewer1625292 from
A stable and scalable solution which boasts knowledgeable tech support, good performance and ease of use
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
Disclaimer: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer:Implementer
Date published: 2021-09-13T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
reviewer1536075 from
Good support, very stable, easy to use, and useful for viewing network utilization
What is our primary use case?
We have multiple branches, and we have configured SonicWall VPNs for branch-to-branch connectivity through IPSec. I am also restricting websites to protect us from hackers, torrents, games, and other such things. I am using SonicWall TZ 400 series.
What is most valuable?
Most of the features are useful. It is easy to configure and easy to troubleshoot.
I can see the utilization of different networks, and there are also App control features.
What needs improvement?
FortiGate has a client DNS in the firewall, but SonicWall doesn't have that. To create or configure a site-to-site VPN tunnel, we have to give a DNS name. Currently, we have to get the DNS name from a third party and then include it in SonicWall, whereas FortiGate has its own client DNS, so it provides a DNS name, and it does not require a third party.
There should be a graphical option to view the network utilization and bandwidth usage.
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?
It is very stable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
It is scalable. We have 100 users of this solution. We might increase its usage in the future in about eight months.
How are customer service and technical support?
Their technical support is good. They are very helpful. I would rate them an eight out of ten.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We were using ESET Antivirus for endpoint security. For firewalls, we were using FortiGate and MikroTik firewalls. FortiGate is fine, and it is helpful and easy, but MikroTik is not. It can't stop attacks from hackers.
In addition to SonicWall TZ, we are now using Cloud App Security from SonicWall for endpoint security, and we have Email Security from SonicWall for emails. In addition, we are using Capture Client from SonicWall for endpoint protection. All these solutions are very helpful, easy to configure, and easy to troubleshoot.
How was the initial setup?
It was straightforward. It took five to ten minutes.
What other advice do I have?
I would recommend this solution. We plan to keep using this solution. We have recently renewed our license, and we don't have any plans to use any other solution.
I would rate SonicWall TZ an eight out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2021-04-07T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
reviewer1506144 from
Not scalable and doesn't have centralized management monitoring, but it is reliable and the support is good
What is our primary use case?
We use this solution to secure our network environment. We have implemented it in other locations in our organization.
What is most valuable?
It's a good solution with good features.
What needs improvement?
It's a good product, but it's not a next-generation firewall. We are looking for a next-generation firewall and considering Cisco.
We require centralized monitoring of the network features, which they have but they are not to the level that we require.
The reporting is not good. Also, the historical configuration of the data or backup is not available.
To compete in the market, there have to be a lot of improvements.
We do not plan to continue using SonicWall TZ. We are looking for a replacement because we need centralized monitoring across the organization. It has been very difficult for us to manage the firewall as it is not managed centrally. This is the main drawback in our current scenario.
In the next release, I would like to see better scalability, easier installation, improved reporting, storage configuration, backup, and centralized management with reporting.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using this solution for four years.
We are using the latest version.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
It's a stable product.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
It is not very scalable, which is something that could be better.
We have multiple locations and have implemented it in several.
At this time, we have 1,000 users on the firewall.
How are customer service and technical support?
Technical support is good. There is no need for improvement.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We did not use another firewall previously.
How was the initial setup?
The installation is not straightforward. But, through the GUI, there are features that you can enable to configure.
Forcepoint and Cisco are straightforward but there are many things to do with SonicWall.
For a first-time installation, it can take half a day to deploy.
What about the implementation team?
We completed the implementation ourselves.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The license that we purchased is good for three years.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
We have evaluated ForcePoint but we haven't used it.
We will be testing Cisco and Barracuda in our environment.
What other advice do I have?
For small organizations, its' good, and I would recommend it, but not for medium or large enterprise companies.
I would rate SonicWall TZ a five out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2021-03-15T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Odimas Nascimento from
Very stable, good support, easy to configure, and useful for content filtering and defining application rules
What is our primary use case?
Our clients use it for VPN, firewall, antivirus, and content filtering purposes. We have its latest version.
What is most valuable?
Content filtering and application rules are the most valuable features. It is also easy to configure.
What needs improvement?
Its pricing can be better. It is very expensive.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using this solution for around ten years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
It is very stable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
It is scalable. I didn't have any issues with scalability. Our clients are small organizations with 20 to 40 users.
How are customer service and technical support?
Their technical support is very good. I also like its documentation, which is easy to access.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
Our clients have been using different solutions, such as pfSense, and they migrate to SonicWall TZ because it has more security.
How was the initial setup?
Its initial setup is simple. The duration depends on the number of users and configuration, but it usually takes around 12 hours. We have three or four people for its deployment.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
Its price is very high, which makes it difficult to convince the clients to buy this solution.
What other advice do I have?
I would recommend this solution for implementing security. I am satisfied with this solution. It meets our expectations.
I would rate SonicWall TZ a nine out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclaimer: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer:Reseller
Date published: 2021-03-15T00:00:00-04:00