Command line interface (CLI) scripting and technical support have been issues for some users. Some users have reported difficulty setting up and running SonicWall firewalls, while others report easy setup and solid value. With 99.76% of exploits stopped in NSS Labs tests, SonicWall NSA firewalls are near the top in firewall security performance. One downside is lack of integration with third-party endpoint detection and response (EDR) tools. The XG firewalls are something of a Swiss army knife for SMB security, also offering a web application firewall, a secure web gateway, email protection, ransomware protection, and phishing prevention, all while blocking 97.82% of live, active exploits in NSS Labs tests. Sophos provides good value and security for the SMB market. What follows is a look at each solution’s key features, as well as their strengths and weaknesses.
A recent Sophos survey of 2,700 IT managers in 10 countries found that on average, IT managers can’t identify 45 percent of their organization’s network traffic, and 85 percent of respondents said they want their firewalls to deliver better visibility into traffic and applications.īoth Sophos XG and SonicWall NSA made eSecurity Planet’s list of 10 top NGFW vendors. There’s a real need for that additional functionality. Next-generation firewalls (NGFWs) are central to any IT security strategy, adding a wide range of functionality beyond the basic protection afforded by a traditional network security firewall.