Item: WatchGuard Network Security
Rating: 9
Author: Christopher Stark

Use Cases and Deployment Scope

WatchGuard appliances and their corresponding security features are used over a very large territorial region of the Salvation Army. My scope is divisional, managing 65 devices. We utilize several Firebox models to protect our WAN locations, as well as provide DHCP for smaller locations, content blocking, and intrusion detection. WatchGuard devices allow us to control traffic, manage content, and secure tunnel communications to centralized resources.

Pros and Cons

The availability of DHCP is invaluable for our smaller offices, eliminating the need for additional hardware.
Content blocking is crucial to The Salvation Army, as many of our clients are children and vulnerable adults.
MUVPN and BOVPN services allow access to data hosted at our organizational headquarters, to be shared across networks.

Renewal Licensing for Live Security is nearly the same as a new firewall with Live Security. Does anyone think this is crazy?
Expiration of subscription services disables web access, unless the preferences are change from the default.

Return on Investment

WatchGuard firewalls are reliable, simply put. Their performance in real-world situations is exemplary.
WatchGuard support is responsive and thorough. Rarely do we suffer outages due to WatchGuard products.
Again, I would like to see a licensing renewal price structure that did not approach a brand new hardware/license bundle.

WatchGuard Network Security Partner

CDW is an excellent WatchGuard partner. We have relied on them since the beginning of our WatchGuard adoption. They provide pricing structures and model differentiation for our many levels of need. CDW has helped us sort out the myriad of features and model ranges that enable us to buy WatchGuard products to fit our needs.

Usability

WatchGuard's user interface at both the appliance level and the WatchGuard System Manager has changed over the years, but they have always strived for clarity and intuitive controls. The graphical layouts are clear and easily readable. Feature groupings and navigation controls are accessible and make sense. Configuration prompts simplify deployment procedures and ensure consistency.

Implementation Rating

I have only ever implemented WatchGuard products, so I lack a comparative method. However, implementing WatchGuard devices is one of the easier things I perform in the day-to-day performance of my duties. From provisioning to deployment, I cannot imagine a more streamlined process. We only experience deployment glitches due to incorrect licensing models, which was a purchase failure on our part.

WatchGuard Network Security Packaging and Licensing

As a Non-Profit, we are grateful for the complete product from WatchGuard. This simplifies deployment to both large and small offices. Provisioning is consistent across all models, thus reducing time and technical supervision. The features in WatchGuard devices work seamlessly to both protect and enable data flow with minimal downtime and IT management.

Alternatives Considered

The decision to use WatchGuard products was made at the corporate level, and I was not part of that process. I believe, however, that they looked at both Cisco and Baracuda solutions.

Likelihood to Recommend

WatchGuard is always innovating their security suite and adding and improving features to their perimeter security devices. Each iteration of the firewall appliance is uniquely outfitted with the appropriate tools to both enable data communication and protect the local network. Scalable and reliable, WatchGuard security devices simply work. There are no cases I can think of where at least one, if not two WatchGuard models will fit both the budget and the needs of any office or facility.

Reliable and Complete for Small and Large Offices: Protects and Enables Data Flow -- WatchGuard

Overall Satisfaction with WatchGuard Network Security