Item: WatchGuard Network Security
Rating: 10
Author: Nik Brunn

Overall Satisfaction with WatchGuard Network Security

Use Cases and Deployment Scope

We use our WatchGuard [Network Security] across our organization's network. It provides great throughput even while security services are enabled. We're also using its VPN capabilities to keep devices protected for our remote team. We love the option for fiber connectivity and have taken advantage of it to bring a fiber connection all the way down to our switches.

Pros and Cons

Pros

Easy to configure
Configuration is extremely flexible
Great security features.

Cons

Would be nice to see more AI driven traffic monitoring
Would be nice to be able to detect suspicious traffic within the network
Cloud management is lacking

Return on Investment

We have achieved 100% uptime.
Throughput has allowed our business to continue to aggressively grow.
Has kept our network secure.

WatchGuard Partner

We did not work with a partner for purchase or implementation as our IT team has extensive experience in configuring and managing network equipment.

WatchGuard Unified Security Platform

We have not yet implemented the unified security platform but plan to in the future. We believe it will make management and monitoring of our network security easier for our team.

WatchGuard Cloud

We have not yet implemented WatchGuard's cloud products but we plan to in the future.

WatchGuard Network Security Partner

We did not work with a partner.

WatchGuard Network Security Packaging and Licensing

The only benefit we saw in our organization is that we didn't have to spend time deciding what features we wanted or didn't want before making a decision.

Alternatives Considered

SonicWall Capture Advanced Threat Protection (ATP)

Overall, the two products are very comparable to one another. In the end, it came down to throughput vs cost. WatchGuard [Network Security] came in at around half the cost for the device that provided the amount of throughput that we needed. All of the other features were neck and neck.

Key Insights

Do you think WatchGuard Network Security delivers good value for the price?

Yes

Are you happy with WatchGuard Network Security's feature set?

Yes

Did WatchGuard Network Security live up to sales and marketing promises?

Yes

Did implementation of WatchGuard Network Security go as expected?

Yes

Would you buy WatchGuard Network Security again?

Yes

Other Software Used

SonicWall Capture Advanced Threat Protection (ATP), SonicWall TZ, Bitdefender GravityZone

Likelihood to Recommend

WatchGuard's Network Security suite really is a must for any organization big or small. The features are pretty easy to configure and allow for the admin to scale it to the needs of the organization. I really can't think of a scenario where having a solid network security solution would be considered less appropriate.

WatchGuard Network Security Feature Ratings

Using WatchGuard Network Security

Users and Roles

2 - They make up the IT team.

Support Headcount Required

2 - They make up the IT team.

Business Processes Supported

Spam Blocker
Web Filter
Intrusion Prevention

Innovative Uses

Nothing out of the ordinary

Future Planned Uses

We are already using all of the features

Likelihood to Renew

We believe in the reliability of WatchGuard's network security solution and will be happy to renew our subscription.

Evaluating WatchGuard Network Security and Competitors

Products Replaced

Yes - SonicWall devices were replaced because WatchGuard products were more cost effective and offered more flexibility in configuration.

Key Differentiators

Cloud Solutions
Ease of Use

The most important factor was that it was cost effective.

Evaluation Lessons Learned

I wouldn't change anything.

WatchGuard Network Security Implementation

Implementation Details / Implementation Partner

Implemented in-house

Implementation Phases

Change Management Lessons

Change management was minimal - Change management was not a part of the implementation at all for us.

Implementation Issues

No issues during implementation

Implementation Rating

Coming from a SonicWall background, there was a little bit of a learning curve with WatchGuard [Network Security]. However, documentation was readily available and easy to understand making implementation nice and smooth. WatchGuard [Network Security] support was also very responsive and eager to help where needed.