Security which is obtainable for all. Great solutions and very mature product ranges.
November 19, 2021
Security which is obtainable for all. Great solutions and very mature product ranges.
Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
Overall Satisfaction with WatchGuard Network Security
Watchguard firewalls are one of the layers of security [that] are utilized across the whole business. Without going into too much detail on our inner workings I can confirm that the product range accomplishes many goals in enhancing our security, access control, and filtering. It addresses the need for high-end security solutions with UTM features whilst being an easy-to-learn product range without overly being overpriced compared with the competition.
- easy to use interface to support mixed abilities
- visualisation of ongoing live traffic
- tiered approach to security i.e. ips, av, botnet protection, RED
- quick and simple deployment
- transferable configs between devices and versions
- full inter-device compatibility
- the reporting on dimension could be simpler to use and the implementation to filter staff is a bit clunky
- the terminal services agent we have found on occasion to cause slowdowns
- firmware upgrades without the requirement for reboots which is an issue for no HA sites
- [multi-tenant SSL VPN] is not supported i.e. only 1 set of DNS servers can be used which isn't appropriate usually for more than 1 client.
- helpded us achieve the objective of offering a secure firewall to all clients
- clear easy to manage segmentation of business units within our business
- a well-suited product range for future proof upgrades due to config portability. This is especially time-saving for clients requiring replacement units as the configs don't require time-consuming rewrites
- one negative for a reseller such as ourselves is online low priced sellers can remove all the value add we actually offer by selling for almost cost, as prices resellers can charge arent controlled
We are the gold WatchGuard partner so we have fully trained staff here. We provide the solutions for ourselves and for clients.
This makes it a very simple sale learning route as the majority of solutions will compromise only a handful of common part codes. As we try to also promote the highest levels of security we are also generally only trying to sell a smaller subset of the parts. The license management is also very simple with automated updating on devices upon renewals being processed. This saves on manual intervention and ensures devices are always activated with all their licensed services. The combined solution also means we can quickly deploy the solutions to the majority of clients without many requirements of their current infrastructure.
Amongst others, these are the most common devices we come across and WatchGuard is by far the fullest offering whilst also giving the best experience in managing and setting up. The training level required for some higher enterprise devices is usually much higher so we find this can lead to clients misconfiguring. On the flip side, we have seen very basic devices which just don't offer any good UTM features and are basically useless against modern threats.
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
WatchGuard Network Security Feature Ratings
Using WatchGuard Network Security
15 - This is a mixed staff from accounts through to technicians. The product range is implemented for all and actively used by all daily from firewall usage, MFA and VPN
10 - We have a mixed skillset ranging from basic trained engineers who would amend things such as web filtering policies through to highly skilled senior engineers who whould design and implement large watchguard solutions.
- firewall
- mfa
- vpn
- webfiltering
- segregation
- multi-tenant segregation for cloud services
- potentially look to replace our current endpoint security solution sold to clients
Evaluating WatchGuard Network Security and Competitors
Yes - Historically over 10 years ago we were selling sonicwall and draytek. However a requirement for higher end solutions which were also easy to train staff came about.
- Price
- Product Features
- Product Usability
- Product Reputation
- Prior Experience with the Product
I think all of these aspects are important to an extent as this is why we like the product range. Some competitors may perhaps offer something particularly focussed in one area which excels but then the price may also be 3 times as much which prices out the sale for the target market.
Prior experience in the product is one of the most important as it ensures the quality of our setups within clients is excellent. We know we don't need to worry about the other aspects as these are already more than excelling.
Prior experience in the product is one of the most important as it ensures the quality of our setups within clients is excellent. We know we don't need to worry about the other aspects as these are already more than excelling.
I might take a look at a couple more vendors in the same level of detail. However many of the core concepts are the same across vendors and as the range we have selected was gradual over a number of years we believe it must have been the correct decision.
WatchGuard Network Security Support
We have our own skilled engineers who handle support and we only require escalation if there is a particular bug or fault with a device. The core configuration we have expertise in so it wouldnt make sense to pay for any additional support.
Yes - Yes we know constantly developing software always has bugs so we are always keen to report any quirks or bugs. Sometimes bugs can be very specific but if our experience and finding of an issue can lead to a long term fix for ourselves and others we like to make this known. We also suggest potential improvements for the software and some of which have made it to the end products.
We had a very complex setup which required virtually all features of the firewall to be used and the watchguard support team helped to ensure the solution was setup correctly.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
Good followup Problems get solved Kept well informed | Difficult to get immediate help Need to explain problems multiple times Slow Initial Response |