Reviews from AWS customer

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4-star reviews ( Show all reviews )

    Oyvind Mattland

Enhance security with robust DNS and threat prevention features

  • April 30, 2025
  • Review provided by PeerSpot

What is our primary use case?

The use case varies. I use it as a gateway, and others use it for microsegmentation in the cloud. Additionally, some deploy it on-premises to protect specific environments. Most of the use cases are in cloud environments.

What is most valuable?

The most valuable features are the DNS security and threat prevention capabilities. The DNS security significantly enhances security through visibility and detection, allowing control over crucial traffic like DNS, which is often exploited by ransomware. Additionally, threat prevention and URL security are crucial licenses I recommend to customers, raising the security level substantially.

What needs improvement?

There are continuous developments with many new features coming every year. Although I receive feature requests from customers, I don't have any particular areas for improvement in mind right now.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been working with Palo Alto Networks VM-Series for more than ten years.

What was my experience with deployment of the solution?

Setting up the VM-Series is usually very easy. The firewall can be deployed and set up within half an hour, though it depends on the complexity of the configuration.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

In terms of stability, I would rate it eight out of ten. Perfection is unlikely as the dynamic nature of traffic and constant changes can result in occasional bugs despite regular updates. Perfection in stability remains challenging for any vendor.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

I rate the scalability of Palo Alto Networks VM-Series ten out of ten. It is easy to use with an excellent graphical user interface and extensive documentation, which contributes to its high scalability.

How are customer service and support?

I conduct most of the support myself and rate the overall support a nine out of ten. However, sometimes cases take longer to resolve, and there's always room for improvement, especially in terms of response time from higher support levels.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup is straightforward and easy. The process involves registering and configuring the software, and with flex mode, it is easy to scale by purchasing additional credits for more CPU and RAM without needing new hardware.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

The pricing is more on the expensive side, but it is justified due to its functionality, reliability, and throughput, even with all features enabled. In comparison to FortiGate, Check Point, and Cisco, the performance does not degrade significantly. Although I rate the cost six out of ten, the features justify the higher expense.

What other advice do I have?

Overall, I rate Palo Alto Networks VM-Series an eight out of ten. While no product is perfect, I am satisfied with its performance and value.


    Aravind Vellingiri

Enhance cybersecurity for large enterprises using advanced threat management

  • April 25, 2025
  • Review provided by PeerSpot

What is our primary use case?

Our primary use case involves working with TVS Group of companies in India, a large automobile manufacturer. We take care of their entire cybersecurity system. We implement Palo Alto Networks VM-Series firewalls along with third-party vendors and support them remotely for their day-to-day issues. We use these solutions to enhance cybersecurity and provide protection against various security threats.

What is most valuable?

The VM-Series firewalls are described as useful for security posture, offering next-generation features such as Unified Threat Management, app-centric capabilities, and threat intelligence. The firewalls use sandboxing and behavioral analysis to allow or quarantine new traffic. They help in identifying legitimate domains and instruct admins if approval is needed. This set of features is very helpful in daily tasks.

What needs improvement?

An improvement could be the integration of security intelligence with Palo Alto cloud via APIs. This would allow IOCs, domains, and hash values to be automatically entered, reducing manual entry. Integration with CSIRT across all use levels would make it easier for administrators to stay updated on the blocked entities without manual intervention.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been working with Palo Alto Networks VM-Series firewalls for about four to five years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

Generally, the VM-Series firewalls are stable. I would rate the stability as eight out of ten.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The solution is scalable and can easily handle an increase in the number of users.

How are customer service and support?

I have worked with Palo Alto technical support for over two years. They are responsive and provide high-quality assistance. Previously, I have raised tickets, and they were efficiently handled by the technical team. My experience has been positive overall.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup of the VM-Series firewalls is quite easy compared to traditional firewalls. It is manageable with fewer administrators required. On a scale of one to ten, I would rate the setup as nine for its ease of implementation.

What about the implementation team?

I am directly involved in the implementation of these firewalls. It typically takes around two to three hours to deploy the firewalls in a single environment.

What other advice do I have?

The solution is user-friendly and easy to manage within an environment. As a VM, it requires no physical space and can be managed with one or two admins. It's also 99.9% secure, according to cloud security standards. Overall, I give Palo Alto Networks VM-Series a rating of nine out of ten.


    RonnieYazdani

User-friendly CLI and efficient dashboard streamline operations with robust security features

  • April 17, 2025
  • Review provided by PeerSpot

What is our primary use case?

We usually recommend Palo Alto Networks VM-Series for BFSI companies.

What is most valuable?

I find Palo Alto Networks VM-Series easy to deploy, and none of my customers have had significant complaints. My customers have high certifications provided by Palo Alto Networks. The friendly dashboard and the ability to easily command and use the CLI make Palo Alto Networks VM-Series a better product. It offers robust solutions, making it valuable to my customers.

What needs improvement?

It may be beneficial if the firewall can monitor all internal elements like VMs pulling from HP servers. Consolidating these insights into a single dashboard would be advantageous.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been familiar with Palo Alto Networks for four or five years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The performance of VM instances has some limitations in terms of threshold and throughput compared to appliances.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

I would rate scalability as eight out of ten.

How are customer service and support?

Palo Alto Networks offers better technical support, maintaining SLA efficiently, and resolving issues promptly.

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

In some cases, I have migrated from Cisco to Palo Alto Networks VM-Series smoothly.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

Pricing for Palo Alto Networks is higher than other OEMs, but considering the robustness and features, it gains customer trust. Technical configuration is a focus area due to its high commercial profile.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

I consider Check Point alongside Palo Alto Networks, as well as Cisco for wireless solutions.

What other advice do I have?

When evaluating, consider the customer’s environment and pain points since both Check Point and Palo Alto Networks have their advantages. Overall, I rate Palo Alto Networks VM-Series eight out of ten.


    Frank Nguyen

Secures remote work with advanced threat protection and efficient traffic management

  • April 03, 2025
  • Review from a verified AWS customer

What is our primary use case?

I am using Palo Alto Networks VM-Series because almost all my application infrastructure is hosted on AWS. AWS supports deploying Palo Alto Networks VM-Series in their marketplace, and Palo Alto is a leader in security in the firewall market. I also use the GlobalProtect VPN from Palo Alto Networks.

What is most valuable?

Palo Alto Networks VM-Series is very strong in security features like antivirus, anti-spyware, and machine learning capabilities that help scan for antivirus and anti-spam. This ensures high security for internal and external traffic. They frequently update antivirus patterns and application threats, which provides reliable protection. I also value GlobalProtect VPN for supporting remote users as most of my employees work remotely. Additionally, Palo Alto Networks helps me visualize and manage network traffic effectively, blocking risky files and enhancing network security.

What needs improvement?

Currently, I do not have specific suggestions for Palo Alto Networks VM-Series improvements. I am happy with the rich features provided. As I have only used it for four months, I might need more time to explore and suggest enhancements.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using Palo Alto Networks VM-Series since December 2020, around four months.

What was my experience with deployment of the solution?

Deploying Palo Alto Networks VM-Series was a bit challenging. I rate it a six out of ten for ease, as it required going through extensive documentation to set it up. Deployment took nearly a week to complete.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

I rate the stability of Palo Alto Networks VM-Series as seven out of ten. I have not experienced any major problems or downtime, but I haven't yet explored all its features.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

Currently, I do not have a clear answer about the scalability of Palo Alto Networks VM-Series as I have not scaled it yet.

How are customer service and support?

I have not directly used Palo Alto's technical support as I rely on vendor support. The vendor provides me with documentation when needed.

How would you rate customer service and support?

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

Before using Palo Alto Networks VM-Series, I used a physical box on-premises. The switch was due to moving all infrastructure to AWS, necessitating a virtual solution.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup of Palo Alto Networks VM-Series was somewhat challenging, requiring extensive documentation review. I rate it a six out of ten for ease.

What about the implementation team?

I handled almost 100% of the deployment myself. However, for specific features, I consulted the vendor engineer, who provided online documentation for guidance.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

I rate the pricing of Palo Alto Networks VM-Series as six or seven out of ten. The cost involves purchasing through a vendor, which might mark up due to the supply chain. I've had no complaints about Palo Alto's pricing.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

I did not evaluate other options before choosing Palo Alto Networks VM-Series, as it is a leader in the market.

What other advice do I have?

Overall, I rate Palo Alto Networks VM-Series an eight out of ten. I am happy with its performance and rich features.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

Public Cloud

If public cloud, private cloud, or hybrid cloud, which cloud provider do you use?

Amazon Web Services (AWS)


    reviewer1360608

Can overcome complex threat landscapes with robust threat intelligence and great reliability

  • December 24, 2024
  • Review from a verified AWS customer

What is our primary use case?

I am the team manager responsible for various security products. My customers use Palo Alto Networks products, and I am working with Palo Alto partners. We support a variety of solutions including Strata firewalls, Prisma SD-WAN, and Wildfire for advanced threat protection.

What is most valuable?

Wildfire, a sandboxing product, allows for analyzing malware in virtual machines. Its strength lies in threat intelligence, which is significant for proactive defense. Palo Alto's robust threat intelligence supports new updates, and I can open cases directly with their Threat Intelligence team. Customers appreciate the throughput and reliability of VM-Series Firewalls, as they can be managed efficiently through Panorama.

What needs improvement?

I find it difficult to reach technical support at Palo Alto Networks. Most customers go for partner-enabled support, which involves multiple layers, leading to delays. Additionally, the technical maturity level of support is not always high, resulting in dissatisfaction. The pricing of Palo Alto is relatively high, particularly for smaller companies.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been familiar with Wildfire for nearly five years. I have been working with the VM-Series for nearly two years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

Palo Alto products are stable compared to others. Stability issues may arise when exceeding throughput limits, but hardware is generally very stable.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

Scalability is a strength of Palo Alto VM-Series. They are easy to upgrade, and with credit licensing, they scale effectively according to demand.

How are customer service and support?

I can give Palo Alto Networks technical support a six out of ten. It is very hard to reach, and the process can be lengthy and frustrating because support involves several layers.

How was the initial setup?

Initial setup is easy, especially in public cloud environments where VM-Series can be obtained from the marketplace.

What was our ROI?

Our ROI is measured in terms of catch rate, however, customers often focus on the total price of the product rather than detailed ROI calculations.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

Palo Alto is expensive in terms of pricing, particularly when comparing features to cost. Their Premier Support is also very expensive and not widely chosen by customers.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

I would recommend Check Point and Fortinet as alternatives for companies where the budget is a concern.

What other advice do I have?

I would recommend Palo Alto VM-Series to others and rate it an eight out of ten. However, for companies below midsize, it may not be a fit due to cost. For those companies, I suggest considering products like Check Point or Fortinet.


    Gerald Rodrigues

Experience robust security with fast and efficient VPN and antivirus capabilities

  • December 17, 2024
  • Review provided by PeerSpot

What is our primary use case?

The main gateway for my organization is Palo Alto because my SAP data is hosted there. My staff operates behind Palo Alto, and numerous software applications and websites are hosted on it. I wanted a strong product for security, particularly for ransomware, malware, and a strong VPN for accessing SAP through VPN and CloudProtect.

What is most valuable?

Palo Alto offers excellent security, with features such as email scanning, malware protection, and efficient VPN and antivirus capabilities. There is no latency, making it faster compared to my previous solutions. The services are hosted and run quickly, which enhances our operations. The security against DDoS attacks has also been improved significantly.

What needs improvement?

There is a need for two-factor authentication, particularly for VPN and CloudProtect. It would enhance security further. The individual certificate feature where a unique certificate is attached to each user would also be valuable. If Palo Alto adopts this, they would excel.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using Palo Alto for the last three months.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

Palo Alto is very stable. I would rate it ten out of ten.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

It is very scalable. If I were to rate it on a scale, it would receive nine out of ten, and with two-factor authentication, it would be ten.

How are customer service and support?

The technical support is very good. I rate it nine out of ten.

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

I was previously using Sophos. The switch to Palo Alto was driven by the need for a product that could manage all my in-house data and offer superior security. Sophos was not offering the class A level of service that Palo Alto provides.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup of Palo Alto was straightforward as the vendor completed it efficiently in one day.

What about the implementation team?

The product was installed by our vendor.

What was our ROI?

As of now, I am content with the pricing. Although the price might seem high, it reflects the quality of the product similar to the difference between Android and Apple products.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

The pricing is reasonable and reflects the quality of the product. There are no issues with the cost, as it is commensurate with the quality received.

What other advice do I have?

My overall rating for Palo Alto Networks VM-Series is nine points out of ten.

The solution effectively handles security issues and ensures data safety.


    Tejas Jain

Enhanced threat prevention with advanced security controls

  • October 29, 2024
  • Review from a verified AWS customer

What is our primary use case?

The primary use case involves using next-generation firewalls, hardware, VM-Series, Prisma Access for SASE solutions, Prisma Cloud for cloud security posture management, and Cloud Workload Protection. It's used primarily for securing customers' virtualized data center environments as well as public cloud environments.

How has it helped my organization?

The additional visibility, which was lacking with cloud-native tools, has improved the organization's cloud security posture. Advanced enforcement and granular security controls help manage potential threats.

What is most valuable?

The most effective feature for threat prevention is the threat prevention model in the VM-Series. This is bundled with advanced URL filtering, decryption, and wildfire sandboxing.

What needs improvement?

If additional web application firewall capabilities could be integrated into the existing firewall, it would negate the need for additional products.

For how long have I used the solution?

I've been working with Palo Alto VM-Series for at least five to six years now.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

We haven't had challenges with failovers yet.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

We've controlled the scalability via VMSS in Azure, using auto-scale groups in AWS. It's quite seamless, though there's room for improvement in cost management, especially during traffic spikes.

How are customer service and support?

The technical support is great. We've had no challenges and there are established channels for customer success and professional services.

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

In the past, I used to work with Check Point, but haven't worked with them lately. Given the support from Palo Alto, there hasn't been a necessity to explore others.

How was the initial setup?

The integration process involved using a Panorama setup for centralized firewall administration, transitioning from cloud-native firewalls to VM-Series.

What about the implementation team?

We are primarily a consulting firm and reseller, so we've had significant involvement in the process.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

The solution tends to add to costs especially when scaling, although measures like using large compute instances minimize the need for scaling.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

Potential competitors mentioned are Check Point and Cisco but haven't been evaluated recently.

What other advice do I have?

For straightforward firewall inspection and basic IPS, IDS requirements, native firewalls might suffice. For more advanced needs, using VM-Series or Palo Alto Firewalls is recommended.

I would rate it an eight out of ten.


    Senthil-N

Enables us to address a lot of customer queries

  • October 15, 2024
  • Review provided by PeerSpot

What is our primary use case?

I use it for two main reasons. In case there is a customer query, Palo Alto firewall is one of the vendors that we support for syslogs, rule management, change management, and traffic monitoring.

Our product is used to query the firewall and provide a dashboard that raises alarms if any suspicious activity is detected. It involves the management of the firewall. We have a partnership with Palo Alto, and I have worked with VM-Series.

When a customer encounters an issue with our product in accordance with Palo Alto, I analyze the problem and provide solutions. Additionally, I have constructed a lab with network devices for partner training. This lab uses Palo Alto firewalls for communication.

How has it helped my organization?

By using this firewall, we were able to address a lot of customer queries and answer to their VM-Series. This helped us retain our customers and gain confidence from them.

What is most valuable?

Palo Alto is easy to use. The UI is very easy to understand and does not require any certification or highly skilled technician to handle the firewall. It is very user-friendly and straightforward out of the box.

What needs improvement?

An area for improvement would be AI-related features, particularly in rule management or threat intelligence. Focusing on AI-based threat detection would be beneficial.

Additionally, enhancing the ease of accessing technical support would be useful.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using Palo Alto Networks VM-Series for about three to four years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

Stability is good. Once it is configured, it is stable, and I would rate it nine out of ten. I have not experienced any outages with Palo Alto, unlike other vendors like Sophos.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

Scalability is good, and I would rate it eight out of ten. We use it for testing with a low load, and it works well. In production setups, I have observed it being used effectively with a large number of transactions per second.

How are customer service and support?

Reaching technical support is challenging, and I may not be eligible for direct support since I'm not a customer. It involves multiple channels. I would rate their technical support seven out of ten.

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

I previously used Cisco ASA, an older version, due to its market leadership at the time. We moved to Palo Alto due to multiple customer requests for other solutions like Sophos, FortiGate, SonicWall, and WatchGuard.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup was very easy and can be rated nine out of ten. It is straightforward to configure, and the UI is simple.

What about the implementation team?

I did everything myself. One person is sufficient for the deployment and maintenance of five to seven firewalls.

What was our ROI?

The return on investment is seen in customer retention and addressing their queries rather than in revenue.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

I'm not the right person to give a rating for pricing, as I use a not-for-sale license provided by Palo Alto for testing.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

We evaluated Cisco ASA, but due to diverse customer demands and requests for vendors like Sophos, FortiGate, SonicWall, and WatchGuard, we extended our support to Palo Alto as well.

What other advice do I have?

For software application firewalls, this is the best solution. If you are using it in a cloud or as an application firewall, then Palo Alto Networks VM-Series is the best one for you.

I would rate it an eight out of ten.


    AshwaniTyagi

Advanced protection and good integration capabilities with good reliability

  • September 16, 2024
  • Review provided by PeerSpot

What is our primary use case?

We use Palo Alto Networks VM-Series to offer services to our customers as a managed security service provider. We provide solutions and services to our customers across the globe. For example, if I want to host a firewall in the cloud or somewhere where the physical appliance is not a possibility, we provide that image of the firewall on virtual machines.

How has it helped my organization?

It helps in offering advanced protection against malware and anti-spyware, which is based on customer feedback stating the product has very good threat prevention capabilities.

What is most valuable?

Very good reliability and feature set, such as advanced protection against malware, anti-spyware, and Wildfire. It also has good VPN capabilities and integration capabilities.

What needs improvement?

The scalability could be improved further. The virtual instances of the firewall are not as scalable as their hardware firewalls.

For how long have I used the solution?

We have been using Palo Alto Networks VM-Series firewalls for over five years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

I find the solution to be a good, stable product.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The virtual instances are not as scalable as the hardware firewalls.

What about the implementation team?

A separate team handles implementation. I am mostly involved in the designing aspect of the product.

What was our ROI?

It is hard to get into the ROI aspect. Generally, ROI can be determined by comparing a physical appliance-based firewall versus a virtual instance of a firewall.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

Pricing can be an issue when competing with products like Fortinet, which often offer similar functionality at a lower cost.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

There are many competitors like Fortinet offering similar functionality.

What other advice do I have?

I'd rate the solution nine out of ten.


    Muhammad Zubair Khan

Provides excellent filtering and blocking features and enables users to examine reports easily

  • May 02, 2024
  • Review from a verified AWS customer

What is our primary use case?

All the PwC offices in Pakistan use Palo Alto in their environment. It is a global solution.

What is most valuable?

Palo Alto is a good product. The features are up to the mark. No other product can compete with Palo Alto’s features. The filtering feature is good. We can block the traffic and examine the report easily. The blocking functionality works very well compared to other firewalls. I rate the ability of the tool to keep up with the trends in firewalls an eight out of ten.

What needs improvement?

The product must create some awareness in Pakistan. People are less aware of Palo Alto. Everyone knows about Fortinet and Cisco. Very few vendors are promoting the tool.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using the solution for four to five years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The stability is fine. I rate the stability a seven out of ten.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

I rate the product’s scalability an eight out of ten. We have 2500 users. We use the tool daily. All our traffic passes through it.

How was the initial setup?

I rate the ease of setup a seven out of ten. The setup is moderately easy. The product is deployed on the cloud. The deployment takes two to three days since it has global rules.

What about the implementation team?

The tool was deployed in-house.

What was our ROI?

We have seen an ROI of 60% to 70%.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

Companies in Pakistan have limited budgets. Palo Alto is more expensive than other products. So, people are reluctant to put Palo Alto in their environment. It's too costly compared to other tools. I rate the pricing a nine out of ten.

What other advice do I have?

We had deployed the solution in 2018. We used a different product before, but my organization switched to Palo Alto. It was the management’s decision. Overall, I rate the tool an eight out of ten.