VM-Series Next-Gen Virtual Firewall w/ Advanced Security Subs (PAYG)
Palo Alto Networks | PAN-OS 11.1.6-h7Linux/Unix, Other PAN-OS 11.1.6-h7 - 64-bit Amazon Machine Image (AMI)
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Palo Alto fIrewall Security product's
What do you like best about the product?
It is easy to deploy where we can save cost of hardware and also managed application security and network traffic in highly secure manner. It is robust and solid products in term security.
What do you dislike about the product?
It is nothing much about firewall products personally to me but need to go with phase by phase when comes to deploying and managing. As new beginner need to learn many things in order to deploy this products
What problems is the product solving and how is that benefiting you?
It is used like managing layer 7 security. Like filtering out Http & https traffic from external clients when accessing internal resources. I deployed in DMZ side and it is very helpful to me when managing network traffic restrictied to dmz which avoid to harm our internal network traiffx when it comes from outside network.
Virtualized Security Excellence if you can afford it
What do you like best about the product?
I believe what I like the best about these FWs is their Application level visibility. The App-ID tech used in the Firewalls allows us in our environment to control applications on a granular level allowing improved security.
Also the fact they're fairly easy to deploy and implement in any environment our customers have such as VMware, AWS, Azure cloud etc. This helps with the ease of integration within the organizations using multiple cloud solutions.
Also the fact they're fairly easy to deploy and implement in any environment our customers have such as VMware, AWS, Azure cloud etc. This helps with the ease of integration within the organizations using multiple cloud solutions.
What do you dislike about the product?
One con would be that they can have some complex initial configuration and may require special expertise within the customer support environment, which can discourage may discourage smaller organizations from using these as they have slightly high licensing and maintenance costs compared to other Virtual FW solutions.
What problems is the product solving and how is that benefiting you?
They help with the scalability of our setups as they can be used with multiple cloud environments with no limitations such as AWS, Azure, GCP or even VMware
Good alternative for a hardware firewall
What do you like best about the product?
I like it has almost the same features as the hardware firewall. It's easy to deploy on any cloud solution like azure,aws. User based policies in VM is a great next step after application segmentation.
Palo Alto support is always great to deal with.
Palo Alto support is always great to deal with.
What do you dislike about the product?
Cost to have and maintain a Palo Alto firewall is always a challenge. It's the same with the VM series as well, being an expensive product.
Reporting seems to be limited as compared to physical firewall. VM Palo Alto doesn't provide hardware acceleration as well.
Reporting seems to be limited as compared to physical firewall. VM Palo Alto doesn't provide hardware acceleration as well.
What problems is the product solving and how is that benefiting you?
We have deployed Palo Alto VM firewall in our vsphere switch which is for protecting our production servers. We have different types of servers deployed on virtualized switch, all the traffic to servers passes through Palo Alto vm. Different application control and web profiles have been setup as per server on VM.
VM is easy to upgrade and keep a check on licenses accordingly. Panorama provides a complete landscape of security which helps us in setting up policies.
VM is easy to upgrade and keep a check on licenses accordingly. Panorama provides a complete landscape of security which helps us in setting up policies.
Very secure snd trustworthy
What do you like best about the product?
Best thing about Palo Alto Networks VM-Series Virtual Firewall is its deep integration with major cloud platforms like AWS, Azure, and GCP, which makes deployment very easy. I also like the fact it delivers consistent security policies across hybrid and multi-cloud environments. Furthermore, the App-ID and Threat Prevention features provide granular control and proactive defense against advanced threats.
What do you dislike about the product?
One downside of the Palo Alto Networks VM-Series Virtual Firewall is that its user interface can be a bit hard to navigate, especially for new users. The configuration process is not as intuitive
What problems is the product solving and how is that benefiting you?
The VM-Series Firewall secures our cloud workloads by blocking threats and enforcing consistent policies. It improves our security and helps maintain compliance across environments.
Palo Alto Usage Review
What do you like best about the product?
my best pick for VM-Series is In line Machine leaning or MI powered security to protect our cloud infrastructure from cyber attacks, especially zero day attacks which are highly dangerous
What do you dislike about the product?
to be honest, Personally, I don't find anything to dislike about Palo Alto Networks VM-Series Virtual Firewall. But, price is often came up as a topic of discussion in meeting with management.
What problems is the product solving and how is that benefiting you?
I am using it to monitor ingress and egress traffic, and also using security policies to protect out cloud infrastructure. we are leveraging panorama management solution to deploy VMs and it is also helping us in managing ngfs.
Enhance security with robust DNS and threat prevention features
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 would you rate customer service and support?
Positive
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.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Hybrid Cloud
If public cloud, private cloud, or hybrid cloud, which cloud provider do you use?
Robust Cloud Firewall with Granular Control and Strong Security Features
What do you like best about the product?
Palo Alto Networks VM-Series Virtual Firewall is a fantastic choice for organizations that need enterprise-grade security in virtualized and cloud environments. It applies features like application-aware traffic management, threat protection, and packet analysis with packet flexibility on AWS, Azure, GCP, and Kubernetes environments.
One of its best features is offering consistent security policies for multi-cloud and hybrid deployments. The firewall is highly scalable, is automatable with tools like Terraform, and plays nicely in CI/CD pipelines. Management through Panorama also simplifies operations by providing centralized management over multiple instances.
The built-in WildFire service offers a secondary layer of real-time threat intelligence, helping to defend against new and emerging threats in a timely fashion.
One of its best features is offering consistent security policies for multi-cloud and hybrid deployments. The firewall is highly scalable, is automatable with tools like Terraform, and plays nicely in CI/CD pipelines. Management through Panorama also simplifies operations by providing centralized management over multiple instances.
The built-in WildFire service offers a secondary layer of real-time threat intelligence, helping to defend against new and emerging threats in a timely fashion.
What do you dislike about the product?
While the Palo Alto Networks VM-Series Virtual Firewall is excellent at security, it is not without its drawbacks. The most significant drawback is cost — licensing, subscription, and cloud resource use can easily become expensive, especially at scale. Setup is also extremely complex and usually requires specialist knowledge, so the learning curve is steep for beginners. Additionally, the firewall can be resource-intensive, consuming heavy CPU and memory, and that increases the operating cost in cloud environments. Last, Palo Alto's licensing options and feature sets are difficult to understand, making the onboarding more complicated.
What problems is the product solving and how is that benefiting you?
The Palo Alto Networks VM-Series Virtual Firewall is meeting the critical need to protect cloud and hybrid environments as securely as it is conventionally possible in on-premises data centers. It is confronting challenges like detecting advanced threats, fine-grained traffic control, application visibility, and consistent policy enforcement across multiple cloud platforms. With deep packet inspection, real-time threat intelligence, and automation tool integrations like Terraform, it enables us to securely migrate workloads into the cloud without relaxing security. This has enabled us to accomplish risk reduction, compliance enhancement, and centralized visibility and management for all our network infrastructure irrespective of where the workloads are directed.
User-friendly CLI and efficient dashboard streamline operations with robust security features
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.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Positive
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.
Secures remote work with advanced threat protection and efficient traffic management
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)
Secure and easy to integrate.
What do you like best about the product?
It excels in providing robust security features tailored for cloud environments. Its ability to seamlessly integrate with major cloud platforms ensures consistent protection across hybrid and multi-cloud architectures. Additionally, its scalability is a strong point, allowing organizations to adapt to changing workloads without compromising performance. The centralized management through Panorama further simplifies operations, making it a powerful tool for securing dynamic, cloud-based infrastructures.
What do you dislike about the product?
The initial setup and configuration can be complex, especially for users without prior experience. The learning curve is steep, requiring significant time and effort to optimize deployment. Additionally, the licensing and ongoing costs can be relatively high, which could deter smaller organizations or those with limited budgets.
What problems is the product solving and how is that benefiting you?
As an administrator, I’ve found that it solves a lot of the challenges we face with securing workloads in the cloud. It provides advanced threat prevention, great traffic visibility, and consistent policy enforcement across our hybrid and multi-cloud environments. One of the biggest benefits is its ability to integrate with cloud-native tools, which simplifies managing security across different platforms. It’s helped us prevent malware, secure east-west traffic, and maintain compliance without adding unnecessary complexity.
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