VM-Series Virtual NextGen Firewall for ARM - PAYG
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Firewall Review
What do you like best about the product?
ease upgrade process and scaling agile, hybride and multi -could , threat prevention , wildfire, prisma cloud , panorama , cortex XDR , redlock , filtrgae
What do you dislike about the product?
The biggest downsides are the cost and complexity. It's an expensive product, both in licensing and the cloud computing power it needs. It's also notoriously complex to master, often requiring dedicated, trained staff to get the most out of it, which adds to the total cost. You're trading top-tier security for a hefty price tag and a steep learning curve.
What problems is the product solving and how is that benefiting you?
The VM-Series solves inconsistent and ineffective security across cloud and virtual data centers by delivering a single, agile policy with advanced threat prevention, reducing risk and cost.
A deep review of Palo Alto Networks VM-Series Virtual Firewall
What do you like best about the product?
One thing i like a lot that it does not lack any features from physical firewalls, almost everything you have and need in physical FW, you can have it on VM-Series. Also i like the depth of the security it provides. Deep pack inspection, user/device context, URL filtering, DNS Security and the list goes on, are must features for any company that takes cybersecurity serioysly.
What do you dislike about the product?
I don't like that in VMware ESXi only certain drivers are supported and i dont like the fact, that except that i think that fully deployment is kinda expensive, also required a lot of resources (CPU, RAM etc) to meet performance requirement.
What problems is the product solving and how is that benefiting you?
The number one problem it solves is about security, more specifically cloud enviromenent without missing any feature or policy from traditional FW. A plus is the deep inspection and monitoring in applications/users.
As some one working in IT Integrator company, I have had the chance to deploy Paloalto Firewall.
What do you like best about the product?
the fact the firewall goes beyond port and protocol filtering for better Application aware security and the ability to enforce policies based on users using User-ID.
What do you dislike about the product?
even though Palo Alto VM-Series is praised for its security depth, scalability, and AI-driven threat prevention, it is expensive compared with other firewall vendors like fortinet and cisco. I am from Ethiopia and as some one working in IT integrators, many of our clients are a bit sensitive when it comes to price, this makes it difficult in proposing Paloalto firewall for them
What problems is the product solving and how is that benefiting you?
to inspects and segments internal traffic, preventing malware from spreading across workloads (east -west traffics) and to isolate traffics using role-based access and segmentation for different tenants or business units.
highly recommendable—especially for professionals managing hybrid or cloud-centric environments
What do you like best about the product?
Security Efficacy: It topped the SecureIQLab 2024 Cloud Firewall Test, outperforming 11 other vendors in blocking real-world threats, including encrypted SSL/TLS attacks.
Cloud Flexibility: Supports AWS, Azure, GCP, VMware, KVM, Nutanix, and more—ideal for virtualized deployments across platforms.
Zero Trust & Deep Inspection: Offers App-ID, User-ID, Device-ID, and inline deep learning to detect zero-day threats
Cloud Flexibility: Supports AWS, Azure, GCP, VMware, KVM, Nutanix, and more—ideal for virtualized deployments across platforms.
Zero Trust & Deep Inspection: Offers App-ID, User-ID, Device-ID, and inline deep learning to detect zero-day threats
What do you dislike about the product?
Complex Configuration & Learning Curve
Initial setup and policy tuning can be intimidating, especially for teams new to Palo Alto’s architecture.
Advanced features like App-ID and User-ID require deep understanding to avoid misconfigurations.
2. Licensing & Cost Structure
Licensing via Software NGFW credits can be confusing and expensive for smaller deployments.
Initial setup and policy tuning can be intimidating, especially for teams new to Palo Alto’s architecture.
Advanced features like App-ID and User-ID require deep understanding to avoid misconfigurations.
2. Licensing & Cost Structure
Licensing via Software NGFW credits can be confusing and expensive for smaller deployments.
What problems is the product solving and how is that benefiting you?
1. Cloud Visibility & Control
Problem: Native cloud security tools often lack deep traffic inspection and granular control.
Solution: VM-Series provides full traffic visibility, App-ID, and threat prevention across AWS, Azure, GCP, and more.
2. Zero-Day & Lateral Threats
Problem: Malware and exploits can move laterally between virtual workloads undetected.
Solution: Inline deep learning and segmentation stop threats in real time—even across microsegments.
Problem: Native cloud security tools often lack deep traffic inspection and granular control.
Solution: VM-Series provides full traffic visibility, App-ID, and threat prevention across AWS, Azure, GCP, and more.
2. Zero-Day & Lateral Threats
Problem: Malware and exploits can move laterally between virtual workloads undetected.
Solution: Inline deep learning and segmentation stop threats in real time—even across microsegments.
Experience and Elegance
What do you like best about the product?
The best aspects of the Palo Alto Networks VM-Series Virtual Firewall include its advanced threat prevention capabilities, consistent security policy enforcement across diverse environments, scalability and agility in virtualized settings, centralized management through Panorama, and seamless integration with major cloud and virtualization platforms.
What do you dislike about the product?
Documentation Gaps: Occasionally, users find the documentation to be less comprehensive for newer features or unique deployment scenarios, which can complicate implementation and troubleshooting efforts.
What problems is the product solving and how is that benefiting you?
Compliance and Risk Management: Aids in meeting regulatory compliance standards by enabling features like application allow listing and segmentation, crucial for isolating sensitive data and systems.
A top-tier security product, rarely seen,yet vital for strengthening Africa’s digital transformation
What do you like best about the product?
I like the fact that VM series firewall delivers the same full enterprise-grade security functionality as appliance-based solutions, but with instant deployment, avoiding the challenges of international shipping and customs clearance in East Africa, especially Ethiopia. It requires no rack space and also offers flexibility to scale with our country’s dynamic economy, because it allows you to start small and expand as needed. Its intuitive, easy-to-learn GUI is also one of my favorite features. Overall, it’s the best security solution you can get without the logistical headaches
What do you dislike about the product?
One of the things I dislike is the complex licensing model, which can be difficult for some of our customers, along with the high product price and mandatory annual subscriptions. For a country with a weaker economy like ours, securing foreign currency (USD/forex) for these payments is a major challenge. Related to this, the VM series sometimes lags when applying configurations, even after allocating significant resources, which can be frustrating. Another major challenge for Palo Alto in general is the lack of a true local presence. There is a demand for these solutions in Africa, and I would like to see Palo Alto engage more actively in East Africa, especially Ethiopia.
What problems is the product solving and how is that benefiting you?
Palo Alto Networks VM-Series Virtual Firewall is helping us deal with the logistical and cost challenges of deploying appliance-based firewalls in Ethiopia. International shipping and customs clearance are one of the major barriers in our region that slow down projects, but with the VM-Series we get full enterprise-grade security functionality through instant deployment without those challenges. the VM products flexibility feature to start small and scale as our infrastructure grows is also valuable, especially in a dynamic economy like Ethiopia’s.
It has good Performance
What do you like best about the product?
I like that the VM-Series offers strong security features such as advanced application and user identification, along with effective threat prevention including malware and zero-day attack detection. Its ability to provide detailed visibility and control over network traffic in virtual and cloud environments is a major advantage. The firewall’s flexibility to deploy across different cloud platforms and virtual infrastructures makes it very adaptable to various environments.
What do you dislike about the product?
The main downsides are the relatively high licensing and subscription costs, which can add up over time. There is also a steep learning curve for teams new to the platform, making setup and optimization complex. Performance can be limited by the host environment, especially under heavy traffic or with many security features enabled. Additionally, some users find the interface less responsive and troubleshooting can be challenging in complex deployments.
What problems is the product solving and how is that benefiting you?
Palo Alto Networks VM-Series Virtual Firewall solves critical security challenges in virtualized and cloud environments by providing advanced threat prevention, granular visibility, and consistent policy enforcement across hybrid and multi-cloud infrastructures. It addresses the problem of securing dynamic workloads that traditional physical firewalls can’t easily protect, enabling organizations to maintain strong security posture while scaling their operations flexibly. This benefits me by ensuring that network traffic is closely monitored and controlled, reducing the risk of cyberattacks and data breaches. It also simplifies management through centralized control, saving time and effort while improving compliance and operational efficiency. Overall, it helps protect valuable assets without slowing down business growth or complicating cloud adoption.
It's stable
What do you like best about the product?
Stability of the palo alto and reliability of the palo series also the GUI is more easy to use .
Also the palo Alto give us more functions that can be use.
Also the palo Alto give us more functions that can be use.
What do you dislike about the product?
That the virtual PaloAlto firewall isn't on premises so it can be attacked by hacker more than the Hardware PaloAlto firewall. Also the OS need to be more smoothly to upgrade.
What problems is the product solving and how is that benefiting you?
It can be functional easily to user and can use the user id . And easy to improve without needing to upgrade the hardware chase or the box all we need is the certificate.
I have Experiences in Cortex
What do you like best about the product?
It seamlessly integrates with cloud environments, offering consistent protection across hybrid and multi-cloud infrastructures. The VM-Series provides robust threat prevention, deep traffic inspection, and granular application control without compromising performance.
What do you dislike about the product?
Additionally, the initial learning curve and complexity of the platform can be challenging for teams new to Palo Alto’s ecosystem. Improved documentation or more simplified setup guides could help speed up deployment for some users.
What problems is the product solving and how is that benefiting you?
It effectively solves problems related to securing dynamic workloads, controlling application traffic, and preventing advanced cyber threats across hybrid infrastructures. By integrating seamlessly with our existing Cortex software, we benefit from enhanced threat intelligence and automated response capabilities, which improve our overall security posture and streamline incident management.
Flexible virtual firewall with strong security features
What do you like best about the product?
The most helpful aspect of the VM-Series is its flexibility in virtualized environments. It allows us to enforce consistent security policies across multiple cloud and on-premises instances, giving strong visibility into traffic and applications. Automated threat detection and AI-driven alerts help us respond to incidents faster, reducing the time spent on manual monitoring. The integration with our existing cloud infrastructure has also simplified management and improved overall efficiency.
What do you dislike about the product?
The initial deployment can be complex, especially when scaling across multiple virtual networks. Fine-tuning policies and integrating with other monitoring tools took longer than expected, requiring extra training for the team. Pricing can become significant as the number of virtual instances grows. While the firewall is powerful, the documentation could be more user-friendly for first-time administrators.
What problems is the product solving and how is that benefiting you?
The VM-Series Virtual Firewall has helped us centralize security across multiple virtualized environments, including cloud and on-premises workloads. Before using it, managing separate firewalls for each instance created inefficiencies and increased the risk of misconfigurations. Now we can enforce consistent policies, detect threats faster, and reduce manual monitoring. This has improved our incident response times and overall confidence in network security. However, setting up complex policies and integrating with existing monitoring tools still requires extra effort, and scaling the solution can increase costs.
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