Sophos Central provides a unified security platform that simplifies the management of our firewall, EDR, XDR, endpoint security, email security, and access points. The synchronized collaboration among these components ensures a cohesive defense against cyber threats through a streamlined, centralized console. This integrated approach not only enhances security but also simplifies administration.

Our clients have found significant advantages in using Sophos extensively. One key benefit is its efficient use of bandwidth, especially in medium-sized organizations. In the Bangladesh market, where enterprise solutions are common, Sophos stands out for being cost-effective.

What I find most valuable in Sophos Central is its clear and detailed threat visibility on the dashboard. Unlike some other security products, Sophos shows every threat it catches and it makes it stand out in my analysis. In my monthly reports, Sophos consistently outperforms others, especially in inspecting and handling threats. This transparency is a big plus, especially when managing clients.

I would like to see improvements in the password recovery process within the Sophos Central solution. Currently, the process of recovering a forgotten password involves unnecessary complexity, and it takes a considerable amount of time, often up to 15 minutes or more. This aspect doesn't seem to be a security feature but rather a system-related issue.

I have been working with Sophos Central for four years.

The solution is very stable. A while back, some clients got hit by ransomware, so I installed Sophos Central on over four hundred PCs, and there haven't been any more ransomware issues since then.

Sophos Central is quite scalable. 

The initial setup was incredibly easy, more than easy. There is zero task provision support, making the process smooth and straightforward. Deploying Sophos Central to a customer's side is straightforward. I create an account using the client's email on Sophos Partner Central, manage their chosen products, and configure everything to fit the needs of each department. It is generally a speedy deployment.

The pricing structure of Sophos is notably lower compared to other security vendors, making the ROI percentage higher for our clients.

Unlike pricier and less customer-friendly alternatives, Sophos provides a robust solution at a reasonable price.

Sophos Central is great for syncing security across different tools and works well with Azure Cloud. However, some competitors, like Palo Alto, don't have the same level of security sync in the cloud dashboard. Sophos might be the better choice for streamlined security.

My advice to new users would be to focus on Sophos XDR and EDR, as they have proven to be excellent products in my experience. While Sophos Central is not a standalone product, the XDR and EDR services offer robust cybersecurity solutions. However, I have encountered some issues with Sophos firewall, particularly related to firmware updates causing productivity disruptions. To avoid these challenges, I suggest prioritizing Sophos EDR, XDR, and MDR services, as they consistently deliver reliable performance in the Sophos portfolio. Overall, I would rate the solution as a seven out of ten.

Sophos Central serves as an integrated security management platform, providing centralized administration and oversight for a suite of Sophos security products. This comprehensive solution delivers advanced threat protection across desktops, laptops, and servers, encompassing proactive prevention, robust detection mechanisms, and efficient response protocols against diverse threats, including ransomware. Extending its security prowess to mobile devices, Sophos Central ensures a resilient defense against mobile-specific threats, safeguarding data privacy. The platform's seamless integration with web and email security solutions fortifies the organization's resilience against online threats. Notably, Sophos Intercept X augments the security posture with advanced features such as anti-ransomware and deep learning technologies for heightened threat detection capabilities. The inclusion of robust reporting and analytics tools, exemplified by Cloud Optix, furnishes valuable insights into security events. This strategic approach enables Sophos Central to execute a unified response strategy, harmonizing security measures across the entirety of the organizational landscape.

Sophos Central has significantly enhanced our organizational security posture by swiftly detecting and alerting on suspicious activities, accompanied by comprehensive logging of pertinent data. The expeditious identification of these potential security threats serves as a proactive mechanism, enabling our security analysts to promptly investigate and implement requisite measures to mitigate the identified risks. The frequency of such incidents underscores the efficacy of Sophos Endpoint Protection in consistently identifying and responding to security threats, thereby fortifying our overall security resilience.

A particularly noteworthy feature of Sophos Central is its emphasis on robust indexing capabilities, strategically crafted for the efficient management of reports and logs across a substantial range of endpoints, typically ranging from 500 to 1,000. This includes adept handling of Windows 10 hosts within our network.

The platform's meticulous focus on indexing plays a pivotal role in optimizing our reporting processes. By providing swift and granular access to critical data, it enables our security and IT teams to conduct thorough analyses of security events and operational activities. This, in turn, enhances our overall operational efficiency, facilitating timely responses to emerging security threats.

Moreover, the versatility of Sophos Central's indexing feature proves invaluable in our day-to-day operations. It allows us to navigate seamlessly through the extensive volume of endpoint data, empowering us to identify patterns, anomalies, and potential security risks efficiently. This level of visibility is paramount for maintaining a proactive security posture and ensuring the integrity of our network.

While Sophos Central has demonstrated commendable functionality, there is room for improvement in the realm of automation. Specifically, addressing ransomware attacks often requires leveraging external tools, deploying virtual machines, and utilizing supplementary tools like Caliper Analytics for operations and security communication. The integration of these essential functionalities directly into the software would represent a significant enhancement, streamlining the incident response process and bolstering the platform's comprehensive threat mitigation capabilities.

Furthermore, a valuable addition to future releases could involve augmenting the new screen component with advanced capabilities such as XML utilization and rule integration. This enhancement, especially pertinent to tools involved in sandboxing and virtual machines within the investigation process, would greatly streamline the analysis of logs and reports. This would prove particularly beneficial in the context of email analysis, spam attack detection, and other critical security aspects. By incorporating these features, Sophos Central could further elevate its utility in facilitating in-depth security analyses and response strategies.

I have been using it for one year.

It provides good stability capabilities and I would rate it eight out of ten.

We oversee the management of approximately 400 to 500 endpoint devices, leveraging Sophos Central's robust scalability features. In our assessment, we would rate the platform's scalability at seven out of ten. Additionally, the implementation of firewalls further contributes to our comprehensive network security strategy.

The effectiveness of technical support is contingent upon the internal capabilities of our organization. We rely on our proficient IT team for supplementary information and any physical interventions required for device maintenance.

The initial setup was straightforward.

Deployment is highly efficient, requiring only one person to identify all the endpoint systems.

The client benefits from cost-effective ROI as the firewall infrastructure is efficiently maintained with a small team managing 500 devices. This approach is valuable for management, optimizing resource use, and managing time.

The cost is quite affordable.

Overall, I would rate it eight out of ten.

We use the solution primarily as ransomware. It is a good ransomware. Most organizations tend to choose Sophos Intercept X, which is an endpoint security solution.

The tool improves security and saves time. It shortens the time taken for the management of nodes. It also shortens the time taken to respond to incidents.

Sophos Central is a management panel. We use Sophos Intercept X for endpoints and Intercept X Advanced for servers. If we need extended detection and response, we can take it with EDR. The solution provides good management capabilities. It enables us to manage the firewalls and endpoints. We can change the policies from Sophos Central, which reflects on the firewalls and endpoints.

The product does not have a dedicated MFA. It uses third-party authenticators. We will face challenges if we use a mobile phone because there might be issues with the local carrier. So, we have to use Google Authenticator or any other cloud-based authenticator to shorten the authentication time.

I have been using the solution for six years.

The tool is perfectly stable because it is cloud-based.

The tool is scalable.

The technical support is pretty good. The turnaround time is pretty perfect. It is nice.

Positive

I am a service provider. Different clients have different solutions. We propose solutions based on our customer’s environment. Our clients have used solutions like McAfee and Fortinet and have changed to Sophos.

The initial setup is not really difficult. However, the endpoints are challenging. It cannot be done centrally. We have to go to the individual machines or deploy through an AD. The solution is cloud-based. It takes less than five minutes to deploy the tool.

We create accounts and define the policies. Once the policies are defined, we deploy the individual endpoints. It depends on how many nodes we are working with. If we are working with 1000 nodes, it will take time.

The product is expensive compared to other products like Fortinet and Microsoft Defender.

Trend Micro is a competitor.

Overall, I rate the product a nine out of ten.

We oversee the management of our wireless deployment through Sophos Central. Additionally, we handle the deployment of antivirus software for servers, users, and other devices.

The advantage of central management, particularly in antivirus management, is that I don't need to go to each user individually. Instead, I can handle everything from a single console, making it a unified and streamlined process.

I have been using it for approximately three years.

It provides impressive stability capabilities. I would rate it nine out of ten.

We never scaled it up.

We never submitted any tickets or reached out to technical support. The documentation proved to be helpful, enabling us to set everything up without external assistance.

The initial setup was moderately straightforward, around six or seven out of ten on the complexity scale. While it wasn't overly complicated, the multifactor authentication posed a challenge initially.

For the deployment, I received an email containing a link with step-by-step instructions to follow. That's all there was to it, and it was successfully completed by two individuals.

The pricing is highly affordable, with no additional costs. We renewed our annual license for the wireless component. I would rate it one out of ten.

Overall, I would rate it eight out of ten.

Regarding use cases, our main focus with the solution is on endpoints and endpoint security. We've acquired around a hundred licenses and deployed them to our employees to ensure comprehensive security and avoid any potential security risks.

The user interface of Sophos Central is excellent. One standout feature is the ease of identifying endpoints. If you have the serial number, that's sufficient to fetch the relevant endpoint. For instance, if you want to identify devices with the solution, you can easily do so using the serial number. Another noteworthy aspect is the real-time visibility into malware threats. In the malware alerts, you can precisely see the issue, where it occurred, and the recommended actions for IT personnel. This real-time insight is incredibly valuable.

Integration with third party applications should be improved.

I used the solution for around three years but last used it in September 2022, about a year ago.

The solution is stable.

We have had 100 people using the solution in our organization.

I contacted them two or three times, and they responded promptly each time. They addressed my queries and concerns quickly.

Positive

The initial setup was straightforward.

The product's pricing was somewhat high. We paid Rs. 1500 INR per license, approximately equivalent to 20 USD.

Users can check out other solutions like CrowdStrike too.

We use Sophos Central for Virtual Private Network (VPN), multi-factor authentication (MFA), blocking malicious traffic, and enforcing rules and policies for internal and external network communication between servers.

The product has valuable rules and policies and user-friendly dashboard features.

The product's firewall servers and dashboard need improvement. It isn't easy to read documents and upload data from CSV files using Python code. It is challenging to import user accounts from SAP as well. These particular areas need improvement.

We have been using Sophos Central since 2020.

I rate the product's stability a nine out of ten.

We have 50 organizations as our customers for Sophos Central. We encounter connectivity issues while integrating multiple products or threads. I rate its scalability an eight out of ten.

We are using NSGate, Check Point, and Palo Alto as well.

The initial setup is easy. It takes two years to complete. I rate the process a nine out of ten.

The product is inexpensive.

I rate Sophos Central a ten out of ten. It allows us to analyze endpoint data using efficient rules and policies.

It acts as a central management platform that connects to all our mobile devices and laptops.

One of the standout features is its highly detailed and user-friendly graphical interface. In comparison to other device control software I've used, it provides a comprehensive and intuitive dashboard, and I can easily locate the information I need within the software by accessing the built-in help feature. Even users who are not familiar with Sophos can navigate the dashboard with ease.

Having a mobile app for Sophos Central would be a highly valuable addition. With the current hybrid work environment and travel requirements, having a mobile solution would greatly improve our ability to access and navigate Sophos Central on the go, enhancing the overall user experience and making it a more portable solution.

I've been working as an infrastructure engineer at my current organization for the past two years, but the organization has been using Sophos Central for about three to four years now.

Overall, it's a reliable and stable product.

It is indeed a scalable product. Whenever we required specific features or solutions, we engaged with Sophos sales and our trusted third-party provider. They have been instrumental in helping us scale up our existing solutions, whether it's related to firewalls, networking, or other technical aspects. The ease of scalability has been a notable benefit, allowing us to adapt to our evolving needs effectively. We have approximately two hundred users working with it.

The support service has been of good quality in my experience.

Our company primarily focuses on providing training services, with a specialization in firewall training. Our journey with Sophos began when we initially acquired Sophos firewalls. Subsequently, as we sought a comprehensive solution for managing various devices, including laptops, computers, and mobile devices used by our employees, we discovered Sophos Central Dashboards. This product offered the device control and management features we needed, complementing our existing use of Sophos UTM and firewalls.

The initial setup was relatively straightforward, and I found it to be less challenging compared to configuring other server software. I attribute this ease of setup to the well-structured and easy-to-follow documentation provided.

It's not considered a cheap solution and falls more in the moderate pricing category.

I would recommend exploring alternative solutions and assessing them to determine if Sophos Central is the right fit for your needs. While there may be other options available that could potentially be simpler, I still believe that Sophos is a strong choice. It has proven to be relatively easy to both install and configure, making it a viable and convenient option. Overall, I would rate it six out of ten.

It is primarily used to centrally manage endpoint security solutions on end-user machines. This means organizations can use it to apply and enforce security policies and manage various security features like antivirus, anti-malware, data loss prevention, and other Sophos security components on the endpoint devices used by their employees or users.

The interface, especially when using the software center, is quite user-friendly and easy to navigate. Managing security policies within it is a seamless and straightforward process, offering a smooth experience.

There are situations where manual intervention is necessary, particularly when dealing with certain types of threats. While many security processes run smoothly, in cases of specific attacks that aren't automatically resolved, the need for manual intervention arises. Improving the response time of the customer support team would be beneficial.

I have been working with it for over eight years.

It is quite stable, with only potential issues that might arise when specific Windows updates or packages cause problems, in which case you may need to collaborate with the Sophos Central support team to address them. I would rate it nine out of ten.

It provides excellent scalability. Everything is centralized, and the scalability depends on your licensing. Customers don't have to invest in network infrastructure or data centers to expand their security solutions.

The support is decent but not exceptional, particularly when compared to the capabilities of the software itself. If I were to rate it, I would give it a seven out of ten.

Neutral

I've had experience with both on-premise solutions and Symantec. When it comes to the management aspect, Sophos Central stands out as the better option. However, as a product and considering the overall capabilities of the company, I must say that Symantec is also an excellent product.

The initial setup is quite straightforward.

You can easily set up a user account in Sophos Central, and based on the user's operating system, you can swiftly download the client. Installing it on the machine is a simple step, and it will automatically connect to the central dashboard, displaying all the necessary information. Deployment is hassle-free and user-friendly. Setting up the portal is usually a quick and straightforward task, but it can take longer when dealing with a large user base, like hundreds of thousands. Even with many users, the process is relatively smooth. Managing numerous users can be more challenging, but deploying directly from domain controllers is an option. The primary aim is to ensure the overall system's security. For a case involving around five hundred users, the setup may take approximately three to four days. Maintenance is relatively hassle-free, and overall, it's quite easy to manage.

When compared to the market, it's relatively more cost-effective. You only need to pay for the license, which includes everything. However, if you require managed services, such as MTR with a dedicated support team providing live sessions, there are additional licensing costs involved.

It ultimately comes down to the customer's preferences and budget. If a customer prefers to handle every alert, incident, and threat on their own, that's perfectly acceptable. However, if they require premium support, then they should opt for services like MTR. The choice depends on their specific needs and the resources they're willing to allocate. Overall, I would rate it nine out of ten.

We use the solution to protect our network.

The policies and the management of the services and computers are valuable features. The product is easy to use. It is flexible and simple.

The solution must provide a separate app for Tamper Protection. Now, we have to go to Sophos Central to look for the station and take the passwords to disable the antivirus for PC maintenance. If we had an app where we could get the Tamper Protection password for admins, we could work more easily with it. It would be easier for administrative purposes to have a universal app where I can see all my stations with the Tamper passwords.

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

We have had no issues with the tool’s stability. It runs well. We can see all the problems on Sophos Central and correct or fix them.

The tool is scalable. The only thing we have to do is talk to our partner to buy more licenses, and we get the licenses one day later. About 25 people use the solution in our organization.

Before Sophos Central, we used Avira. It had a management center similar to Sophos Central. Sophos is better. Avira doesn't support networks anymore. Avira only serves private people. That is why we moved to Sophos.

The product is easy to install. The deployment takes a few minutes per station. I just double-click on the setup, and everything works on its own. The solution is cloud-based. It is easy to maintain. One person is enough to maintain the tool.

The solution is moderately expensive. We pay the licensing fee every three years. There are no additional costs associated with the product.

Overall, I rate the tool a ten out of ten.