Market position
Fortinet leads at large scale with integrated SD-WAN and broad FortiGate + FortiManager ecosystem. Sophos is often chosen for operational simplicity, Intercept X endpoint integration, and mid-size offices.
Both support NGFW, IPS, application control, SSL inspection, and site-to-site VPN — model specs define real throughput with SSL enabled.
Practical comparison criteria
Evaluate: real throughput with SSL on, site count, HA needs, AD/RADIUS integration, SIEM logging, and 3–5 year licensing TCO — not hardware price alone.
Internal skills: existing FortiOS vs Sophos Central experience affects misconfiguration risk.
When to choose which
Fortinet fits multi-branch SD-WAN and large security fabric plans. Sophos suits unified firewall + endpoint from one vendor with centralized UI.
Intilogy remains vendor-neutral: assessment, POC, official procurement, implementation, and policy documentation for audit.
Frequently asked questions
Can we switch firewall vendors without long downtime?
Yes, with phased migration: parallel run, per-site cutover, and rollback plans. Duration depends on branch count and VPN complexity.
