Sophos Endpoint Security and Data Protection
Connecting state and local government leaders
Despite the high-sticker price, we found the versatility, compatibility, features and ease of use make Sophos worth the Reviewer’s Choice designation for the best antivirus solution in this roundup for midsize to large networks.
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This is the first time we have reviewed Sophos Endpoint Security at GCN. And for an inaugural test run, Sophos impressed us from the beginning. It’s similar to Symantec’s Endpoint Protection 11.0 with the exception that Sophos is easier to use and navigate.
Sophos can protect a midsize to large network from viruses, spyware, adware, rootkits and unwanted applications such as iTunes or restricted Internet browsers. With Sophos, you can also control the use of removable storage devices and installation and use of unauthorized software. That includes voice over IP, instant messaging, peer-to-peer file-sharing applications, media players and video games.
The suite’s Enterprise Console provides a single point from which to deploy, update and report. One console can manage tens of thousands of Windows, Mac, Linux and Unix computers. Managing that many nodes from a single console can save a lot of time and even more money because one network administrator can do the tasks of several.
Sophos also lets you configure the times at which different parts of your agency’s network will update. This feature is particularly useful if your organization has large networks that cover different time zones or staff members who work at their PCs at different times. If you have remote laptop PCs that connect to the network at different times, you would want this feature to optimize the coverage and make sure all computers are up-to-date with the latest security patches.
Controlling automatic update settings also lets you minimize the effect of updates on network performance. You can also use bandwidth throttling, which prevents computers from using all the bandwidth for updates when they need it for work-related purposes.
Despite the high sticker price, we found the versatility, compatibility, features and ease of use of Sophos worth the Reviewer’s Choice designation for the best antivirus solution in this roundup for midsize to large networks. Sophos’ ability to offer security to a wide breadth of operating systems and software in an easy-to-use manner sets this program apart. If the company could lower the price per node to less than $50 a computer, they’d be the ideal solution for most agencies.
Sophos, 866-866-2802, www.sophos.com
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