Regardless of industry, business growth comes with changes, and this same sentiment goes toward your network security. That’s why you might find yourself comparing Sophos XG 115 vs XGS 118. From the old to the new, it’s important to keep your network security tools up to date and capable of facing your current demands.
The firewall model from the XG series faced its end of life (EOL) back in March of this year. Due to this, many people have been looking for an upgrade, and the XGS 118 is a perfect segue. For this article, you’re getting a direct comparison to highlight what makes the Sophos XGS 118 a viable upgrade.
Sophos Business Firewalls
You could easily get lost in all of the technical data behind Sophos products, but it’s important to hone in on what you need. The hardware might look relatively the same, but the features and capabilities vary quite a bit.
From cloud-based management to unified threat management (UTM), deep packet inspection, and more, Sophos promises multi-layered support. Considering the numerous models that are in their lineup, it’s crucial to know where to look. A lot of this can be determined by putting the specs against each other to see which firewall model will meet your network demands.
What is the Sophos XG 115?
Although the Sophos XG 115 met its end of life back in March of this year, that’s exactly why many businesses need an upgrade. For what it’s worth, it’s an entry-level firewall that has offered more than enough support for years. However, compared to newer generations, you’re bound to find quite a few differences and overall upgrades.
Here are a few important specs about the Sophos XG 115 for reference:
- Firewall Throughput: 4 Gbps
- IPS Throughput: 950 Mbps
- NGFW Throughput: 1 Gbps
- Threat Protection Throughput: 375 Mbps
- IPsec VPN Throughput: 560 Mbps
These numbers may not mean much on their own, but comparing them to newer generations will reveal where the benefits are. When it comes to business IT security and your network as a whole, it helps to have a forward-thinking mindset. Even if the Sophos XGS 118 seems like overkill, you also want to keep scalability in mind for your business’s sake.
What is the Sophos XGS 118?
Built with small to mid-size organizations in mind, the Sophos XGS 118 delivers better performance on multiple fronts. Transitioning to new firewall hardware is part of any growing business, but it helps to know what your next choice should be.
Take a look at how the XGS 118 compares to its surface-level specs:
- Firewall Throughput: 15.5 Gbps
- IPS Throughput: 3.5 Gbps
- NGFW Throughput: 3.95 Gbps
- Threat Protection Throughput: 3.25 Gbps
- IPsec VPN Throughput: 13 Gbps
It’s pretty easy to see where the XGS 118 comes out a bit stronger in its specs, but this is barely getting into everything the hardware has to offer. There are plenty of Sophos business solutions here. If you’re looking to upgrade from the XG 15, the XGS series has what you’re looking for.
Differences in Sophos XG 115 vs XGS 118 Firewall Specs
This isn’t about choosing one over the other, but more so about what to look for when you’re ready to upgrade. Depending on what your business network demands, there are many firewall models you could choose from. Regarding the Sophos XG 115 vs XGS 118, the table below offers the only comparison you’ll need.
| Specification | Sophos XG 115 | Sophos XGS 118 |
|---|---|---|
| Firewall Throughput (Gbps) | 4 | 15.5 |
| IPS Throughput (Mbps/Gbps) | 950 | 3.5 |
| NGFW Throughput (Gbps) | 1 | 3.95 |
| Threat Protection Throughput (Mbps/Gbps) | 375 | 3.25 |
| Concurrent Connections | 1,570,000 | 5,500,000 |
| New Connections per Second | 19,400 | 62,650 |
| IPsec VPN Throughput (Mbps/Gbps) | 560 | 13 |
| Xstream SSL Decryption (Mbps) | 130 | N/A |
| Xstream SSL/TLS Inspection (Mbps) | N/A | 1,100 |
| Interface | 4 GbE copper 1 GbE SFP (shared) 2 x USB 2.0 1 x Micro-USB 1 x COM (RJ45) 1 x HDMI | 9 x 2.5 GE copper 1 x SFP fiber 1 x COM RJ45 1 x Micro-USB 1 x USB 2.0 (front) 1 x USB 3.0 (rear) |
| Power Supply | External auto-ranging DC: 12V, 100-240VAC, 36W@50-60 Hz | External auto-ranging AC-DC 100-240VAC, 2A@50-60 Hz 12VDC, 5.42A, 65W |
Although they carry many similar capabilities, the thresholds are entirely different. If you’re a growing small business, the Sophos XGS 118 is a great segue from the XG 115. Considering the older model has already met its EOL, the transition to the 118 makes a lot of sense. It would also make the transition feel pretty seamless since it’s all from the same manufacturer.
Final Thoughts
As the years pass by, you’ll find yourself upgrading your network security tools along the way. When it comes to Sophos XG 115 vs XGS 118, going with the newer hardware is a no-brainer. Eventually, as your company continues to grow, you’ll eventually need something stronger than the 118.
Sophos has solutions for every stage of business growth, but it’s important to know which firewall aligns with your current needs. If you’d like a little guidance in your decision-making, hop on a call with one of our team members for some expert advice.
