I know this is an old thread, and sorry for bringing it up again, but when the license expires are you still able to log into the appliance? I've no issue with the services stopping when the license expire (although dropping VPN's is questionable give any other hardware device that uses VPN's doesn't need to be renewed to keep them up - but I accept that's the way this one works.)
You can still login to WebAdmin, but you are left with only the services that are a part of the free Essential Firewall license. You are correct that that does not included site-to-site VPNs. It does include PPTP and L2TP/IPsec remote access.
EDIT 2017-04-13: Please see my revised answer below.
Cheers - Bob
Cheers Bob, that clarified things. Ultimately, I think the UTM should act like a normal firewall if the license has run out eg firewall rules, interfaces, vpn's whereas I understand anything that requires frequent updates would probably stop eg AV, IDS etc
Cheers Bob, that clarified things. Ultimately, I think the UTM should act like a normal firewall if the license has run out eg firewall rules, interfaces, vpn's whereas I understand anything that requires frequent updates would probably stop eg AV, IDS etc
I agree with you, and companies should be used to pay for subscriptions today for other licenses. Still I have been involved in supporting hundreds of small companies 1-5 employees that usually don't have any IT budget and all IT cost is considered an evil unessecary expence disrupting their business.
Perhaps they have a backup software sending offsite copoy to a NAS via VPN to the home office of the owner or to a branch office. In a lot of these cases I would sell another Firewall, will not mention brand, and sometimes buy no support or extra licensing. The firewall can still be used for IPsec site to site.
I like Sophos products very much but i don't like the fact that it does not function wih IPsec after license expire. Perhaps Sophos are not interested in these customers anyway as their not repeat business, but I can't get all my collegues onboard for selling Sophos partly beacause of this. So we usually sell the other brand. We have probably sold 500 appliances the last years of the other brand, and only aprox 10 Sophos.
In many cases a Sophos RED would do the trick but they are sized wrong for my Norwegian customers. Basically all companies and homes have 100 Mbit or more internet speed today. and that means they have to go for a RED50 that ends up being to expensive for the home office of for example a hair dresser or a small shop.
Stig
IT consultant, Norway