Quick answer
SonicWall and Fortinet FortiGate are legitimate, capable next-generation firewall, UTM, and SD-WAN platforms that sit at the perimeter and, paired with VPN, you operate. For an SMB with no security team, the real question is the architecture and who runs it. A perimeter firewall plus VPN trusts everything inside the network once a user is in; Zero Trust verifies every user and connection to applications regardless of network location. Cyvatar deploys and manages cloud-delivered Zero Trust internet access as a managed outcome, configuring, rolling out, and running it for you, and continuously remediating it as part of a broader managed program. The honest contrast is appliance-based perimeter firewall plus VPN that you operate versus managed Zero Trust that Cyvatar deploys, runs, and remediates. Seven years. 229 customers. Zero major breaches or ransomware. Full lock down in 30 days or less.
The managed wedge: Zero Trust versus perimeter firewall plus VPN
For decades the default model for network security was the perimeter firewall. You put a strong appliance at the edge of the network, inspect everything that crosses it, and pair it with a VPN so remote users can tunnel onto the trusted internal network. That is the castle-and-moat model, and SonicWall and Fortinet build genuinely good appliances for it. The honest contrast in this comparison is never that those products are bad. They are strong, established platforms. The contrast is architectural and operational.
Architecturally, a perimeter firewall trusts everything inside the network once a user is in. A VPN extends that trusted network to a remote laptop, so once a user is connected they are broadly inside. Zero Trust takes the opposite stance: it verifies every user and every connection to specific applications regardless of network location, rather than granting broad network access through a tunnel. This Zero-Trust-versus-castle-and-moat framing is widely accepted, and it is the legitimate reason an SMB might want to move off perimeter-and-VPN.
Operationally, an appliance is something you own and run. It has to be configured, tuned, kept on current firmware, and operated day to day, by your team or your MSP. An SMB with no security team often cannot keep up with that, so the protection drifts. Cyvatar's wedge is to remove the operate-it-yourself burden entirely. Cyvatar deploys and manages cloud-delivered Zero Trust internet access as a managed outcome, replacing the legacy perimeter firewall, UTM appliance, and VPN with a continuously managed category rather than a console you operate yourself. For the program context, see the pillar at ransomware continuous remediation, since perimeter-trust and VPN gaps are a common ransomware entry path, and the SOC layer on the Cyvatar MDR page.
What SonicWall and Fortinet do well
These are both strong, legitimate next-generation firewall and UTM vendors. Here is an accurate, respectful read of each, with no fabricated weaknesses. The contrast in this comparison is never that they are bad. It is appliance-based perimeter firewall plus VPN that you operate versus cloud-delivered Zero Trust that Cyvatar deploys, runs, and remediates for you.
SonicWall
SonicWall is a capable, established network security vendor whose next-generation firewall (NGFW), Unified Threat Management (UTM), and SD-WAN appliances sit at the network perimeter. Paired with VPN such as SonicWall NetExtender or Global VPN for remote access, a SonicWall firewall inspects traffic at the network edge, enforces policy, and provides gateway anti-malware, IPS, and content filtering. For a business that wants on-premises perimeter control and has staff to configure, tune, patch firmware, and operate the appliance, SonicWall is a legitimate and widely deployed choice. The model is appliance-based perimeter defense that the customer, or their MSP, owns and runs.
Where Cyvatar fits differently: SonicWall gives you an appliance to own, configure, and keep patched, and a VPN that extends the trusted network to remote users. Cyvatar deploys and runs cloud-delivered Zero Trust internet access as a managed outcome: instead of trusting everything inside the perimeter once a VPN connection is up, every user and connection is verified to specific applications, and Cyvatar handles the rollout, policy, and ongoing operation for an SMB with no security team. The honest contrast is appliance-based perimeter firewall plus VPN that you operate versus cloud-delivered Zero Trust internet access that Cyvatar deploys, runs, and continuously remediates. Cyvatar does not monitor or manage the SonicWall device; the point is replacing legacy perimeter-and-VPN with managed Zero Trust, not watching the box.
Fortinet (FortiGate)
Fortinet's FortiGate is a strong, broadly adopted next-generation firewall and UTM platform with integrated SD-WAN, and it anchors the wider Fortinet Security Fabric. FortiGate appliances perform deep packet inspection, IPS, application control, and web filtering at the perimeter, and FortiClient VPN extends access to remote users. Fortinet is a legitimate, capable enterprise and SMB networking and security vendor; for organizations that want a powerful perimeter firewall and SD-WAN fabric they control, and have the team to architect, configure, license, and maintain it, FortiGate is a sound choice. The model is customer-operated, appliance-based perimeter and SD-WAN security.
Where Cyvatar fits differently: FortiGate is a powerful firewall and SD-WAN platform you license, configure, and maintain, with FortiClient VPN bringing remote users onto the trusted network. Cyvatar's managed Zero Trust internet access takes a different architectural approach and a different delivery model: cloud-delivered Zero Trust that verifies each user and connection to applications rather than granting broad network access through a VPN tunnel, deployed and run by Cyvatar so the customer does not staff it. The fair contrast is a capable perimeter firewall and SD-WAN fabric that you operate versus cloud-delivered Zero Trust that Cyvatar deploys, rolls out, and runs for you. Cyvatar replaces the legacy perimeter-and-VPN motion with managed Zero Trust; it does not claim to monitor the FortiGate via its SOC.
How Cyvatar is different
Cyvatar's defensible difference is the operating model, not a claim that an appliance is bad. Cyvatar deploys AND manages cloud-delivered Zero Trust internet access as a managed offering, the canonical Cyvatar solution managed Zero Trust internet access. Cyvatar configures, rolls out, and runs cloud-delivered Zero Trust for SMBs with no security team, replacing legacy perimeter firewalls, UTM appliances, and VPN with a continuously managed outcome rather than a console you operate yourself. This is the same always-on program model, the ICARM loop, that Cyvatar uses to deploy and run managed email security and DNS filtering: deploy the right capability, run it, and remediate continuously.
The model is three layers:
- Layer 1, the right architecture. Cloud-delivered Zero Trust internet access that verifies every user and connection to applications, instead of trusting everything inside the network once a user is in through a VPN tunnel. The legitimate Zero-Trust-versus-castle-and-moat shift, delivered as a service.
- Layer 2, Cyvatar deploys and runs it. Cyvatar handles the configuration, the rollout across users and locations, and the ongoing operation, so an SMB with no security team does not have to staff an appliance and VPN or operate a console.
- Layer 3, one continuously remediated category. Internet access becomes one part of the broader managed program, paired with a 24/7 SOC through the Red Canary Security Operations Center, threat and vulnerability management, and compliance mapping across 24 frameworks, rather than a standalone box on a rack.
So managed Zero Trust internet access here means Cyvatar deploys, runs, and remediates the outcome, for SMBs and startups that have no team to operate a perimeter appliance and VPN, with full lock down delivered in 30 days or less. Cyvatar does not monitor or manage the SonicWall or Fortinet device through its SOC, and the point is replacement with managed Zero Trust, not watching the box. The SOC layer, where the Red Canary Security Operations Center is the embedded engine, is covered on the Cyvatar MDR page.
The proof points come from running managed programs, not from a single product: zero successful ransomware attacks across all clients in 7+ years, 797 ransomware attempts blocked, 274,000+ vulnerabilities remediated, 1.1 million+ patches applied, a 99.98% malware resolution rate, 200+ organizations protected, G2 #1 in Security and Privacy Services, and 98 of 102 NIST CSF 2.0 controls covered with compliance mapping across 24 frameworks. Perimeter-trust and VPN gaps are a common ransomware entry path, which is why managed Zero Trust connects to the continuous-remediation model on the pillar at cyvatar.ai/ransomware-continuous-remediation.
Side-by-side comparison
The rows below are the criteria that matter for an SMB or startup deciding between an appliance-based perimeter firewall plus VPN and managed Zero Trust internet access. Claims are kept fair and grounded. SonicWall and Fortinet are strong products. The contrast is the architecture and the delivery model.
| What matters to an SMB or startup | Cyvatar managed Zero Trust internet access | SonicWall | Fortinet (FortiGate) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Security architecture | Cloud-delivered Zero Trust: verifies every user and connection to applications regardless of network location | Appliance-based perimeter firewall, UTM, and SD-WAN, paired with VPN that extends the trusted network | Appliance-based perimeter firewall, UTM, and SD-WAN fabric, paired with FortiClient VPN |
| Deployment model | Cloud-delivered service, no perimeter appliance to rack, deployed and rolled out by Cyvatar | On-premises NGFW/UTM appliance the customer or MSP installs and configures | On-premises FortiGate appliance and Security Fabric the customer architects and licenses |
| Who operates it day to day | Cyvatar configures, runs, and continuously remediates it as a managed outcome | The customer or their MSP configures, tunes, patches firmware, and operates the box | The customer or their MSP configures, licenses, maintains, and operates the fabric |
| Remote access approach | Zero Trust access to specific applications, no broad network tunnel required | VPN such as NetExtender or Global VPN tunnels users onto the trusted network | FortiClient VPN tunnels users onto the trusted network |
| Fit for an SMB with no security team | Built for exactly this: Cyvatar deploys, runs, and remediates so you do not staff it | Strong if you have staff to configure, tune, and operate the appliance and VPN | Strong if you have a team to architect, license, and maintain the fabric and VPN |
| What is managed for you | Rollout, policy, ongoing operation, and continuous remediation, as one program | You own the lifecycle; SonicWall provides the appliance and platform | You own the lifecycle; Fortinet provides the appliance and Security Fabric |
| Part of a broader managed program | Yes. Paired with 24/7 SOC, TVM, and compliance mapping across 24 frameworks | Network-perimeter and SD-WAN platform; broader program is on your side | Networking and security fabric; broader program is on your side |
Who deploys and manages it for a small business
Cyvatar does, and that is the point of this page. When a small business decides to replace its legacy perimeter firewall, UTM appliance, and VPN with Zero Trust, the practical blocker is rarely the decision. It is the work. Cloud-delivered Zero Trust still has to be configured, rolled out across users and locations, and operated on an ongoing basis, and an SMB with no security team does not have someone to do that.
Cyvatar deploys and manages cloud-delivered Zero Trust internet access as a managed offering, a live, current Cyvatar capability, not a resale handoff. Cyvatar configures the policy, rolls Zero Trust out, and runs it, so the customer does not need a security team to operate a console. The architectural shift is from a perimeter firewall and VPN that trusts everything inside the network once a user is in, to Zero Trust that verifies every user and connection to applications regardless of network location. And because Cyvatar pairs managed Zero Trust internet access with its broader managed program, internet access becomes one continuously remediated category rather than a standalone box on a rack, with full lock down delivered in 30 days or less.
The framing is straightforward. SonicWall and Fortinet give you a capable appliance and platform that you, or your MSP, operate. Cyvatar gives you a managed outcome: it deploys, runs, and remediates cloud-delivered Zero Trust for you. If you want to own and run the perimeter appliance and VPN yourself, SonicWall and Fortinet are excellent at that. If you want someone to replace the legacy perimeter-and-VPN motion with managed Zero Trust and run it for you, that is what Cyvatar does.
Who each option is best for
An honest comparison says where each option is the right call, including the competitors. Here is the straight read.
Best for SMBs and startups that want Zero Trust instead of a perimeter firewall and have no security team to operate an appliance and VPN. The right fit when you want cloud-delivered Zero Trust that verifies every user and connection to applications, and you want someone to deploy it, roll it out, run it, and continuously remediate it as one done-for-you program, paired with a 24/7 SOC, threat and vulnerability management, and compliance mapping across 24 frameworks. Full lock down in 30 days or less.
Best for organizations that want on-premises perimeter control with a capable next-generation firewall, UTM, and SD-WAN appliance plus VPN, and that have staff, or an MSP, to configure, tune, patch firmware, and operate the box day to day.
Best for organizations that want a powerful perimeter firewall and SD-WAN fabric they control as part of the Fortinet Security Fabric, with FortiClient VPN for remote access, and that have a team to architect, configure, license, and maintain it.
Seven years. 229 customers. Zero major breaches or ransomware.
See Where Your Network and Access Posture Stands
The free Cyvatar Business Scorecard includes an external scan and grades your posture, so you can see your exposure before deciding whether to keep operating a perimeter firewall and VPN or move to managed Zero Trust.
Run the Free Business Scorecard → Talk to CyvatarFrequently asked questions
What is the best alternative to SonicWall for an SMB that wants Zero Trust instead of a perimeter firewall?
SonicWall is a capable, established network security vendor. Its next-generation firewall, UTM, and SD-WAN appliances sit at the network perimeter, and paired with a VPN such as SonicWall NetExtender they inspect traffic at the edge, enforce policy, and provide gateway anti-malware, IPS, and content filtering. That is a legitimate, widely deployed model for a business that wants on-premises perimeter control and has staff to configure, tune, patch firmware, and operate the appliance. The thing to weigh is the architecture and the delivery model. A perimeter firewall trusts everything inside the network once a user is in, and a VPN extends that trusted network to remote users, while Zero Trust verifies every user and connection to applications regardless of network location. For an SMB that wants Zero Trust instead of a perimeter firewall and has no security team to run the box, the best alternative is managed Zero Trust internet access. Cyvatar deploys and manages cloud-delivered Zero Trust internet access as a managed outcome, configuring, rolling out, and running it for you, and continuously remediating it as part of a broader managed program. The honest contrast is an appliance-based perimeter firewall plus VPN that you operate versus cloud-delivered Zero Trust that Cyvatar deploys, runs, and remediates. Cyvatar does not monitor or manage the SonicWall device; the point is replacing legacy perimeter-and-VPN with managed Zero Trust, not watching the box. Cyvatar delivers full lock down in 30 days or less.
Fortinet FortiGate vs Zscaler Zero Trust for a small business, fully managed: which model fits?
Fortinet's FortiGate is a strong, broadly adopted next-generation firewall and UTM platform with integrated SD-WAN, and it anchors the wider Fortinet Security Fabric. FortiGate appliances perform deep packet inspection, IPS, application control, and web filtering at the perimeter, and FortiClient VPN extends access to remote users. For an organization that wants a powerful perimeter firewall and SD-WAN fabric it controls, and has the team to architect, configure, license, and maintain it, FortiGate is a sound choice. The model is a customer-operated, appliance-based perimeter and SD-WAN. Cloud-delivered Zero Trust takes a different architectural approach and a different delivery model: it verifies each user and connection to specific applications rather than granting broad network access through a VPN tunnel onto the trusted network. For a small business that wants this fully managed, the practical question is who deploys and runs it. Cyvatar deploys and manages cloud-delivered Zero Trust internet access as a managed outcome, so the customer does not staff it. The fair contrast is a capable perimeter firewall and SD-WAN fabric that you operate versus cloud-delivered Zero Trust that Cyvatar deploys, rolls out, and runs for you, and continuously remediates as one program. Cyvatar replaces the legacy perimeter-and-VPN motion with managed Zero Trust; it does not claim to monitor the FortiGate via its SOC. Cyvatar delivers full lock down in 30 days or less.
Should an SMB replace its SonicWall or Fortinet firewall and VPN with managed Zero Trust?
It depends on what the business wants to own and operate. SonicWall and Fortinet FortiGate are legitimate, capable next-generation firewall, UTM, and SD-WAN platforms, and for a business that wants on-premises perimeter control and has staff to configure, tune, patch firmware, license, and run the appliance, keeping them is a reasonable choice. The case for replacing them with managed Zero Trust is twofold, one architectural and one operational. Architecturally, a perimeter firewall trusts everything inside the network once a user is in, and a VPN extends that trusted network to remote users, while Zero Trust verifies every user and connection to applications regardless of network location, which is the widely accepted contrast between castle-and-moat and Zero Trust. Operationally, an SMB with no security team often cannot keep an appliance and VPN configured, patched, and tuned, so the protection drifts. Cyvatar deploys and manages cloud-delivered Zero Trust internet access as a managed outcome: it configures, rolls out, and runs Zero Trust for you, replacing legacy perimeter firewalls, UTM appliances, and VPN with a continuously managed outcome rather than a console you operate yourself, and it pairs that with a broader managed program. Cyvatar does not monitor or manage the SonicWall or Fortinet device; the point is replacement with managed Zero Trust, not watching the box. Cyvatar delivers full lock down in 30 days or less.
Who deploys and manages Zscaler for a small business replacing legacy firewalls and VPN?
Cyvatar does. Cyvatar deploys and manages cloud-delivered Zero Trust internet access as a managed offering, and that is a live, current Cyvatar capability, not a resale handoff. For a small business replacing legacy perimeter firewalls, UTM appliances, and VPN, Cyvatar configures the policy, rolls Zero Trust out across users and locations, and runs it on an ongoing basis, so the customer does not need a security team to operate a console. This is the same always-on program model Cyvatar uses across its managed categories: deploy the right capability, run it, and remediate continuously, with full lock down delivered in 30 days or less. The architectural shift is from a perimeter firewall and VPN that trusts everything inside the network once a user is in, to Zero Trust that verifies every user and connection to applications regardless of network location. Cyvatar pairs managed Zero Trust internet access with its broader managed program, including a 24/7 SOC through the Red Canary Security Operations Center, threat and vulnerability management, and compliance mapping across 24 frameworks, so internet access becomes one continuously remediated category rather than a standalone box on a rack. Perimeter-trust and VPN gaps are a common ransomware entry path, which is why this connects to Cyvatar's continuous-remediation program. Cyvatar delivers full lock down in 30 days or less.
Keep reading
- Ransomware Continuous Remediation, the canonical pillar that defines the category and the ICARM loop. Perimeter-trust and VPN gaps are a common ransomware entry path.
- Cyvatar MDR vs CrowdStrike, Arctic Wolf, eSentire, the SOC layer, where the Red Canary Security Operations Center is the embedded detection-and-response engine.
- Agentic vCISO, the strategy layer that prioritizes which gaps get remediated first.
- Business Scorecard, the free posture assessment with an external scan.