FAQ
Buyers Guide
It’s not just businesses that have systems with data that need to be protected. Private individuals are also attaching more and more importance to their IT security. Sophos therefore also offers enough functions for private households, some of which can even be used free of charge.
If you’re interested in which Sophos products you can use in your own home, preferably for free, you can find the answers you need in our blog post “Sophos for home users: firewall and endpoint“.
Sure you do. We offer our know-how to each of our customers. So if you have decided to secure your network with Sophos, but prefer to leave the implementation to a professional, we will be very happy to assist you with the installation. If you are confident to manage your firewall yourself in the future, we can also train you in a workshop.
So it doesn’t matter at all if you want to leave the security completely in our hands, or if you want to set up everything yourself and only need our help from time to time. Just contact us if you need our support.
Info: We basically offer our support for any country. If remote setup is not sufficient, we will also come over. Those who would like us to fly in for on-site setups outside of Switzerland are welcome to arrange this with us. 😅
Sophos’s software products (UTM, SFOS, Central) can all be tested free of charge for 30 days. If you also need Sophos hardware for your tests, we can get it for you within a certain scope.
Sophos Central
If you just want to briefly experience the look-and-feel of Sophos Central, you can use the public demo account:
➜ Sophos Central demo account Username: demo@sophos.com Password: Demo@sophos.com
You like Sophos Central and want to test it in detail? Then create your own account right away and use the full scope with all features for free for 30 days:
Try Sophos Firewall
You can download both operating systems for free from Sophos and install them on a virtual appliance. You will then have access to all functions for 30 days. If you would like to continue using the system after the test period, you can either buy a software license and remain virtual, or export the config, buy a Sophos Firewall appliance with the appropriate license, and import the config again.
If you’d like to check out the new interface on the new SFOS, perhaps to review individual features and settings, Sophos offers an online demo:
➜ Try Sophos Firewall OS Username: demo Password: demo
Sophos Firewall demo hardware
In certain cases, it might be a good idea to test a piece of hardware first before ordering it. Especially with somewhat larger hardware, a test in the network is worthwhile, e.g. to check the throughput or the overall performance of the box. We can provide you with test devices of certain devices. Just contact us to discuss how to proceed.
Order
As of July 1, 2019, Sophos’ purchasing process for large segment acquisitions has been adjusted. In order to continue to secure the best possible price for you, we need to report orders for larger environments to Sophos as a project. Why it needs this project notification and which products are affected by it, you will learn in this article.
Categorization of products
The following products fall into the large segment for Sophos:
- XGS 2100 – 8500
- XG 210 – 750
- SFOS Software: 4 CPU 6 GB RAM to unlimited CPU / GB RAM
- Sophos Central per user: 100 – 5000+ users
- Sophos Central Server: 10 – 1000+ servers
Why is project notification needed at all?
By submitting a project to Sophos, we receive a bonus in the form of additional percentages that allow us to offer an even more attractive price. With the new pricing of all the products in the list above, we assumed that we would get the project signup bonus from Sophos.
Price guarantee with conditions!
However, Sophos will only award the bonus for a project submission if the project has not yet been submitted by any other Sophos partner! So we can only guarantee you the prize if no other partner has reported the project to Sophos before us.
If you order from us without first talking to another partner about it, you can actually always assume that we will get the bonus for you. However, if you know before buying that you have already obtained quotes for your order from several partners, it is relatively likely that the project has been secured by another partner and accordingly we can no longer offer you the listed price.
Effects on the delivery time
Due to the manual project notification at Sophos, we expect a delay in the ordering process of approximately 24 hours. After a few months of practical experience, we will be able to better assess how much time is actually lost by reporting projects to Sophos.
Unfortunately, this does not prevent products from the above list from not being delivered on the next business day.
If our blogposts or product descriptions can’t help you make a decision, or if you’d like to hear from us personally about whether your composition is a good choice for a project, we’d be happy to help.
We are very interested in helping you find the right Sophos product for you, and we also want to help you succeed in your projects.
Firewall Sizing
One of the biggest factors of uncertainty before buying a firewall already starts with the size. You then sit in front of these performance tables and still don’t know whether it has to be an XGS 116 or perhaps an XGS 2100.
Es gibt für diese Frage von Sophos einen sogenannten Sophos XG Sizing Guide, der dir dabei hilft, die optimale XG Firewall für deine Anforderungen zu finden.
If you want to make sure before buying, despite reading, do not hesitate to contact us briefly beforehand.
Plan projects
Certain environments require precise planning. We are happy to support you with all kinds of Sophos related topics. We can help you with the following points, among others:
- sizing the firewall
- Connect multiple sites
- Manage multiple countries, locations, networks
- Meet throughput requirements
- technical support for the implementation of the project
- consider possible interaction between Sophos products
- Clarify licensing issues
Even though the majority of the products in our store are designed for businesses, we have no restrictions on who can order these products. Everyone is welcome and can create an account.
Important: Private individuals simply have to be aware that the warranty terms of the devices are designed for corporate customers. In the event of a warranty claim, B2B provisions apply and not B2C.
While we do not currently have a dedicated registration process on our website, we do offer special terms for resellers.
If you want to buy from us regularly because you also need Sophos products for your own customer projects, you have found the perfect Sophos partner in us, who can supply you with hardware and licenses within the shortest possible time and at an excellent price.
But we are not just a supplier, we also know Sophos products inside out. This allows us to provide you with professional purchase advice, as well as support services. Of course, we also offer you our support for your customer projects.
Info: You want to register with us as a reseller? Note that we only accept requests from registered companies. Just write us via the contact form and we will get back to you regarding conditions.
No, you must place an order independently through our website. Since you have to accept our terms and conditions during the ordering process, for example, we can not complete the order for you.
However, if you have any difficulties with the ordering process, we will be happy to assist you over the phone.
If you want to buy a license in our store, you have to choose the type of license first. A distinction is made between initial purchase and renewal. In this article you will learn how these two options differ and which type of license you need to choose for your purchase.
Initial purchase
The “initial purchase” is the default selection and is pre-selected with each license. Leave it at this selection if you buy a license for the first time.
Example: You need a Network Protection license for your Sophos XGS 2300 firewall. If you have not previously purchased a Network Protection license, which may have expired, this is a classic “first time” purchase.
Renew
The “Renew” option assumes that you have purchased the license before, but the term has now expired. Choose this license type only if you really already have an existing license ID. However, according to the “Sophos Renewal Policy”, the existing license must not have expired for more than 1 year. If you wait more than a year to renew your license, you will have to select the “Initial Purchase” option again when purchasing and will not benefit from a minimally lower price.
Info: You can also renew a license with us without having purchased it from us before. We simply need your license ID, which you can leave in the comment field when ordering.
We often receive requests to do something about the price in our store. The short answer is no, unless you are a reseller and would like to register with us. Once you compare us with others, you will see that we are aware that price is decisive.
As a Sophos Platinum Partner, we are confident in our prices and know that they are fair and, in most cases, not undercut by anyone else. Especially for larger firewalls or a large number of licenses we give a very generous discount. We easily keep up with our competitors even when they try to influence the buyer with red discount symbols.
Why we can be so favorable? On the one hand, we are a Sophos Platinum Partner and thus receive better conditions than, for example, Silver or Gold Partners. On the other hand, we as Avanet earn most of our money with services (support, projects and training) and not with selling hardware and licenses.
Compare us
Let’s face it. We are all always looking for the best price, we ourselves are no different. So that you can compare us even better with our competitors, we are also listed on toppreise.ch. So if you want to know if you can get a Sophos product at a lower price somewhere else, just copy the item number and search for it on toppreise.
Note: However, we do not see the competitors on toppreise.ch as competition to our service business at the same time. Many of the retailers listed are really just online stores and sell a thousand other products. So if you ever find a store that sells a Sophos product at a lower price, be aware before buying that it is very unlikely to be able to help you with a Sophos problem.
Reseller
The prices on our website are primarily aimed at end users who require Sophos for their own infrastructure. Companies that regularly require Sophos products for their customer projects can register with us as a reseller and receive a better price for getting started.
Larger projects
For larger projects we have the possibility to ask Sophos for project prices. This gives us even more discounts that we can then pass on to you. However, the following requirements must be met:
- Your shopping cart needs a minimum value of 10’000 CHF, excl. VAT
- Your project must be composed of different Sophos products, such as firewall and central licenses or a larger number of access points or REDs
Yes, Sophos offers discounted pricing on licenses to public institutions or non-profit organizations. However, there are no special conditions for hardware or hardware bundles.
Info: Public institutions or non-profit organizations include, for example, municipalities, schools or other government agencies, as well as aid organizations that do not operate for profit.
In our store you will find under each license the possibility to choose the RIGHT OF USE. However, always compare the hardware bundles as well. A firewall appliance + the license with discount is not always cheaper than if you just buy a bundle without any special promotions.
Important: Check with us first before ordering so that we can first verify with Sophos that your organization is eligible for the discount. This is not always clear with some associations or aid organizations. Private schools, for example, do not receive a discount because they operate for profit.
When you purchase a Sophos product from our store, you must specify an end user in the checkout. You can find out why this is so and who the end customer is in your case here.
Who is the end customer?
The end customer is always a person or a company that will use the equipment or licenses from the order. For example, if you buy a firewall for yourself privately at home, you are the end customer. However, if you buy a Sophos product from our store on behalf of a colleague or another company, your colleague or the company is the end customer.
For example, if you run an IT company and purchase Sophos hardware and licenses for your customers through our online store, always enter your customer’s address as the end customer and not your company’s address.
Why do I have to specify the end customer at all?
When we order hardware or licenses from Sophos, we need to include contact details of the end customer so that the products can be registered on it. It goes without saying that if, for example, one of your client’s licenses is registered to your company, it is not correct.
You ordered the wrong item or changed your mind at short notice? We show you here in which cases it is still possible to cancel an order.
Cancel order
An order can only be cancelled with us if we have not yet processed it. If you pay by invoice or credit card, the window for cancelling or changing an order is narrow. With these payment methods, we release an order immediately after a short check, so that the goods can be delivered as soon as possible.
Orders paid in advance can still be canceled within 30 days. If an advance payment has not been made after 30 days, we will automatically cancel the order after a short consultation with the end customer.
In any case, please inform us of a cancellation request as soon as possible after placing the order by e-mail or phone.
Warranty & Service
You can find out more about the warranty for each device category at: How long do I get warranty on my Sophos hardware?
Here we refer you to the detailed instructions on what to do in case of a technical failure of your Sophos hardware: What do I do in case of a technical failure of my Sophos hardware?
At this point we refer you to the detailed instructions regarding opening a support ticket at Sophos: How do I open a support ticket at Sophos?
All information regarding exchanges or wrong deliveries can be found on our cancellation policy page.
Payment
In order to process an order as quickly as possible, we offer you the following payment options on our website.
Prepayment
Fees: 0 %
You will receive a PDF invoice by email immediately after placing your order. As soon as we receive the payment, we will ship the goods.
Pay by credit card
Fees: 0 %
Purchase by credit card and your order will be processed immediately. We accept the following credit cards and prepaid cards: Visa, Mastercard and American Express. After your order, you will receive a secure payment link by email to pay the amount due. With this payment method you benefit from fast delivery.
Security and privacy: Your security is important to us! We do not store credit card data on our servers, but use Stripe, who have enough experience with managing credit cards. You can find more information about Stripe on our privacy page.
TWINT
Fees: 0 %
Pay with us easily via TWINT. After your order, you will receive our QR code by email, which you just need to scan with your smartphone.
PayPal
Fees: 0 %
If you pay by PayPal, you will receive a secure payment link by email after your order to pay the amount due. As soon as the payment is confirmed, we will release your order immediately.
Pay on account
Fees: 0 %
When paying by invoice, your order is triggered immediately and you benefit from fast delivery. You will receive the invoice as a PDF by e-mail immediately after your purchase. The payment term is 30 days.
Info: New customers can not order from us by invoice. If you order more often in our store, you can ask us for the option to pay on account. Just get in touch with us via the contact form.
Bitcoin
With us you can also pay your order with Bitcoins! The transfer can be made either on-chain or via Lightning. We will create a unique QR code for this, which we will send to you by email.
All prices in our store are shown on the product pages in each case including the statutory sales tax. However, in the shopping cart, as well as in the PDF invoice, we list the individual products with the net price and display the tax separately and transparently in a separate line. The total is then always the total price including VAT.
Shipping & Delivery
On orders exceeding the value of goods 200 CHF or €, we do not charge any shipping costs. For orders below this value of goods, a minimum quantity surcharge of 9 CHF (for Switzerland and Liechtenstein), 9 € (for Germany) and 29 € for the rest of the EU countries we deliver to will apply.
Shipping methods vary depending on the country. These are specified by us or by Sophos and cannot be specifically selected by the customer.
The Swiss Post
The complete range of Sophos hardware on our website is shipped by mail (PostPac Priority) in Switzerland and Liechtenstein. Delivery is usually made the next business day, provided:
- the ordered hardware is in stock and is ordered before 16:00
- invoice or credit card is chosen as the payment method
- the order is not placed on a weekend
Order on collection
Collection is only possible in Switzerland and in exceptional cases. In such a case, please contact us by phone to coordinate the pickup.
UPS, FedEx or DHL
All hardware deliveries to customers in EU member states are shipped either from our warehouse in Germany via DHL or UPS, or directly from Sophos’ central warehouse in the Netherlands. Sophos delivers the packages mainly by UPS, FedEx or DHL.
Electronic delivery
Sophos licenses are usually delivered by email within 2 – 5 business days. However, there are exceptional cases where longer waiting times may occur.
We supply all 27 member states of the EU plus Switzerland and Liechtenstein.
Any company or individual with an address in one of the countries listed above can order products from our website and have them delivered.
Note: Sophos T&Cs entitle us to sell Sophos products only in the European Economic Area, Switzerland and Liechtenstein. Only if we have a billing and shipping address in one of these countries, we can execute an order.
Responsibility
All customers from Switzerland and Liechtenstein are served from our headquarters, Avanet AG in Switzerland. The EU business is handled by Avanet SARL-S in Luxembourg.
The time it takes for the goods to arrive at the delivery address after the order is placed depends on various factors. Here you will learn what to consider when calculating the delivery date.
On each product page, we indicate whether the desired product is in stock and the delivery time. There are a few differences per destination country.
Note: The information on this page relates exclusively to hardware deliveries.
Switzerland & Liechtenstein
Our principle for deliveries to Switzerland and Liechtenstein is: Ordered by 16:00, delivered the next day. We can keep this delivery promise with a delivery rate of over 99 percent. Orders placed over the weekend will be processed the next business day.
Requirements
However, there are a few requirements to follow for our delivery principles to be adhered to. Orders placed on time can only be shipped the same day if:
- invoice or credit card was selected as the payment method
- the ordered hardware is in stock
- the order was not placed on a weekend
EU Member States
Deliveries for customers from EU member states are shipped either from our warehouse in Germany or directly from Sophos’ central warehouse in the Netherlands. Experience shows that you can expect delivery within 2 – 5 working days.
For deliveries to Switzerland and Liechtenstein we offer partial deliveries! If you have placed an order of which we do not have all items in stock, a partial delivery will be triggered automatically. Since we offer free shipping anyway, there are no additional costs for you even for a partial delivery.
The same principle also applies if we do not have the ordered quantity of a product. For example, if you order 50 units of an APX 530, we will send you all the units we currently have in stock and deliver the rest later free of charge.
EU Member States
For customers from the EU, we can not offer partial delivery. However, the issue of “partial delivery” also affects our customers from the EU less. This is because orders for customers from EU member states are shipped directly from Sophos’s central warehouse in the Netherlands. The probability that not all components of an order are available is relatively small.
When you order one or more Sophos licenses from our store, they are usually delivered to you by email in the form of a PDF within 1 – 3 business days. However, the process is unfortunately not always the same, which is why we explain this in a little more detail here.
Let’s get this straight: it’s quite normal with Sophos that you get your hands on the hardware before the license in most cases. However, this is not tragic, since a 30-day trial license can be activated with every new hardware. So you can start installing the firewall right away and install your license on the box later. By the way, this applies to the UTM operating system as well as to the SFOS.
Longer waiting times
As said, the normal average is 1 – 3 business days until you get the license. However, at the end of the quarter, it may take 4 – 5 days. In rare cases it happens that a license needs 5 days or more. With such a long waiting time, we also ask Sophos where the license is.
Important: Renewals should therefore always be ordered early so that the license does not expire and network services or endpoint services no longer function.
Special case for XGS/XG firewall licenses
With a SG Firewall you get a license file (TXT) from us, which you have to install on your firewall. When purchasing a SFOS license (XGS/XG Firewall) for the first time, either individually or in a bundle, the license can be synchronized in the web interface of the firewall. In contrast to the UTM, a license file with a key is theoretically not required here. We write “theoretically” here, because there have been cases in the past where the automatic synchronization of the license did not work and the license key had to be entered manually afterwards. We have explained how to do this in the following KB post: Activate Sophos XG Firewall license key
In the case of renewal licenses, we have found that the key practically always has to be entered manually in the web interface.
For deliveries to Switzerland and Liechtenstein, we can have the goods delivered on a specific date. Customers from EU member states always receive their hardware on the next possible date.
Just write us the desired delivery date in the comment field at the end of the ordering process and we will make sure that the delivery arrives on the desired day.
Info: The invoice will be created when the order is placed. Depending on which payment method you choose, payment will be made immediately or within 30 days.