PACKETPERF

Primary Device

Palo Alto Networks ION 3200-S
Palo Alto Networks ION 3200-S
★ 4.2 Value Score

Technical Specifications

  • Product Type: SD-WAN Edge Appliance (Gateway/Router)
  • Throughput (Data/WAN): 3-4 Gbps
  • Max Concurrent Connections: 2M+
  • Max New Connections/sec: 100K+
  • Interfaces: 4x 1GbE + 2x Management (Dual LAN/WAN capable)
  • Form Factor: 2U Rack Mount
  • Redundancy: Dual WAN, Hot Standby capable
  • Supported Protocols: IPsec, SSL, MPLS, BGP, OSPF, static routing

Curation Review

  • ✔ Pros: Purpose-built for SD-WAN edge deployments with integrated security (threat prevention, DNS filtering); Dual WAN failover capability with automatic path optimization; Rich routing and policy control supporting MPLS, BGP, and dynamic failover; Centralized management via Panorama/Cloud portal for fleet-wide visibility; Supports multiple ISP links with load balancing and intelligent path selection; Lower operational costs vs. traditional WAN appliances through SD-WAN automation
  • ✘ Cons: Licensing costs for SD-WAN fabric, threat prevention, and advanced features can significantly exceed hardware cost; Not a traditional firewall (lacks deep packet inspection throughput ratings some organizations require); Requires cloud-based orchestration/Panorama for optimal benefit; Limited local performance if cloud connectivity fails; More complex deployment vs. plug-and-play traditional routers; Overkill for simple branch sites with single WAN link needs
  • Est. Price: $18,000 - $35,000

Compare Against

Ubiquiti UniFi Cloud Gateway Fiber
Ubiquiti UniFi Cloud Gateway Fiber
★ 5.0 Value Score

Technical Specifications

  • Firewall Throughput: Not published by Ubiquiti; 5 Gbps IDS/IPS-secured routing throughput is the only headline figure (reviewer and retailer listings)
  • Threat Prevention Throughput: 5 Gbps IDS/IPS
  • IPsec VPN Throughput: Not published
  • Max Sessions: Not published; 500+ simultaneous users and 4,000-entry MAC address table
  • New Sessions/sec: Not published
  • Interfaces: 2x 10G SFP+; 1x 10GbE RJ45 (10G/2.5G/1G); 4x 2.5GbE RJ45 (2.5G/1G/100M/10M); 2 of the 6 WAN-capable ports are default WAN (1x 10G SFP+ and 1x 10GbE RJ45), with the other ports selectable as WAN
  • Form Factor: Compact desktop; 212.8 x 127.6 x 30 mm; 675 g without SSD
  • CPU / RAM: Quad-core ARM Cortex-A73 at 2.2 GHz / 3 GB RAM
  • Storage: Optional NVMe SSD up to 2 TB (NVR storage)
  • PoE Budget: 30W total from one PoE+ port (port 4)
  • Max Power Consumption: 29.4W excluding PoE output

Curation Review

  • ✔ Pros: Lowest-cost Ubiquiti gateway with 5 Gbps IDS/IPS, rated above the UDM-SE's 3.5 Gbps at a lower launch price ($279 MSRP vs. $499); Multi-gig flexibility with 10GBASE-T, dual SFP+ and four 2.5GbE ports; Compact desktop design with optional NVMe storage for UniFi Protect/NVR use; Supports site-to-site VPN plus OpenVPN, WireGuard and L2TP server functions, with integrated PoE+ for one device; Managed through the UniFi Network controller with 500+ simultaneous user capacity
  • ✘ Cons: No official routing, IPsec or WireGuard throughput figures published by Ubiquiti; community WireGuard numbers (around 400-500 Mbps) are unverified; Only one PoE+ output port (30W total) versus eight PoE ports on the UDM-SE; Lower device and user capacity and less storage expansion than the UDM-SE; No published IPsec tunnel or concurrent session limits; Reseller prices now often run above the launch MSRP (about $320-$346 USD at US resellers)
  • Est. Price: $279 - $346

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