Sophos Virtual Firewalls
Sophos Virtual Firewall. Enterprise protection, no hardware required.
Run the full Sophos Firewall on your own hypervisor or Intel server. You get the same SFOS protection as Sophos XGS hardware, licensed by the vCPU cores you assign, so you can start small and scale as you grow.
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1 Core & Unlimited RAM
Full Sophos protection on a light footprint, ideal for branch sites and test or lab deployments.
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2 Cores & Unlimited RAM
Gives small networks room to run web filtering and IPS together without straining the host.
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4 Cores & Unlimited RAM
Handles deep packet inspection and TLS inspection across a busier user base with headroom to spare.
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6 Cores & Unlimited RAM
Built for more concurrent traffic with several protection services running at once.
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8 Cores & Unlimited RAM
Delivers higher throughput headroom for inspection-heavy policies at larger sites and the data center edge.
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16 Cores & Unlimited RAM
Sustains performance under heavy inspection for high traffic environments and multisite cores.
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Unlimited Cores & Unlimited RAM
Scales as far as the host hardware allows with no core cap, built for enterprise and service provider deployments.
Shop This Model →What Sets the Sophos Virtual Firewall Apart
The Full XGS Feature Set
The virtual appliance runs the same SFOS operating system as Sophos XGS hardware, so you get the streaming DPI engine, TLS 1.3 inspection, IPS, web protection, and zero-day sandboxing. Going virtual costs you nothing on the security side.
Runs on Your Hypervisor
Deploy on VMware, Hyper-V, KVM, or Citrix, or install directly on your own Intel server. If you're already invested in virtualization, you add perimeter and internal segmentation security without racking another box.
Scale Without RAM Limits
Since March 2025, virtual and software licenses are restricted only by vCPU core count. Assign all the RAM your host can spare, and move up to a larger core tier later without starting over.
One Console with Sophos Central
Manage the virtual firewall alongside your other Sophos products in Sophos Central. Synchronized Security links your firewall and endpoints to isolate compromised systems automatically.
Sophos Virtual Firewall Configurations at a Glance
| Configuration | vCPU Cores | RAM | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Core | 1 | Unlimited | Branch offices and lab or test deployments |
| 2 Cores | 2 | Unlimited | Small business and remote sites |
| 4 Cores | 4 | Unlimited | Growing networks running full inspection |
| 6 Cores | 6 | Unlimited | Busy midsize networks |
| 8 Cores | 8 | Unlimited | Large sites and the data center edge |
| 16 Cores | 16 | Unlimited | High traffic environments and multiple sites |
| Unlimited Cores | Unlimited | Unlimited | Enterprise and service provider deployments |
All configurations support VMware, Hyper-V, KVM, and Citrix, plus software install on your own Intel hardware.
Sophos Virtual Firewall FAQ
It's the full Sophos Firewall (SFOS) running as a software appliance instead of on Sophos hardware. You deploy it on your own hypervisor or Intel server and get the same firewall, IPS, web filtering, TLS inspection, and Synchronized Security you'd get from an XGS appliance. Licensing is based on the number of vCPU cores you assign.
VMware ESXi, Microsoft Hyper-V, KVM, and Citrix Hypervisor, plus a software install on your own Intel x86 hardware. Sophos Firewall is also available for Microsoft Azure, AWS, and Nutanix AHV for cloud and HCI deployments.
You buy a base license for the core count you need, then add a protection subscription such as Standard or Xstream Protection for the security services and updates. The base license is a one-time purchase and the protection subscription renews on a 1, 2, or 3 year term. If you're not sure which bundle fits, a Sophos-certified rep can size it with you.
No. As of March 2025 Sophos removed RAM restrictions from all virtual, software, and cloud licenses. Every configuration is now capped only by its vCPU core count, so you can assign as much RAM as your host allows. License names such as SFV4C6 stay the same, but the RAM ceiling is gone.
It depends on your throughput, how many users you protect, and how many inspection services you run at once. A 1 or 2 core config suits branch offices and small sites, 4 to 8 cores fits growing and midsize networks, and 16 or unlimited cores covers high traffic and enterprise workloads. When in doubt, size up so you have headroom.
Sophos delivers your license and serial number by email once the order is processed. If you want to deploy right away, the installer can issue a temporary serial that runs a 30 day trial of the unlimited version with all services on, so you can build out the appliance while your license is finalized. If you don't see your key, contact us and we'll chase it down with the distributor.
Yes. You can move up to a larger core configuration as your needs grow without rebuilding the appliance, and your protection subscription carries over. That makes the virtual appliance easy to scale alongside your infrastructure.
Not sure which Sophos Virtual Firewall is right for you?
Tell us your hypervisor, your expected throughput, and how many users you need to protect. A Sophos-certified rep will match you to the right core count and protection bundle, and can quote multi-year terms and volume pricing.
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