GlobalProtect Review: Is It The Right VPN Software For Your Team?

Palo Alto Networks GlobalProtect is a VPN solution built for enterprise remote access. It supports Windows, macOS, and Linux, with browser-based single sign-on and multiple gateway support.

Before shortlisting, verify that your identity provider integrates with GlobalProtect's SSO implementation—some organizations report configuration friction during initial setup if gateway settings aren't aligned with your network topology. Key limitations to test in a demo: GlobalProtect requires proper gateway configuration to avoid login disruptions, and some users report connectivity delays on first connection.

Confirm that your IT team can manage the configuration burden—this is not a plug-and-play deployment. Check whether your organization's firewall rules and network segmentation will require additional tuning to prevent authentication failures.

Pricing typically scales with the number of concurrent users and gateway instances. Clarify licensing costs for redundant gateways if you need high availability.

Ask the vendor whether your current Palo Alto Networks firewall licenses include GlobalProtect or if you need separate subscription tiers. Some organizations discover mid-deployment that they need additional modules for advanced logging or threat prevention, which increases total cost of ownership.

During evaluation, test connectivity from your actual remote locations and network conditions. Verify that the solution handles your organization's VPN use cases—file transfers, video conferencing, and database access—without performance degradation.

Confirm support response times and escalation paths for production outages, since VPN failures directly impact remote workforce productivity.