Is pfSense the Best Open Source Firewall/IDS/IPS in the World?

[Teo En Ming]

Good Afternoon Everybody from Sunny Singapore!

I have just deployed pfSense Community Edition version 2.4.2 firewall
on my home desktop computer (Intel Pentium Dual Core E6300 @ 2.8 GHz,
Intel DQ45CB Motherboard and 1 TB SATA Harddisk) not too long ago.

More recently, I have upgraded my home-based pfSense firewall
appliance to Community Edition version 2.4.3.

I have Snort Intrusion Detection System (IDS) installed as well.

Questions are:

(1) Is pfSense, coupled with Snort IDS, the best open source
firewall/IDS/IPS in the world?

(2) Is pfSense on par with commercial firewall appliances, including
Cisco ASA, Cisco Sourcefire, Fortigate, SonicWall, etc?

Please advise.

Thank you.

Reference:

http://lists.pfsense.org/pipermail/list/2018-May/011892.html

[jahonix]

(1) Is pfSense, coupled with Snort IDS, the best open source firewall/IDS/IPS in the world?

That's pretty much a personal view and cannot be answered globally.

(2) Is pfSense on par with commercial firewall appliances, including Cisco ASA, Cisco Sourcefire, Fortigate, SonicWall, etc?

pfSense is considered to play in that area you mentioned. At least, AFAIK.
General rule of thumb: when you're happy then it's the right product for you.