The PA-Series NGFW is designed to address modern threats and hybrid environments in ways that traditional firewalls typically can’t. Key differences include: 1. **Inline machine learning and deep learning** - The PA-Series uses inline ML and deep learning to stop more zero-day attacks in real time than legacy vendors. - Threat detection to prevention happens in about **10 seconds**, which is stated as **180x faster** than competing products. - It detects new malicious websites using AI every day, helping you stay ahead of emerging threats. 2. **Single Pass Architecture for predictable performance** - All security functions (App-ID, IPS, URL filtering, DNS Security, malware analysis, DLP, SaaS Security, etc.) are scanned **once** in a single pass. - You can **add cloud-delivered security services (CDSS)** without additional performance impact. - Performance remains close to datasheet numbers even with multiple services enabled, avoiding the usual trade-off between security and throughput. 3. **Foundational Zero Trust capabilities built in** - Natively integrated **User-ID, App-ID, and Device-ID** support policies of least privilege for all traffic. - The firewall continuously reassesses trust based on user behavior, device posture, and application behavior. - It automatically detects and secures new SaaS apps (over **60,000 App-IDs** and growing) using ML and SaaS Security. 4. **Broad platform coverage and consistent experience** - Available as **hardware firewalls (PA-400, PA-1400, PA-3400, PA-5400 series)**, **VM-Series** virtual firewalls, and **cloud-delivered firewall services** for public and private clouds. - Feature parity and a similar user experience across form factors (hardware, software, cloud) simplify operations. 5. **Independent validation and market recognition** - **11-time Leader** in the **Gartner Magic Quadrant for Network Firewalls**. - A Leader in **Forrester Enterprise Firewalls** and **Zero Trust** evaluations. - Third-party tests (e.g., Miercom, SecureIQlab) show higher throughput with services enabled and better prevention of advanced threats like Cobalt Strike command-and-control. In practice, this means you can enforce Zero Trust policies, keep security services always on, and still maintain predictable performance across branches, data centers, and cloud environments.

Single Pass Architecture is central to how the PA-Series balances security and performance while managing costs. **1. One scan for all security functions** Traditional multi-pass designs process traffic multiple times for different services (AV, IPS, URL filtering, malware analysis, etc.), which degrades performance as you turn on more features. With Single Pass Architecture, the PA-Series: - Scans traffic **once** and applies all relevant security controls in that single pass. - Keeps performance **predictable** even when multiple services (e.g., Advanced URL Filtering, DNS Security, SaaS Security, DLP, malware analysis) are enabled. **2. Performance with services turned on** Because of this design, the PA-Series maintains throughput much closer to datasheet values under real security workloads. Independent testing highlights: - **PA-400 Series** performance is reported as up to **6x better** than comparable Fortinet devices when services are enabled. - The PA-400 Series can deliver up to **9x lower TCO per protected Mbps** in some comparisons. - Miercom testing shows **PA-3400 and PA-5400** series offering up to **1.3x higher throughput** with security services enabled versus competitors. **3. Lower total cost of ownership** Higher effective throughput with all services on means you often need **fewer appliances** or smaller models to achieve the same security and performance goals. This leads to: - Lower hardware and licensing spend per Mbps protected. - Reduced power, space, and cooling requirements. - Less operational overhead because you’re not constantly tuning or disabling services to preserve performance. **4. Better alignment with Zero Trust** Zero Trust requires **continuous inspection** and **always-on controls**. Single Pass Architecture lets you: - Keep all relevant services enabled without a major performance penalty. - Avoid the common trade-off where teams disable features to keep latency and throughput acceptable. Overall, Single Pass Architecture helps you reimagine firewall sizing and lifecycle planning: you can design for full security capabilities from day one, with more predictable performance and a lower cost per unit of protected traffic.

The PA-Series is built to help organizations move toward a practical, enforceable Zero Trust model while using AI and ML to improve protection and operations. **1. Foundational Zero Trust components built in** The platform includes several native capabilities that support Zero Trust: - **User-ID**: Ties traffic to specific users and groups, not just IP addresses. - **App-ID**: Identifies applications regardless of port, protocol, or evasive techniques. - **Device-ID**: Understands device type and posture to refine access decisions. These elements let you create **least-privilege policies** that are user-, app-, and device-aware, and apply them consistently across: - Internet access - Private cloud and data center - Branch offices - SaaS applications **2. Continuous trust verification** Zero Trust is not a one-time check. With the PA-Series: - Trust is continuously reassessed based on **changes in device posture, user behavior, and application behavior**. - Always-on App-ID, User-ID, and Device-ID, combined with Single Pass Architecture, enable continuous inspection without a large performance penalty. **3. AI and ML for real-time protection** The PA-Series uses inline ML and deep learning to: - Block more **zero-day threats** in real time than legacy IPS and signature-only approaches. - Detect new malicious websites using AI every day. - Reduce the time from detection to prevention to about **10 seconds**, which is described as **180x faster** than some competing products. Independent testing (e.g., SecureIQlab’s Cobalt Strike report) shows: - A higher percentage of **Cobalt Strike command-and-control traffic** is prevented compared to some major competitors (e.g., 20% and 13% prevention rates cited for others). **4. SaaS and identity integration** To support modern, distributed environments, the platform offers: - **SaaS Security with ML** to automatically detect and secure new SaaS applications (over **60,000 App-IDs** and growing). - **Cloud Identity Engine** to unify identity across on-premises and cloud directories, simplifying policy creation and enforcement. **5. Operational simplicity and continuous improvement** Zero Trust and AI-driven security are supported by: - **Strata Cloud Manager and Panorama** for unified management and operations across hardware, software, and cloud firewalls. - Built-in **AIOps** to proactively improve security posture and device health. - Tools like **Security Lifecycle Reviews (SLR)**, **Policy Optimizer**, and **Best Practice Assessment (BPA)** to continuously refine policies. According to referenced Forrester TEI findings and customer outcomes: - Organizations can see up to **45% reduction in breach risk** due to consistent policies. - Up to **247% ROI** and about **30% less time** to reach a strong security posture. In short, the PA-Series helps you rethink your firewall from a static perimeter device into a core component of a Zero Trust, AI-assisted security platform that spans users, apps, and data wherever they reside.