Need to find alternative firewall solutions - expert advice required

[ponder]

Does pfsense have UTM features?

Yes.

This article is 3yrs old but should give you some kind of an idea http://linux4dummy.blogspot.com/2012/05/build-your-own-unified-threat_2301.html

Compiled from a 4 part article in 2011,
http://www.smallnetbuilder.com/security/security-howto/31433-build-your-own-utm-with-pfsense-part-1
http://www.smallnetbuilder.com/security/security-howto/31451-build-your-own-utm-with-pfsense-part-2
http://www.smallnetbuilder.com/security/security-howto/31468-build-your-own-utm-with-pfsense-part-3
http://www.smallnetbuilder.com/security/security-howto/31476-build-your-own-utm-with-pfsense-part-4

I suspect some things would have improved by now as they usually do over time.

 

[syntax]

+1 pfSense is great, but if you're doing serious stuff, get a Cisco ASA.

There's always the purist option as well: OpenBSD & pf / Linux & iptables.

like what exactly? I personally find almost no use to ever deploy an ASA.