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Akamai Guardicore Segmentation vs Cisco Secure Network Analytics comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive Summary

Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:
 

ROI

Sentiment score
5.8
Akamai Guardicore Segmentation secures systems effectively, reducing security resources and enhancing protection without network changes, despite slow legacy implementation.
Sentiment score
6.7
Cisco Secure Network Analytics improves visibility and detection, aiding IT collaboration; value varies by environment and enhances security posture.
You don't need to change anything in the network because it's not a network thing.
Senior Security Consultant at Orange Cyberdefense
I have not seen a return on investment in terms of specific metrics like time saved or reduced risk, but I can say that reduced risk is significant.
Senior Security Analyst at a retailer with 5,001-10,000 employees
 

Customer Service

Sentiment score
7.2
Akamai Guardicore Segmentation provides effective support with quick solutions, though response times and inquiry basics can vary.
Sentiment score
6.1
Cisco Secure Network Analytics receives praise for its knowledgeable international support, despite occasional challenges with local expertise.
The response is very fast.
Cybersecurity at Embracon
The customer support for Akamai Guardicore Segmentation is amazing.
CISO at Paschoalotto
There is a lack of adequate local support from the Indian side.
Group Head at Stpi
For technical support of Cisco, the support they provide depends on how the client procures it, and so far, it's understandable.
CEO at BRIGHT-i SYSTEMS LIMITED
 

Scalability Issues

Sentiment score
7.1
Akamai Guardicore Segmentation is scalable, integrating smoothly, requiring minimal personnel, and handles extensive networks across various environments.
Sentiment score
6.3
Cisco Secure Network Analytics scales well for enterprises, though high costs and outdated hardware can limit effectiveness.
It scales very well, and I can keep adding agents and scale as much as needed.
Senior Security Analyst at a retailer with 5,001-10,000 employees
Akamai Guardicore Segmentation is very scalable because I could deploy anywhere without any hardware needs, for example.
CISO at Paschoalotto
The scalability of Akamai Guardicore Segmentation is pretty good; whenever we need more resources for management, if a customer's environment increases significantly, they can add more nodes to the manager within a 15-minute downtime, and it works well.
Cybersecurity Consultant at a tech consulting company with 51-200 employees
The scope of the load balancing work was a team effort where we used three tools for load balancing.
Senior Developer at Atlas Laboratory
 

Stability Issues

Sentiment score
7.7
Akamai Guardicore Segmentation is praised for stability and reliability, with swift updates and minor non-impactful cosmetic bugs.
Sentiment score
8.3
Cisco Secure Network Analytics is praised for stability, minimal downtime, and reliability despite initial setup challenges and infrastructure complexity.
Akamai Guardicore Segmentation is stable.
Senior Security Consultant at Orange Cyberdefense
Cisco products are incredibly stable, boasting a 200% stability.
Group Head at Stpi
Once resolved, the system works well, and overall I think it's good.
CEO at BRIGHT-i SYSTEMS LIMITED
 

Room For Improvement

Akamai Guardicore Segmentation requires improved integration, cost-efficiency, user interfaces, automation, and support for scalable and complex environments.
Cisco Secure Network Analytics needs better integration, user interface, AI features, and simplified setup with improved training and database management.
In large environments, understanding all application dependencies and creating the right policies can take time and requires close coordination with application teams.
Technical Team Lead - Content Security at Valuepoint Systems
I think it is really valuable to take a course on Akamai Guardicore Segmentation because many things are not obvious in terms of how to do them correctly.
Senior Security Analyst at a retailer with 5,001-10,000 employees
The price of Akamai Guardicore Segmentation is very expensive, but it is important to the enterprise.
Cybersecurity at Embracon
The solution should have the ability to analyze security events not only at the network layer but also at the application and OS layers.
Group Head at Stpi
Proper management of the database is also important; it should be centralized for easier data collection from a single database.
CEO at BRIGHT-i SYSTEMS LIMITED
 

Setup Cost

Akamai Guardicore Segmentation offers flexible, competitive pricing and comprehensive features, making it a valuable solution for enterprises.
Cisco Secure Network Analytics is costly with complex licensing, though valued for features; pricing strategy adjustments are suggested.
The pricing was flexible, and it has worked out well with our budget.
Senior Security Analyst at a retailer with 5,001-10,000 employees
It has a fair cost for our business.
CISO at Paschoalotto
Concerning their pricing, it is not cheap, but it is reasonable with respect to the kind of market you have to face.
Works at a wholesaler/distributor with 51-200 employees
Cisco solutions are considered to be very expensive.
Group Head at Stpi
Regarding cost, for the Bangladesh context, Cisco Secure Network Analytics is a little bit high-priced because we are a developing country, making it tough to manage affordable solutions.
CEO at BRIGHT-i SYSTEMS LIMITED
 

Valuable Features

Akamai Guardicore Segmentation offers visibility, micro-segmentation, AI-assisted policies, and a seamless interface for efficient security management.
Cisco Secure Network Analytics offers comprehensive visibility and enhanced threat detection, improving security and reducing investigation times effectively.
Akamai Guardicore Segmentation reduced risk because it blocked malicious ransomware and uninspected traffic.
Cybersecurity at Embracon
We can create a policy based on labels such as application, environment, or role, allowing only required communication and blocking everything else, which significantly reduces the lateral movement risk.
Technical Team Lead - Content Security at Valuepoint Systems
The best feature Akamai Guardicore Segmentation offers is great threat intelligence.
CISO at Paschoalotto
The most valuable features include encrypted traffic analytics and the ability to fulfill requirements at the network level.
Group Head at Stpi
Every solution is gradually integrated with AI, and Cisco has already implemented AI building features in their solution.
CEO at BRIGHT-i SYSTEMS LIMITED
The best feature of Cisco Secure Network Analytics is its reliability, which I find to be the one that gets used the most.
Senior Developer at Atlas Laboratory
 

Categories and Ranking

Akamai Guardicore Segmentation
Average Rating
8.4
Reviews Sentiment
6.5
Number of Reviews
26
Ranking in other categories
Cloud and Data Center Security (1st), Cloud Workload Protection Platforms (CWPP) (12th), Breach and Attack Simulation (BAS) (6th), Microsegmentation Software (3rd)
Cisco Secure Network Analytics
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
6.6
Number of Reviews
62
Ranking in other categories
Network Monitoring Software (33rd), Network Traffic Analysis (NTA) (5th), Network Detection and Response (NDR) (6th), Cisco Security Portfolio (8th)
 

Mindshare comparison

While both are Network Security Systems solutions, they serve different purposes. Akamai Guardicore Segmentation is designed for Microsegmentation Software and holds a mindshare of 19.0%, down 27.3% compared to last year.
Cisco Secure Network Analytics, on the other hand, focuses on Network Monitoring Software, holds 0.9% mindshare, down 1.2% since last year.
Microsegmentation Software Mindshare Distribution
ProductMindshare (%)
Akamai Guardicore Segmentation19.0%
Illumio Segmentation23.2%
VMware NSX14.7%
Other43.099999999999994%
Microsegmentation Software
Network Monitoring Software Mindshare Distribution
ProductMindshare (%)
Cisco Secure Network Analytics0.9%
Zabbix3.8%
SolarWinds NPM3.7%
Other91.6%
Network Monitoring Software
 

Featured Reviews

Vibin Thomas - PeerSpot reviewer
Technical Team Lead - Content Security at Valuepoint Systems
Zero-trust micro-segmentation has strengthened security and improves east-west traffic visibility
While Akamai Guardicore Segmentation is a very powerful solution, there are a few areas where it could be improved. One of the main challenges is the initial deployment and policy design complexity. In large environments, understanding all application dependencies and creating the right policies can take time and requires close coordination with application teams. The user interface and policy management can also be improved. As the number of policies grows, managing and organizing them becomes slightly complex. A more simplified or intuitive policy structure would help operational teams. Another area is integration with other security tools such as SIEM or SOAR platforms. While integration is possible, making it more seamless and easier to configure would add value. Additionally, the reporting and dashboard could be enhanced to provide more customizable and business-level insights, especially for management and reporting. One small improvement I would suggest for Akamai Guardicore Segmentation is having more automation capabilities for policy creation and recommendation. For example, AI-driven suggestions based on observed traffic patterns would help reduce manual effort during the initial policy design. It would also help to have more predefined templates for common use cases, especially for industries such as banking, to speed up deployment. Another area is enhanced reporting customization where we can easily generate business-level dashboards for management and compliance teams without any additional effort.
Muhammad Harun-Owr-Roshid - PeerSpot reviewer
CEO at BRIGHT-i SYSTEMS LIMITED
Have streamlined network visibility and troubleshooting while seeing benefits from AI integration
In terms of improvements for Cisco Secure Network Analytics, from the implementation point of view, now that AI is in use, some other features need to be upgraded considering AI solutions. Proper management of the database is also important; it should be centralized for easier data collection from a single database. When precise manual analysis is needed, it's sometimes difficult, so having a centralized database will allow network admins to find actual scenarios more effectively, especially since some information may not be visible on the GUI. Cisco should upgrade their hardware part to run the database, because sometimes it cannot handle the load while all features are running in the network. The database management should indeed be centralized because while AI runs behind the systems, central management is essential. For example, in a network with 100 Cisco switches, a few routers, firewalls, and access points, all data generated should be preserved in a central database. This approach simplifies management and analysis for troubleshooting, as GUI interfaces may not always provide visible information. Centralizing the database will allow for better understanding of which information is preserved for each specific device.
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Financial Services Firm
18%
Manufacturing Company
10%
Computer Software Company
9%
Insurance Company
5%
Financial Services Firm
11%
Manufacturing Company
10%
Construction Company
9%
Government
8%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business10
Midsize Enterprise3
Large Enterprise15
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business12
Midsize Enterprise7
Large Enterprise52
 

Questions from the Community

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Guardicore Centra?
Regarding pricing and setup cost, I don't have information because I am from a consulting team and not from the sales team. The licensing is related to the number of assets that the customer has in...
What needs improvement with Guardicore Infection Monkey?
Reporting is one area where I think Akamai Guardicore Segmentation can be improved. They are working on it, but as of now, that is the aspect that needs enhancement. Nothing specific comes to mind ...
What is your primary use case for Guardicore Infection Monkey?
My main use case for Akamai Guardicore Segmentation is related to Kubernetes instrumentation and visibility, although it is difficult to specify a main use case. When I work with Kubernetes, it is ...
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Cisco Stealthwatch?
Regarding cost, for the Bangladesh context, Cisco Secure Network Analytics is a little bit high-priced because we are a developing country, making it tough to manage affordable solutions. However, ...
What needs improvement with Cisco Stealthwatch?
Several features often look very promising during evaluation or implementation but end up being used only lightly in day-to-day operations. Advanced reporting and scheduled compliance reports look ...
What is your primary use case for Cisco Stealthwatch?
My main use case for Cisco Secure Network Analytics has been network visibility and anomaly-based threat detection within the enterprise environment. In security operations and VAPT-related activit...
 

Also Known As

Guardicore Centra, GuardiCore
Cisco Stealthwatch, Cisco Stealthwatch Enterprise, Lancope StealthWatch
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Santander, Frontier Airlines, OpenLink, Intermountain Healthcare, Cellcom, BancoBASE
Edge Web Hosting, Telenor Norway, Ivy Tech Community College of Indiana, Webster Financial Corporation, Westinghouse Electric, VMware, TIAA-CREF
Find out what your peers are saying about Illumio, Broadcom, Akamai and others in Microsegmentation Software. Updated: July 2026.
908,834 professionals have used our research since 2012.