Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client OverviewUNIXBusinessApplication

Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client is the #4 ranked solution in top Enterprise Infrastructure VPN tools and #7 ranked solution in top Cisco Security Suite tools. PeerSpot users give Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client an average rating of 8.4 out of 10. Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client is most commonly compared to OpenVPN Access Server: Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client vs OpenVPN Access Server. Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client is popular among the large enterprise segment, accounting for 60% of users researching this solution on PeerSpot. The top industry researching this solution are professionals from a computer software company, accounting for 15% of all views.
Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client Buyer's Guide

Download the Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client Buyer's Guide including reviews and more. Updated: March 2023

What is Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client?

Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility is a unified agent that provides different security services to help empower and protect organizations. It offers the visibility and control you need to figure out who and what is gaining access to your extended company before, during, and after an attack.

Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility is an endpoint security platform that includes remote access, posture enforcement, and online security features. It provides your IT department with all of the secure access options it needs to deliver a reliable, user-friendly, and highly secure mobile experience. It not only allows VPN access via Secure Sockets Layer (SSL), but it also provides additional security via built-in modules, such as Cisco Network Access Manager, Cisco

AnyConnect ISE Agent, and Cisco AnyConnect Web Security Client.

Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Features

Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility has many valuable key features. Some of the most useful ones include:

  • Accessible from any location: Cisco AnyConnect allows any user to connect to the workplace network from any device, at any time, and from any location.
  • Unified endpoint compliance: Cisco AnyConnect unifies endpoint posture and remediation across wired, wireless, and VPN environments for Cisco ISE. It offers endpoint posture testing for OS levels, the most recent antivirus updates, and other resources to improve endpoint security and compliance.
  • Web security: Cisco AnyConnect includes a web security module that may be used with either the on-premises Cisco Web Security Appliance (WSA) or the cloud-based Cisco Cloud Web Security (CWS). Admins can give comprehensive secure mobility to all end users by combining online security with VPN access, which is critical for BYOD deployments.
  • Secure network access: The Network Access Manager has advanced connection features that allow managers to decide which networks or resources endpoints can access. It includes an IEEE 802.1X supplicant as well as some unique encryption methods that can be deployed as part of authentication, authorization, and accounting (AAA) capabilities.
  • Mobile device support: Cisco AnyConnect is compatible with the most common devices used by today's workforce. With per-application VPN, highly secure remote access can be device-based or powered transparently by certain enterprise mobile applications.
  • Simplified management and usability: Cisco AnyConnect provides a consistent user experience across on-premises and off-premises devices without causing IT headaches.

Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Benefits

There are many benefits to implementing Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility. Some of the biggest advantages the solution offers include:

  • Endpoint security that is context-aware, comprehensive, and ongoing
  • Flexible access to company resources over wired, cellular, and VPN networks
  • Low cost of ownership
  • User Verification
  • Prevents data threats at entry
  • Protects users who are off the VPN
  • Uses visibility and analytics to optimize security
  • Unlocks endpoint visibility

Reviews from Real Users

Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility stands out among its competitors for a number of reasons. Two major ones are its ability to be customized and its reliability. PeerSpot users take note of the advantages of these features in their reviews:

Hakan T., Senior Solution Sales Consultant at a tech services company, writes, “Every time I have to connect to the network I use this solution. It is a customizable solution, it makes life easier for me. It makes the global workforce work much easier and more secure.”

Another PeerSpot reviewer, a Product Manager and CMOS Image Sensors at a manufacturing company, mentions, “Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client works well, we don't have any issues with it. The most valuable feature of this solution is that it works all of the time.”

Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client was previously known as Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility, AnyConnect Secure Mobility, Cisco AnyConnect, AnyConnect.

Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client Customers

MST, Molina Healthcare, Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers, Arup, New South Wales Rural Fire
Service

Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client Video

Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client Pricing Advice

What users are saying about Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client pricing:
  • "We pay for an annual subscription. Additionally to the subscription, we thought in order to connect this solution to the Active Directory we had to purchase a Cisco ACS, Access Control System. It turns out we did not actually need it."
  • "The initial cost is the ASA and other items, but after that, it is relatively inexpensive."
  • Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client Reviews

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    Josef Bartos - PeerSpot reviewer
    Security Consultant at T-Mobile Czech Republic a.s.
    Real User
    Easy to use, stable, has no connectivity issues, and allows users to work from home
    Pros and Cons
    • "What I like most about Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client is that it's easy to use, and that is its main advantage. You can use it without the need for any setup because it's centrally pre-installed, so you just need to log in with your username and password. I didn't experience any problems with the solution in terms of losing connectivity. It works very well every time."
    • "In terms of areas for improvement in Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client, from my point of view, the solution works well and right now I don't see the need to improve it. Probably a better user interface could be created for Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client, but its core is VPN creation, and that works well, though I'm not a VPN specialist, and I'm not an expert on how to create a VPN, how the VPN gateway works, how it's implemented, and what's the architecture behind it. A two-factor authentication feature was recently added to the Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client. In the past, you only needed to log in with your username and password, but now, there's a token, and the user interface for that token isn't that good. That's another area for improvement. Cisco should also make the two-factor authentication better in the solution. What I'd like added to the Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client in its next release is a better two-factor authentication, in particular, the validity of the code being shorter because sometimes when I get the code and I add it to the client, it's invalid, though I'm unsure if it's centrally set up that way or if its a characteristic of the product. Making the interface of the Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client more user-friendly is also what I'd like to see in the next release of the solution."

    What is our primary use case?

    I'm using Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client for my home office, and for me, that's the only usage scenario for it.

    How has it helped my organization?

    Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client has improved my organization because it enables your home office or remote working, and it's a key product based on the current situation where remote working or working from home is necessary for the effectiveness of the organization.

    What is most valuable?

    What I like most about Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client is that it's easy to use, and that is its main advantage. You can use it without the need for any setup because it's centrally pre-installed, so you just need to log in with your username and password. I didn't experience any problems with the solution in terms of losing connectivity. It works very well every time.

    What needs improvement?

    In terms of areas for improvement in Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client, from my point of view, the solution works well and right now I don't see the need to improve it. Probably a better user interface could be created for Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client, but its core is VPN creation, and that works well, though I'm not a VPN specialist, and I'm not an expert on how to create a VPN, how the VPN gateway works, how it's implemented, and what's the architecture behind it.

    A two-factor authentication feature was recently added to the Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client. In the past, you only needed to log in with your username and password, but now, there's a token, and the user interface for that token isn't that good. That's another area for improvement. Cisco should also make the two-factor authentication better in the solution.

    What I'd like added to the Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client in its next release is a better two-factor authentication, in particular, the validity of the code being shorter because sometimes when I get the code and I add it to the client, it's invalid, though I'm unsure if it's centrally set up that way or if its a characteristic of the product.

    Making the interface of the Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client more user-friendly is also what I'd like to see in the next release of the solution.

    Buyer's Guide
    Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client
    March 2023
    Learn what your peers think about Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: March 2023.
    688,083 professionals have used our research since 2012.

    For how long have I used the solution?

    I've been using the Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client for eight years now.

    What do I think about the stability of the solution?

    Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client seems to be a stable solution because I didn't experience any instability from it.

    What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

    I'm not sure how scalable the Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client is because I'm only an end-user and not an administrator.

    How are customer service and support?

    I'm unable to evaluate technical support for the Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client because I've never used support for it as I had no problems with the product.

    Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

    A solution was used before going with the Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client, but I forgot the name of the previous solution. I'm not exactly sure of the reason behind choosing Cisco, but it could be because the older solution was a little bit complicated in terms of its licensing policy.

    How was the initial setup?

    In terms of setting up the Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client, there's no need to install it in my case because it's pre-installed centrally as part of the package my company has. My team didn't waste any time on the installation because you can use it right out of the box.

    In my company, the Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client was pre-installed and pre-configured.

    What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

    I don't have any information about the licensing costs of the Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client because normal users like me don't know the pricing information.

    Which other solutions did I evaluate?

    I didn't evaluate other options over Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client because as an end-user, I don't have any impact in terms of product evaluation.

    What other advice do I have?

    I'm currently using Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client, in particular, just for standard installation on workstations in my company.

    In terms of the version of the solution I'm using, it's version 4.9, but I don't have any influence on which version of Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client to use because it's centrally installed in the company via the system management center, but I suppose it's been updated.

    My company has about three thousand five hundred users of Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client. Almost everybody uses it to work from home, for example, developers, security consultants, etc. My company is a telecommunication and IT company, so just about everybody works with computers, works from home, and needs Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client.

    The solution is maintained by the central end-user support team, particularly two or three people.

    Currently, there's no plan to increase the usage of the Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client because my company has been reorganizing and letting go of some positions, and this means there's no need to increase the number of users of the solution.

    I would recommend the Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client to others looking into implementing it because, in my experience, it works very well and seems to be stable. I have no problems with the product. The Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client is easy to use, so I'm recommending it to others.

    I'm rating the Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client ten out of ten.

    My company is not a partner of Cisco. My company is a customer and doesn't sell the Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client to customers.

    Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

    On-premises
    Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
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    PeerSpot user
    IT Security manager at a energy/utilities company with 201-500 employees
    Real User
    Top 5Leaderboard
    Plenty of functionality, integrates with Active Directory, and highly scalable
    Pros and Cons
    • "Some of the main features of the solution are it has the ability to integrate with our Active Directory to allow each user to have one less password to have to remember and it has great functionality."
    • "The support could be more proactive in their recommendations. I noticed that the Cisco support agents tend to leave customers to do what they need to do in many ways, and you can choose how you want to do it. However, it would be great if they could proactively be involved in best practices and let other customers know how most people are doing it."

    What is our primary use case?

    We use the solution to controls the VPN tunnel between people outside connected to the internet into the office network. This is done by prompting them for a username and password for security.

    What is most valuable?

    Some of the main features of the solution are it has the ability to integrate with our Active Directory to allow each user to have one less password to have to remember and it has great functionality.

    What needs improvement?

    There is one very specific improvement that could be done regarding users logging in. When a user logs in with an expired password we did not know that the password reset function would prompt them for a new password and this system was able to be deployed on this solution. For 10 years, every 30 days, the salespeople who did not want to go inside and reset their password at the 29-day mark, would call me up and have me reset their password for them to gain access. Additionally, it would be beneficial to have at the level that I am at, the ability to sign in to this solution before you log in to the Windows environment without having to upgrade the license. This should be included in the full packages. 

    Alternatively, when Cisco notices customers do not have this feature turned on they could call up its customers and inform them they do not have it turned on and could walk them through how to do it. It turned out to be just two lines of code to accomplish the task. In our case, during any of the interactions with Cisco over the years, they could have just mentioned to us this feature that would have real value-added to your employees. We do have a CCNA in-house and he did not realize that he could turn that feature on very easily. The white paper was probably available, but since our network administrator did not know about it, he never suggested setting it up. 

    In an upcoming release, there should be better reporting capabilities, this is something that is available in premium packages, or if you were to get a Cisco ISE. Essentially, the upgraded reporting shows a live version of what is going on, but it does not show you historical information unless you hook it up to a SCIM, Cisco ISE, or Cisco ACS. This should be included in all packages and you should not have to upgrade or purchase other solutions.

    For how long have I used the solution?

    I have been using this solution for approximately 10 years.

    What do I think about the stability of the solution?

    When it comes to the stability of the solution it is stable, functional, and it just works.

    We plan to increase our usage when our employee base increases.

    What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

    I would rate the scalability of the Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client a ten out of 10. 

    Currently, on a day-to-day basis, there are approximately 85 users using the solution but we have 221 registered users that could use it at any given time.

    How are customer service and technical support?

    The support could be more proactive in their recommendations. I noticed that the Cisco support agents tend to leave customers to do what they need to do in many ways, and you can choose how you want to do it. However, it would be great if they could proactively be involved in best practices and let other customers know how most people are doing it.

    Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

    Previously we had a standard Cisco VPN client, but it was not as functional as it did not have the ability to tie into the Active Directory.

    How was the initial setup?

    The initial setup was pretty simple. However, we did have onboarding support assist us with it. Our network administrator at the beginning of an install will always call Cisco support to get the expert on the phone. They provided us with white papers on how to do the setup allowing any setup moving forward is done correctly the first time. We did also purchase the premium support, for which there was no additional fee for the installation guideance.

    What about the implementation team?

    Our in-house team did the implementation with their premium support tech agent on the line through a WebEx. The during of the implementation took approximately two hours. 

    We have a network administrator to do any maintenance that is required for the solution, but once we set it up, there really was no maintenance needed. However, we did attach an SSL to link it and set up a DNS entry to allow our users the ability to go to a specific entry instead of just typing in the IP address with the enhanced security.

    What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

    We pay for an annual subscription. Additionally to the subscription, we thought in order to connect this solution to the Active Directory we had to purchase a Cisco ACS, Access Control System. It turns out we did not actually need it.

    What other advice do I have?

    My advice to those wanting to implement this solution is you could purchase the license for this solution and set it up with your ASA directly without having to purchase a Cisco ACS.

    I rate Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client a nine out of ten.

    Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

    On-premises
    Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
    PeerSpot user
    Buyer's Guide
    Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client
    March 2023
    Learn what your peers think about Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: March 2023.
    688,083 professionals have used our research since 2012.
    Navin Jacob - PeerSpot reviewer
    Vice President Digital Engineering at IGT Solutions
    Real User
    Top 20
    Secure, expands well, and is easy to use
    Pros and Cons
    • "It does not slow down anything, unlike other solutions."
    • "I'm not noticing any missing features."

    What is our primary use case?

    We primarily use the solution for VPN purposes. 

    How has it helped my organization?

    Earlier, my teams used to use it very occasionally; however, right now, almost a hundred percent of the time, my teams are connecting over VPN and working.

    What is most valuable?

    It's a very good solution. My teams are currently distributed all over the globe and leading the software engineering work and for business purposes. In both cases, we found that it's a very secure solution. When we combined it with Microsoft View, it gives a multi-factor authentication, plus a few other things, which makes it quite useful when we move to this remote way of working a couple of years back. 

    Depending on the business needs, it's able to scale. When we were a small team of only 20 people working remotely. We were able to use a much slower configuration, and we were able to work based on the business needs. However, once when the pandemic happened, we had to scale up. We had to put in multiple teams working and building solutions. It was able to quickly add on software storage, memory, and other resources to be able to scale it. This software is able to scale to our needs. It's pretty heavy, intensive network usage that our company does, and in the face of that, it works quite well.

    I'm more of a user than an admin. For me, it is very simple to use. I just double-click and there is a multi-factor authentication that happens, and I'm able to quickly login. I integrate it easily with our active directory. Using my single sign-on for my organization, I'm able to switch a profile, and I'm able to switch to a customer's plan. It's pretty convenient in terms of usage.

    It does not slow down anything, unlike other solutions. It just puts a tunnel in place.

    Most organizations are using Microsoft Active Directory, and it integrates well.

    They are a market leader, and their security is quite good. 

    What needs improvement?

    I'm not noticing any missing features. 

    Most of the organizations are currently using Microsoft's Stack or Google Stack, so I don't think they need to build another product to do that.

    What do I think about the stability of the solution?

    The solution is stable. We are doing software engineering remotely and the whole day we are working. Some of my team members are working from home, and they are using it without issue.

    What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

    We have 500 plus people across five continents using the solution.

    The solution easily scales to meet your needs.

    How are customer service and support?

    I've not needed technical support. We have our own infrastructure team within our organization and they're able to handle it. I've never needed actually to reach out to Cisco for their support.

    Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

    I've used other VPNs like RSA and Juniper and all that before, and those are a little cumbersome. They were quite glitchy and heavy work was not possible.

    What other advice do I have?

    I'm an end-user.

    I'm not sure of which version number we are on. However, we do keep the solution up-to-date. 

    Originally, we had done it on-prem. Now, we have deployed it on the Microsoft Azure Cloud.

    Almost all the custom companies that I'm working with are currently using Cisco AnyConnect. These are tier one products used in military-grade environments.

    I'd rate the solution around an eight out of ten. Since I started using Cisco AnyConnect maybe five years back, it's been pretty stable. 

    I'd advise potential users to use it with multi-factor authentication. Just in a business environment, if you don't set it up with multi-factor authentication, it can tend to be misused. Originally, a few years back, I would see situations where multiple people were using the same VPN and sharing IDs. In the current way of work, way of configuration, it configures to your Microsoft View and actually does authentication to ensure it's a unique user. As a business with security needs, I would recommend to an organization ensures there is no VPN or ID sharing. 

    Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

    Public Cloud

    If public cloud, private cloud, or hybrid cloud, which cloud provider do you use?

    Microsoft Azure
    Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
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    PeerSpot user
    Network Services Manager at a legal firm with 1,001-5,000 employees
    Real User
    User-friendly, easy to install, but the performance is slow and the VPN is becoming out dated
    Pros and Cons
    • "Configuration policy, posture assessment, and other things can be done in great detail."
    • "I believe that the authentication component may be enhanced. SAML, more specifically user authentication."

    What is our primary use case?

    We use the Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client for remote user access.

    Our use case is primarily for users to connect to the network while at home or for those who are traveling.

    It is for users to work remotely.

    What is most valuable?

    It is easy to use.

    Configuration policy, posture assessment, and other things can be done in great detail.

    What needs improvement?

    I believe that the authentication component may be enhanced. SAML, more specifically user authentication. 

    For instance, to sign in to Windows, you must provide your login and password. When you log in and want to use SAML authentication, it should be able to use the credentials you give Windows and send them along, saving you from having to enter your credentials multiple times. That is something I would like to see them improve on.

    For how long have I used the solution?

    I have been using the Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client for ten years.

    We are working with version 4.7.

    What do I think about the stability of the solution?

    Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client works well, and it is stable.

    People have occasionally complained that it is slow, but it could be anything. It could be their home network or anything else.

    The only other option is to go into architecture and decide how you want to use it, which I do not recommend. 

    Given how people access, remote access, and work from home, I don't recommend simply repairing the gateway in your home frame data center.

    It should be stored in the cloud. Even if you are using it on-premises, you should be able to use Cisco Connect Plus or some kind of SaaS, Zero Trust network to offload your internet or head into the cloud if you have cloud services, and not just strictly VPN. Where everyone connects to your data center's VPN Gateway. And you make the decision.

    What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

    Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client scales well.

    We put the DNS Load Balancer in the cloud and the VPN Gateway in different data centers for redundancy and low selling, among other things. As a result, people only hit one DNS entry, one host, and I could be accessing the gateway in a different data center. I can easily scale.

    This product is used throughout my entire firm. At any given time, I would estimate that we have between 1,500 and 2,000 users.

    How was the initial setup?

    The initial setup is fairly straightforward. It's pretty easy.

    When you are set up and working, there is not much to maintain. 

    The only thing to note is that if you set up that policy to scan your PC, you need to stay up to date on what your desktop team is doing. 

    For example, you must be aware of your Windows version, or your antivirus, and address the policy accordingly.

    What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

    The initial cost is the ASA and other items, but after that, it is relatively inexpensive. 

    You purchase an AnyConnect license. We have approximately 2,500 licenses, and they are not that expensive.  

    I don't recall the exact figure, but it is approximately $2,000 or $3,000 dollars here. Alternatively, a 3,500 concurrent connection.

    What other advice do I have?

    VPN is out of date. People are now more aware of and interested in Zero Trust Network. With Zero Trust Network, I have reviewed Palo Alto and Cisco, and I must admit that Cisco's products are lacking.

    AnyConnect version and flavor offered by Cisco are inadequate. Therefore, sometime between now and next year, we'll probably migrate to Palo Alto for Zero Trust Network and do away with the use of VPN completely.

    I would rate Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client a seven out of ten.

    Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
    Flag as inappropriate
    PeerSpot user
    Senior software Developer at E Clinical Works
    Real User
    Top 20
    Secure, easy to set up, and offers good connectivity
    Pros and Cons
    • "The initial setup is very easy."
    • "I haven't found there are any shortcomings in the product. For how I use it, it works well."

    What is our primary use case?

    We are using the solution to accommodate working from home. We need to connect with our office server so that we can use the work network. This allows us to connect each team member from their personal computer. We also use a firewall to provide a set of rules that the organization chooses in terms of access. We use AnyConnect to connect everyone to the office server and the services. 

    What is most valuable?

    It's great that this product is providing a virtual cloud-based service. With it, we have some servers in some other places, and we are able to connect with our local network provider. We are able to connect to those office servers and that's important to me.

    The initial setup is very easy.

    The solution is stable. 

    You get up to 12 hours of connectivity in one session. 

    It will not allow anybody to use my credentials to access my machine. There's two-factor authentification and good security. 

    What needs improvement?

    I haven't found there are any shortcomings in the product. For how I use it, it works well. 

    For how long have I used the solution?

    I have been using the solution for about four and a half years now. 

    What do I think about the stability of the solution?

    It's a stable product. I have a good connection. In India, we have 200 to 300 Mbps and that seems fine. It offers up to 12 hours of connectivity in one go.

    What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

    I'm not aware of the scalability. It's not an aspect of the product I've tested.

    There are more than 5,000 people in my company right now. That's in India and around the world. About 50% of the people are doing work from home. Therefore, a good number of people are using this product regularly.

    How are customer service and support?

    We have our own support in the company that we can reach out to if we have issues. We do not directly contact Cisco. My understanding is they have a good, strong backup team and a second team that can provide installations. 

    How was the initial setup?

    It is simple to set up the product. It's not overly complex or difficult for me. 

    In this particular organization, it came pre-installed. However, I had installed it. That was at another company. I just got the application and installed it on my local server, and used the documentation provided to handle the process. 

    It took about 15 to 20 minutes to deploy the product. It's very fast.

    What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

    You do need to pay to use the service. However, I don't deal with payments or licensing. I can't speak to the exact price. 

    What other advice do I have?

    We're a customer and end-user.

    I'd recommend the product. It's quite secure, and Cisco provides good services. If you need to connect on a regular basis to your organization, AnyCOnnect is quite useful. The VPN on AnyConnect is easily modified. Nobody will be able to look into your system if you are using AnyConnect. It's better than any free options on the market.

    I'd rate the solution nine out of ten. The current technology is very good. 

    Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
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    PeerSpot user
    Solutions Consultant at a comms service provider with 10,001+ employees
    Real User
    Top 10
    Reliable, easy to set up, and has helpful technical support services
    Pros and Cons
    • "Technical support is always helpful."
    • "If there's any cloud version available, instead of on-premise, that would be ideal."

    What is our primary use case?

    It's for mobile users accessing corporate resources from the internet.

    What is most valuable?

    For some with a client list, you don't have to prepare any client beforehand. You just access the URL and you can download it, so that's easy. It doesn't require any prep on the client's end which makes implementation faster. It's an easy initial setup.

    Technical support is always helpful.

    It's stable.

    The solution has the potential to scale. 

    What needs improvement?

    If there's any cloud version available, instead of on-premise, that would be ideal. That's one thing that could be helpful.

    For how long have I used the solution?

    I've had a few cases over the last five years

    What do I think about the stability of the solution?

    I haven't received any complaints about this solution. We haven't had a word of many bugs or glitches. It doesn't crash or freeze on clients. It is reliable. 

    What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

    The solution can scale to a certain point. Up to 500, companies should be okay. After that, we may run into problems. That's our product design. That's maybe not have something to do with the product itself.

    Typically, our clients get licenses for 20 to 30 people. All levels of an organization can have access to the product. Anyone can use it. 

    How are customer service and support?

    We provide technical support to our clients. 

    In terms of us reaching out to support, it's rare that I get disappointed with Cisco tech. They are quite responsive and knowledgeable as well.

    How would you rate customer service and support?

    Positive

    How was the initial setup?

    The initial implementation process is simple. 

    The size of the deployment depends on the amount of personnel you'll need, however, in our experience, we've only ever needed one or two people to deploy it. 

    After we get an order from the customer, they have some admin work to be done, which takes probably up to two weeks or three weeks. After three weeks, we have the project manager and the engineer assigned to the opportunity. Then, it might take up to ten days.

    Maintenance is minimal. We may only need one or two people to handle maintenance. We don't have many issues with the solution.

    What about the implementation team?

    We provide assistance to our clients in terms of setting the solution up.

    What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

    Licensing usually involves a yearly contract. I don't have any details in terms of what the exact pricing is, exactly. 

    The pricing is all-inclusive. You don't need to concern yourself with add-on costs. 

    What other advice do I have?

    We are a partner. We sell to and implement for our customers.

    We tend to use the latest version that we have on our server. It may not be the latest in the market, however, our engineering team chooses the best software for our service, so it's the latest on our server. The difference is that it may not be the latest in the market.

    I'd rate the solution eight out of ten. 

    Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

    On-premises
    Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
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    Afsal Kaniyarakkal - PeerSpot reviewer
    IT System Administrator at Malomatia
    Real User
    Top 5
    Good posturing and great web interface but needs to be easier to implement
    Pros and Cons
    • "It is easy to scale."
    • "We'd like the product to be cheaper."

    What is our primary use case?

    We have around 500 employees working all over Qatar as well as outside - in India and Egypt. And they use to connect to our corporate network with this product.

    What is most valuable?

    The posturing is working well.

    We have network access control. It's nice to have and easy to manage and easy to add routes, et cetera. We can easily add the route over the VPN whenever we have a new network.

    The setup was simple with a little bit of assistance. 

    It is easy to scale.

    The solution is stable. 

    It has a good web interface. 

    What needs improvement?

    Initially, we had an issue with the posturing, however, now it's improved. A lot of improvement can happen on this still as well. Right now, the posturing that we can do is only over the Windows update. We are considering the services. We cannot assess whether that particular update is installed or not.

    The implementation can be difficult and time-consuming without help. 

    We'd like the product to be cheaper. 

    For how long have I used the solution?

    I've used the solution for maybe two and a half years now. 

    What do I think about the stability of the solution?

    The solution is stable so as long as we don't have any restart happening or any power interruptions.

    What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

    The solution can scale. You simply add licenses. It's easy.

    We have about 500 users on the solution. 

    How are customer service and support?

    We request support from a local vendor many times. We have not lately used Cisco. The vendor is quite good. However, they are very busy, however. If we ask them for immediate support, we cannot get them. That's likely due to the fact that they're the only good technical vendor for Cisco here in Qatar.

    Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

    We are using Cisco AnyConnect as well as OpenVPN.

    How was the initial setup?

    The setup was easy. We had vendor support. The vendor support was good. The local vendor was good here. 

    We spent around a week finalizing the deployment.

    What about the implementation team?

    We have a local partner or local vendor here in Qatar. They helped us with the implementation. 

    What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

    You are charged per user, unlike, for example, Fortinet. With FortiClient, you can add as much as you want. 

    I can't speak to the exact cost, however. We have a procurement team that handles that.

    What other advice do I have?

    I'm a customer and end-user.

    We recently updated the solution maybe three months ago. We are on the newest version. 

    It's a good solution. That said, considering the current market, it's a bit more costly than other solutions.

    I'd rate the solution seven out of ten. I'd rate it higher if the implementation was easier and the cost was lower. 

    Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

    On-premises
    Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
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    Hakan Taskin - PeerSpot reviewer
    Senior Solution Sales Consultant at a tech services company with 10,001+ employees
    Real User
    Top 20
    Customizable, straightforward implementation, and secure
    Pros and Cons
    • "The solution is secure and has a lot of benefits."
    • "There are times the WiFi connectivity has disruptions and you have disconnections. It doesn't work with two connections. I have two switches back and forth sometimes. It doesn't have a failback scenario feature. However, on the gateway side, it does, but on the user device, it doesn't have that kind of option. It would be nice to have this feature."

    What is our primary use case?

    We are using Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client when we are connecting to our internal network. Additionally, we are using it when we are connecting to our customers' networks when we have to do any operation remotely. I am using it almost on a daily basis.

    When we have different networks internally and different connectivities that we have to go through, such as a gateway, I can change my gateway if a gateway fails. It automatically finds a suitable one, and if there's a new system that has to be behind a different gateway, I can edit, and I can authorize it. Not everybody can see it, only whoever is approved can. It's a very good solution. It is providing the same authentication and similar facilities on my mobile application. I have an iPhone and some of my colleagues have Android, and it works on them.

    How has it helped my organization?

    Every time I have to connect to the network I use this solution. It is a customizable solution, it makes life easier for me. It makes the global workforce work much easier and more secure.

    What is most valuable?

    The solution is secure and has a lot of benefits.

    What needs improvement?

    There are times the WiFi connectivity has disruptions and you have disconnections. It doesn't work with two connections. I have two switches back and forth sometimes. It doesn't have a failback scenario feature. However, on the gateway side, it does, but on the user device, it doesn't have that kind of option. It would be nice to have this feature.

    When a connection is from company to company using a VPN from the customer's network, it doesn't allow you to connect. It doesn't allow you connection if are on a secure internal network. It doesn't allow you to connect. this is a difficulty because sometimes customers are saying we have to get connected through VPN to a specific network for a specific meeting for one reason or another.

    For how long have I used the solution?

    I have been using the Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client for approximately three years.

    What do I think about the stability of the solution?

    Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client is stable.

    What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

    The stability of the Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client is very good. At the beginning of the pandemic, we had to expand the connectivity a lot and in a very short time, which the solution was able to handle well.

    We have approximately 5,000 people using the solution in my organization. Everyone is using it.

    How are customer service and support?

    I have not connected with technical support.

    How was the initial setup?

    Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client is simple to set up.

    What other advice do I have?

    I rate Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client a nine out of ten.

    Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

    On-premises
    Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
    PeerSpot user
    Buyer's Guide
    Download our free Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions.
    Updated: March 2023
    Buyer's Guide
    Download our free Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions.