I primarily focus on managing secure settings for our organization. About ninety percent of my work involves overseeing security measures. I begin by concentrating on the operational site and then extend my attention to other aspects, such as network sites. As I progress, I tackle new tasks that come my way, often centered around enhancing security and efficiency.
Team Lead Networks & Security Operation Centre at Central Depository Company
Robust email security with advanced threat protection, seamless integration with the Cisco security ecosystem, and flexibility in deployment options
Pros and Cons
- "Capital expenditure is a significant consideration, and the impact on major expenditures prompts a careful analysis before onboarding the new product."
- "Many smaller businesses opt for more cost-effective solutions, such as Gmail or Hotmail accounts, instead of investing in Cisco Secure Email, given its higher cost."
What is our primary use case?
How has it helped my organization?
The primary consideration for adopting a new product revolves around its most valuable features, and this assessment is product-specific. In our organization, we heavily rely on this evaluation to determine if the product aligns with our needs.
What is most valuable?
Capital expenditure is a significant consideration, and the impact on major expenditures prompts a careful analysis before onboarding the new product. We evaluate its suitability for our organization, assessing whether it aligns with our requirements.
What needs improvement?
Many smaller businesses opt for more cost-effective solutions, such as Gmail or Hotmail accounts, instead of investing in Cisco Secure Email, given its higher cost. While theoretical knowledge, especially in terms of POC and PNA technology, is commendable, the challenge lies in the practical application.
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Cisco Secure Email
April 2025

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For how long have I used the solution?
We have been working with it for the past five months.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The stability depends on the volume of the workload.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
It provides a high scalability. Our customers are enterprise businesses. I would rate is eight out of ten.
How are customer service and support?
It provides good customer support services. I would rate it nine out of ten.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Positive
What about the implementation team?
The ease of deployment is contingent upon the size of the organization, specifically the number of users and titles involved. If the deployment is for a smaller organization, with a straightforward configuration, it can be completed quickly, often within a month or two. In contrast, for larger enterprises with a significant number of users, numerous branches, and a complex organizational structure, the deployment timeline can extend to six to eight months.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
It is a relatively expensive option compared to other alternatives. I would rate it eight out of ten.
What other advice do I have?
While Cisco is a preferred choice for larger enterprises, its products, especially in the realm of security, tend to be more expensive due to their advanced features. Many organizations commonly rely on Microsoft Outlook for their email needs. Transitioning to Cisco security solutions, including Cisco SecureMail, requires careful consideration and typically involves a learning stage. The decision between traditional hardware and virtual machines (VMs) for deploying solutions like Cisco Secure Mail often depends on financial considerations. VMs are generally more cost-effective compared to dedicated hardware, leading industries to increasingly favor VM deployment. The choice is particularly relevant when the server's capabilities are robust enough to meet organizational needs. Overall, I would rate it nine out of ten.
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?
Other
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer. Partner

Technical Presales Consultant : Cisco Security at Inflow Technologies
Integrates very well with established threat detection engines and a comprehensive suite of products
What is our primary use case?
We use Cisco email security against threats such as phishing and malware and block weaponized URLs. Cisco provides a cloud solution, along with the appliance, and a hybrid solution is also there. We deploy the solution as per the customer's requirements.
What is most valuable?
The solution is very robust because it talks to Cisco Talos. Talos is the number one threat detection engine, the most trustworthy and used globally. That's one strong reason we back our products. Not only do we use it on our premises, but this is the product's main USP when we sell it.
What needs improvement?
Cross-platform is one major pain point. Many of our clients use an open-source Linux system. These components cannot provide for any Ubuntu or any Linux open-source system, and that's where we get stuck most of the time. Previously, we were doing a POC for Cisco Umbrella, and we got stuck at the point where the customer had almost 200 to 300 of his endpoints, almost 80% of his workforce, working on Linux. This was both on the server and roaming user sides, and Cisco has no solution for Ubuntu. We have raised this suggestion many times when interacting with Cisco during seminars and webinars we've attended. However, we only got feedback from them that they will introduce that feature very soon with their Cisco AnyConnect agent. But it's still only available for Windows and Mac.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've used this solution for one year.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The product is stable. There have been no complaints from the customers. Fine-tuning is important, which will come whenever you go live, especially for larger domains where customers have 1,000 or 2,000 email IDs and multiple domains. That is the only challenge where we have to fine-tune the policies. But the product is stable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Cisco Email Security's scalability is good. We have had a couple of cases where the user increased the licenses. There is no challenge to scalability. For the past year, there have been four to five customers to whom we have sold the product.
How are customer service and support?
Cisco's technical support is excellent. Whenever we contact tech support, the hierarchy starts with our regional ACs. If they cannot resolve our issue, we contact TAC, and TAC is a ten-on-ten. They're well versed with their technology. They know the capabilities of their product and how it works. The one thing we expect when we contact an OEM technical person is clarity on the subject and the issue. There should not be a gray area. When we reach out to them with any issue and when the customer is also on the call and has already purchased the product or is about to purchase the product, the most important thing is for there not to be a gray area in figuring out whether the product will work or not. That's more important than providing a prompt solution. Cisco's tech support always clarifies whether a feature will work before proceeding with the solution. If it is possible, they always provide the solution. If it is impossible, they provide the proper documentation explaining why it is impossible.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Positive
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is straightforward. That's one of the main USPs, the deployment of these products. It takes hardly 20 minutes to deploy Umbrella over a network. And with email security, it's less than a one-hour job. After deploying, the fine-tuning part comes. That comes under the policies, so I don't count that under deployment. The next step will take another one or two hours, but not more than that.
When deploying the solution, we first go on a call with the customer, understand their pain points, and understand their existing network. We have to analyze the scope of work before deploying. Depending upon the existing setup the customer has, we make our steps. "Is there any prerequisite required? Are there any virtual appliances needed in the network to be deployed?" Accordingly, we will plan our activities. In a two or three-hour call for the first session, we have to define what we have to cover, and in the second session, we have to define the success criteria. The deployment is not a template. It changes from customer to customer.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
Cisco's price point is good. When we talk about Cisco to our customers, they already have the mindset that Cisco has a particular price point. It beats other competitors when it comes to the quality of the product.
What other advice do I have?
I rate Cisco Secure Mail a nine out of ten. Cisco is improving. We had a session where we asked them to improve their GUI. They have improved it and the end-user experience because it was too mechanical a dashboard earlier, where it was difficult to find mail logs. We recommend the solution.
We use Umbrella for our DNS layer security, blocking all the DNS layer threats. For endpoint security, we are using Cisco Amp. Whenever there is a requirement, we hunt for greenfield opportunities where no Cisco solution is present. We can then create a window where we can reach in. We deploy one product and then explain the single vendor advantages to customers. That mostly goes with the Cisco Umbrella, which goes hand in hand with Meraki. Once the user gets his ecosystem on Cisco, giving a single vendor solution is possible.
Similarly, XDR is there. XDR is one of the key products we're pitching these days. It's a simple single glass pane where we can orchestrate all the customer's products from a single dashboard. That's a major concern we hear these days from security personnel and IT teams. They have several products from several OEMs, and whenever it comes to orchestration or finding a glitch, they have to access all the products independently on different tabs or screens.
As far as policies and security with the components are concerned, Cisco is the perfect product.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Hybrid Cloud
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer. Reseller
Buyer's Guide
Cisco Secure Email
April 2025

Learn what your peers think about Cisco Secure Email. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: April 2025.
859,687 professionals have used our research since 2012.
Senior operations manager at Orange
Comes with a DLP solution and updates database regularly
Pros and Cons
- "The tool has a DLP solution which we can implement. Its database is updated regularly."
- "The tool's pricing can be improved."
What is most valuable?
The tool has a DLP solution which we can implement. Its database is updated regularly.
What needs improvement?
The tool's pricing can be improved.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using the solution for seventeen years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Cisco Secure Email is stable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
We have more than 1500 users for the product.
How are customer service and support?
The tool's support is good.
How was the initial setup?
Cisco Secure Email's installation was straightforward. We discussed with the integrator, designed the implementation and tested the product.
What about the implementation team?
An integrator helped us with the product's installation.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
Cisco Secure Email is not expensive, and licensing costs are yearly.
What other advice do I have?
I rate Cisco Secure Email a nine out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
Information Security Specialist at IHV-Nigeria
Can be easily installed but needs improvements in the pricing model
Pros and Cons
- "The product's initial setup phase was easy."
- "There are some concerns in the way the architecture is set up, making it an area where improvements are required."
What is our primary use case?
My company operates as a service provider, and we use Cisco Secure Email so that we can secure the endpoints, systems, and emails in our data center.
What is most valuable?
The most valuable feature of the solution is the ease of use. It is easy to set up and manage the tool.
What needs improvement?
There are some concerns in the way the architecture is set up, making it an area where improvements are required. When you set up the tool, the way you put your SMTP routes should be possible through an easier process.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Cisco Secure Email for ten years. I am a customer of the tool.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The product is stable. The only challenge is the IPs get easily blacklisted. The IP addresses of IronPort devices easily get blacklisted. Cisco should make items to contact the companies whose IP addresses get blocked. During the configuration of the tool, there should be some provision in the product to indicate which IP addresses are from IronPort devices and not from the server.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
It is a scalable solution.
My company uses three Cisco Secure Email solutions in parallel. In my company, we have set the product for different segments or networks, but all three sync well with each other and work fine.
For administration purposes, there are five people who use the product. As end users, there are over 2,000 to 3,000 people who use the product.
How are customer service and support?
I am happy with the responses and the solutions provided by the solution's technical support.
How was the initial setup?
The product's initial setup phase was easy.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The product's price falls on the higher side when compared to the other products on the market.
Whether the product would be worth the money for a business is something that depends on what a company is trying to do with the solution. If you are looking at the profitability angle, the new can get cheaply priced solutions in the market. I work in a government organization where profit alone is not our goal, and we need a product that offers security.
What other advice do I have?
I recommend the product to those who plan to use it.
The DLP feature in the product is not a functionality that we have configured yet, but we do have access to its settings.
A beginner can learn to use Cisco Secure Email through a straightforward process.
Cisco Secure Email has integrated with our company's existing email gateway in a very straightforward manner through a configuration process involving IronPorts, and then URLs on IronPorts are set up.
Though it is easy to set up the product, the cost of the solution is not favorable for everybody.
I rate the tool a seven out of ten.
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
Associate Network Engineer at Allied Digital Services Ltd.
Easy to maintain and good TAC support
Pros and Cons
- "This solution provides some benefits, like comfortable access to TAC support. You get prompt support when working directly with Cisco."
- "In future releases, I would like to see two main improvements come to mind. First, the current solution requires maintaining two separate operating systems for FTD, which can be cumbersome. I'd love to see a single operating system for the FTD box."
What is most valuable?
This solution provides some benefits, like comfortable access to TAC support. You get prompt support when working directly with Cisco. Moreover, the current integration level is fine.
What needs improvement?
There are some drawbacks, like the pricing. It's not a default version, and the cost can be prohibitive. If you're working on projects where winning the bid is crucial, then the high price tag can be a major obstacle. Partnerships are required to use the solution. So it can be more affordable.
In future releases, I would like to see two main improvements come to mind. First, the current solution requires maintaining two separate operating systems for FTD, which can be cumbersome. I'd love to see a single operating system for the FTD box.
Second, some improvements could be made in the documentation and reporting.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using it for two years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Performance is actually very good. I have deployed around 10 to 15 instances of this solution, and so far, I haven't encountered any major issues. As of now, it's a good product.
I would rate the stability an eight out of ten.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
I would rate the scalability a nine out of ten.
How are customer service and support?
The customer service and support are very good.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Positive
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is not that easy. We needed experienced engineers because FTD is a new technology, especially if you're used to VMware or other on-box solutions. Cisco provides both on-box and VM solutions. However, deploying the FTD with the on-box option requires managing two separate operating systems: the FXOS and the FTD. It's not the most user-friendly process, but once deployed, management is quite easy.
You can use the FMC to manage all Cisco security products from one place, making management convenient. However, deployment is still a bit clunky.
What about the implementation team?
Deployment typically takes a whole day. The time can vary depending on the number of firewalls involved. Updating the system can also be time-consuming, especially with the new FCDI and FCDO operating systems.
Maintenance is actually quite easy after initial deployment. Once a supplier sets it up, ongoing maintenance is straightforward.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
I would rate the pricing a ten out of ten, where one is cheap, and ten is expensive.
What other advice do I have?
Overall, I would rate the solution a ten out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer. MSP
Regional Manager at Digitaltrack
An easy-to-use product with good security features
Pros and Cons
- "It is a user-friendly product."
- "There could be additional DLP functionality for it."
What is our primary use case?
We use Cisco Secure Email for email security.
What is most valuable?
The product stands out compared to other vendors in simplicity and ease of use. It is competitive and should be considered a user-friendly option. Its integration capability is good as well.
What needs improvement?
It would be beneficial to have additional DLP functionality, particularly in the email DLP aspect. It could be included in the next release of the product.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've been using Cisco Secure Email for ten years. Currently, I'm using the latest version.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The stability of the product is a ten on ten.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Scalability-wise, I rate the product a nine out of ten.
How are customer service and support?
I've had a good experience with Cisco's customer service and support team. They respond immediately.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Positive
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We have worked with Barracuda Email Security and Trend Micro Email Security.
How was the initial setup?
We have deployed Cisco Secure Email both on-premises and in the cloud. One can use it as a private cloud solution or a virtual appliance in a cloud environment. The implementation and configuration process, including the dashboard, was user-friendly and straightforward. Along with it, the on-premises deployment was easy. It took less than an hour to complete.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
It is a reasonably priced solution. I rate its pricing as a seven out of ten.
What other advice do I have?
Cisco Secure Email is easy-to-use. I highly recommend it and rate it an eight out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Hybrid Cloud
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
Pre Sales Manager at Logix
A hybrid solution for email security that filters spam emails that needs to improve its UI
Pros and Cons
- "The strong point of the solution is that we hardly get any spam emails because of Cisco Secure Email."
- "Scalability has certain shortcomings and needs to be improved because there are service providers who provide better scalability.v"
What is our primary use case?
The product is used for email security. We have around forty boxes of Cisco and cater to around four million users.
What is most valuable?
The strong point of the solution is that we hardly get any spam emails because of Cisco Secure Email. It has been a long time since I saw a spam email in my inbox.
What needs improvement?
Scalability has certain shortcomings and needs to be improved because there are service providers who provide better scalability.
Our company constantly checks out what the solution needs to improve. We need to be updated with what is available in the market and which application performs better.
The solution's UI needs little tweaking because most customers find it to be a very detailed and technically designed UI. If a person does not know email security or how Cisco devices work, he cannot manage it.
Other solutions are user-friendly. Even if the admin has a basic knowledge of managing the services, he can use them.
Cisco Secure Email needs to work on the security part, but it also needs to work on UI since it makes part of the entire solution.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Cisco Secure Email since 2010. My company is an email security service provider. I am using the solution's latest version.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The product is stable.
I rate the solution's stability an eight out of ten.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
We have four million users using the solution. In India, we are a premium service provider of Cisco Secure Email catering to many institutions.
I rate the solution's scalability a six out of ten.
How are customer service and support?
Cisco's technical support is good. I rate the technical support an eight and a half out of ten.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Positive
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We have used Sophos and Mimecast before in our company.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is very straightforward, but a new person needs to be trained to use this solution.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The solution has very good pricing.
I rate the pricing a ten out of ten on a scale where one means it is less cost-effective, and ten means it is the most cost-effective solution.
What other advice do I have?
I recommend Cisco Secure Email to those planning to use it.
Around 40 administrators are required for maintenance.
Overall, I rate the solution a seven out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Hybrid Cloud
If public cloud, private cloud, or hybrid cloud, which cloud provider do you use?
Other
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
Senior Network and Security Engineer at Symbol Technologies PLC
Designed to secure email activities and interactions within such systems
Pros and Cons
- "Cisco Secure Email is part of Cisco's extensive efforts and investments in technology, especially in the realm of cyber security. The product is one among many security solutions offered by Cisco."
- "While Cisco offers excellent solutions and innovations, the pricing may not be suitable for everyone. The cost of the software is relatively high. In the current market, there are numerous competitive alternatives that focus on security, enterprise networks, and various other aspects. Cisco, being a comprehensive provider, extends its expertise across data, servers, storage, and security, making them a preferred choice for many enterprises. However, when it comes specifically to security solutions, there are other vendors that specialize solely in this domain, offering competitive options."
What is our primary use case?
We use Cisco Secure Email for email security, aiming to safeguard email communications. It plays a crucial role in protecting the integrity of email integrations, particularly as many companies now opt for Microsoft email services. It's designed to secure email activities and interactions within such systems.
What is most valuable?
Cisco Secure Email is part of Cisco's extensive efforts and investments in technology, especially in the realm of cyber security. The product is one among many security solutions offered by Cisco.
What needs improvement?
While Cisco offers excellent solutions and innovations, the pricing may not be suitable for everyone. The cost of the software is relatively high. In the current market, there are numerous competitive alternatives that focus on security, enterprise networks, and various other aspects. Cisco, being a comprehensive provider, extends its expertise across data, servers, storage, and security, making them a preferred choice for many enterprises. However, when it comes specifically to security solutions, there are other vendors that specialize solely in this domain, offering competitive options.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've personally been working with Cisco Secure Email for the past three to four years. However, in a professional capacity, I've been dedicated to the field of security for about one year and eighteen months.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
I will rate it 8 out of 10.
How are customer service and support?
They were helpful.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Positive
How was the initial setup?
Migrating to cloud systems could be challenging.
What about the implementation team?
We handle end-to-end implementation and also provide support services.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
It is expensive. I would rate it 2 out of 10, where 1 is the most expensive and 10 is the cheapest.
What other advice do I have?
I consider Cisco Secure Email to be a top-notch product and would rate it as a ten out of ten.
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.

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