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Arista Edge Threat Management NG Firewall vs Cisco IOS Security comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Sep 16, 2024

Review summaries and opinions

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

Categories and Ranking

Arista Edge Threat Manageme...
Ranking in Firewalls
41st
Average Rating
7.2
Reviews Sentiment
6.6
Number of Reviews
4
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
Cisco IOS Security
Ranking in Firewalls
40th
Average Rating
8.0
Reviews Sentiment
6.8
Number of Reviews
49
Ranking in other categories
Intrusion Detection and Prevention Software (IDPS) (16th)
 

Mindshare comparison

As of July 2026, in the Firewalls category, the mindshare of Arista Edge Threat Management NG Firewall is 0.3%, up from 0.1% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Cisco IOS Security is 0.6%, up from 0.3% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Firewalls Mindshare Distribution
ProductMindshare (%)
Cisco IOS Security0.6%
Arista Edge Threat Management NG Firewall0.3%
Other99.1%
Firewalls
 

Featured Reviews

TarunKumar11 - PeerSpot reviewer
Global Leadership Council at a tech company with 10,001+ employees
Secure internet access has reduced threats and simplifies firewall management for distributed teams
Threat detection needs improvement; Arista Edge Threat Management NG Firewall should follow Alto and Fortinet. One limitation that I've seen is AI-driven automation which needs to vastly improve. It has fewer third-party integrations, and therefore the adoption amongst very large enterprises is less; it's largely with the SMBs. Customer support can be improved. It's a smaller global footprint that Arista provides, with fewer certified partners in some regions and limited 24/7 support for premium vendors. I've categorically mentioned that it has sophisticated threat detection capabilities but they can be bettered. AI-driven automation can be improved, and therefore, I think the adoption with large enterprises can be much better. I think the current AI capabilities of Arista Edge Threat Management NG Firewall are a bit limited compared to other vendors. It primarily relies on threat intelligence feeds, signature-based detection, and reputation services. Currently, I would rate its AI capabilities as probably a seven out of ten because it does not provide for extensive GenAI or advanced ML-driven autonomous capabilities like some of its competitors. Threat intelligence aspects can be further improved, and I think there's a lot that the product can do with respect to the usage of AI. AI-driven automation and threat detection can vastly improve. I don't think they were purchased through AWS Marketplace. The adoption has to increase amongst large customers, and threat intelligence needs to improve for many customers to adopt, enhancing the security ecosystem that is relatively small.
Danijel Cerovecki - PeerSpot reviewer
Head of Cyber Defense Department and Network Technologies Department at Verso Altima
Have faced challenges in keeping licensing clear and consistent while ensuring reliable network protection
We are a Gold Partner with Cisco. Our customers come from various industries, including service providers, and we target service providers and enterprise customers.We do not extensively use Zone-Based Firewalls in Cisco IOS Security, instead typically deploying standalone firewalls such as Cisco FTDs or Cisco ASA devices. For threat analytics and vulnerability scanning, we utilize third-party vendors with dedicated devices and software. We use products such as Tenable from Nessus for this type of analysis. We have implemented Secure Access Control Server in Cisco IOS Security, which combines multiple security mechanisms including AAA, 802.1X for network access control with Cisco ICE, TrustSec for identity-based segmentation, and Cisco DNA Center. Cisco IOS Security's VPN support is comprehensive and increasingly important in daily communication, from basic site-to-site tunnels to remote access VPNs and SD-WAN secure VPNs. Protecting and encrypting communication is essential in modern networks. The challenges with Cisco IOS Security are more operational than product-related. There is an understaffing issue, making automation and orchestration capabilities particularly valuable. For the products themselves, we only encounter routine operational matters such as addressing new vulnerabilities and patching. For those considering Cisco IOS Security, it is important to understand that Cisco offers a complete ecosystem. When embracing the Cisco ecosystem fully, customers receive excellent products and comprehensive solutions. On a scale of 1-10, I rate Cisco IOS Security a 9.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"Phish Blocker is a valuable feature."
"I would say that if you're a small and medium enterprise or an education institution and you have a distributed organization looking for a cost-effective and easy-to-manage next-generation firewall solution with fairly good security, VPN, filtering, and centralized management, then Arista Edge Threat Management NG Firewall is an excellent choice."
"The product's initial setup phase is easy."
"Arista Edge Threat Management NG Firewall has positively impacted my organization by reducing botnet attacks."
"Cisco IOS Security is very robust and works very well."
"Thinking about the ease of managing these platforms and the technical support that we have, we can avoid extra costs and investments."
"One of the main features is that the hardware is extremely reliable."
"Technical support for this solution is very good."
"Cisco IOS Security increases the overall security of our network, performs authentication, and provides level 15 access and privileges."
"I've found their network routing to be very good."
"IOS Security is more stable than competitors, and Cisco is more comprehensive in its approach."
"The solution is easy to use."
 

Cons

"Threat detection needs improvement; Arista Edge Threat Management NG Firewall should follow Alto and Fortinet."
"The documentation is not clear."
"Arista Edge Threat Management NG Firewall can be improved, particularly the user interface, which is not very good, and also the logs, which are not very good."
"The product has a lot to improve in the area of policy implementation."
"With Cisco IOS, especially the routers, don't have like long-term tendency features, or high availability features available for the IOS. Also, it could use a better user interface."
"The configuration should be easier in the solution."
"An area for improvement in Cisco IOS Security is the performance because it's not as stable sometimes. There's also some latency in the solution, which could be improved. Cisco IOS Security integrates with other solutions, but you'll encounter many errors after integration, so this is another area for improvement. I'd like to see enhanced performance and a simplified setup in the next version of Cisco IOS Security."
"IOS security related IPS facility is not as strong as Cisco ASA and the signature file of IPS does not update automatically like Cisco ASA."
"I wish it would be more like the next generation firewall technology. There should be more selection between the application and filtering."
"The solution's costs are quite high. It's a turn-off in terms of actually using it."
"There are the usual bugs that are inherent to some software upgrades. Sometimes this provides some unexpected issues, however, it happens with all brands all the time."
"In the security portfolio from Cisco, the issue is marketing. Cisco is still seen primarily as an enterprise network player rather than being acknowledged as a security vendor."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"I consider it an averagely-priced tool."
"The tool is quite cheap."
"You can get a better price if you commit to a longer-term license. Three years, five years, or even seven or ten years will be cheaper than a three-month or one-year term."
"We can purchase its licenses as per specific business requirements."
"The cost may be around $5,000 to $10,000 a year. If you want support you have to pay at least this price."
"It is necessary to pay for a license in order to use the solution. It is on a yearly basis and the price is high."
"The tool could be priced lower. If you want advanced services, then you need to purchase them."
"The pricing is average and includes all features with support."
"The pricing for Cisco IOS Security is reasonable compared to other Cisco products."
"It is an expensive solution."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Construction Company
36%
Comms Service Provider
9%
Healthcare Company
8%
Real Estate/Law Firm
3%
Construction Company
19%
Financial Services Firm
10%
Computer Software Company
8%
Manufacturing Company
8%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
No data available
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business20
Midsize Enterprise14
Large Enterprise18
 

Questions from the Community

What needs improvement with Arista Edge Threat Management NG Firewall?
Arista Edge Threat Management NG Firewall can be improved, particularly the user interface, which is not very good, and also the logs, which are not very good.
What advice do you have for others considering Arista Edge Threat Management NG Firewall?
My advice to others looking into using Arista Edge Threat Management NG Firewall is that it is effective and accomplishes its purpose. I would rate this product a 7 out of 10.
What is your primary use case for Arista Edge Threat Management NG Firewall?
My main use case for Arista Edge Threat Management NG Firewall is as a perimeter firewall. I use it as a perimeter firewall by protecting internet traffic, specifically user to internet traffic.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Cisco IOS Security?
The cost of Cisco IOS Security for customers is on the higher end of pricing compared to the competition, depending on the targeted customers.This can be a major issue as enterprise customers are o...
What needs improvement with Cisco IOS Security?
Regarding improvements in Cisco IOS Security, what consistently confuses me is the inability of Cisco to maintain a clear licensing policy.This is an issue that I have observed for years now. Cisco...
What is your primary use case for Cisco IOS Security?
The main use cases for Cisco IOS Security include elementary device hardening, access control, control-plane policing, AAA (Authentication, Authorization, and Accounting), network security, Layer 2...
 

Also Known As

No data available
IOS Security
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Information Not Available
Arup Group, Brunel University London, City of Biel, Gobierno de Castilla-La Mancha, K&L Gates , New South Wales Rural Fire Service, Offshore Northern Seas, Transplace
Find out what your peers are saying about Arista Edge Threat Management NG Firewall vs. Cisco IOS Security and other solutions. Updated: June 2026.
902,988 professionals have used our research since 2012.