Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client vs SonicWall SMA comparison

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Netgate Logo
63 views|25 comparisons
100% willing to recommend
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12,051 views|7,942 comparisons
93% willing to recommend
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1,227 views|858 comparisons
90% willing to recommend
Comparison Buyer's Guide
Executive Summary

We performed a comparison between Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client and SonicWall SMA based on real PeerSpot user reviews.

Find out in this report how the two Enterprise Infrastructure VPN solutions compare in terms of features, pricing, service and support, easy of deployment, and ROI.
To learn more, read our detailed Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client vs. SonicWall SMA Report (Updated: March 2024).
768,578 professionals have used our research since 2012.
Featured Review
Quotes From Members
We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use.
Here are some excerpts of what they said:
Pros
"The solution has good performance.""It's an ideal gateway solution for small and medium businesses, i.e., around 300 devices can be easily handled."

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"The ability to add multiple two-factor authentication options for the user to choose from when they log in has helped increase the security of our network, especially with so many people working remotely.""Easy to deploy and has good NAC integration.""The solution provides seamless connectivity to the VPN without delay.""The solution is quite stable.""The setup is quick and easy on the client-side.""I like that it is really easy to use, it's a simple product. It can connect remotely with a secure network.""The solution has good performance. It is a simple tool to use, once I turn on Windows it automatically starts to use the VPN.""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."

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"Secure Mobile Access (SMA) is easy to configure and the deployment is straightforward. However, this is mostly because of the AWS setup.""Blocklisting and allowlisting are the most beneficial features for network security.""This solution has many options for remote desktop and access.""I think they ask for a fair price.""The management and the dashboard are the solution's most valuable features.""SonicWall SMA has the most valuable feature of proprietary security technologies like Capture ATP.""It is faster than other security options when using remote connections.""What I like best about SonicWall SMA is the relationship between its features and its price, because the solution is both affordable and functional."

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Cons
"There must be a more easy-to-use GUI."

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"There are some issues with connectivity and latency that should be improved.""There is nothing they need to improve at this moment.""If they could simplify connections via other machines, like Linux or Mac OS X, it would be helpful.""Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client could improve by making a feature to set it apart from other competitors.""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.""I think that the addition of single sign-on functionality would be helpful.""Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client could improve by optimizing the use of the system resources, it is heavy on the resources. Additionally, there could be more transparency.""All I care about is being connected and I know that we've run into versioning issues in the past."

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"The solution could integrate better with other platforms.""SonicWall SMA is difficult to use and it does not provide easy access to different parts of the network.""The product's technical support services could be improved.""The only thing that they could try to improve is the support for enterprise customers. Normally enterprises and SMBs can create a ticket, but for enterprises, SonicWall SMA needs to provide a global view, and this is what's currently missing. It's not even a question of timing. It's a question of the global vision because currently, it's lacking. They concentrate on the topic, but not on the means and not on the global picture. In most cases, there's something wrong with the integration of SonicWall SMA with other products, so that could also be improved.""User interface could be improved.""The solution has 2FA, it will generate a token and send it to an email, but multifactor authentication is not available. I would suggest that there should be MFA integration and provided with the appliance.""This is an expensive solution and I think that the price could be improved.""The overall menu is not very user-friendly and it could be easier."

More SonicWall SMA Cons →

Pricing and Cost Advice
  • "There is not a license required for this solution but the price should be less expensive."
  • More Netgate TNSR Pricing and Cost Advice →

  • "Sometimes there is a problem with the number of licenses for the end-user. The number of concurrent users is limited due to a valid license."
  • "The pricing depends on the requirement, so proper planning and an RF analysis help to properly size the solution and get the best pricing."
  • "The licensing costs are reasonable."
  • "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."
  • "I am using a paid version of Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client."
  • "One thing I've noticed is the price in comparison to other VPNs."
  • "The price is okay."
  • "It costs around 80,000 Indian rupees for a hundred licenses, so approximately $1,020 USD."
  • More Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client Pricing and Cost Advice →

  • "The cost of the licensing is based on the maximum number of concurrent users, and it costs a lot to add them."
  • "I don't know about the pricing of the SSL-VPN box. I know the SSL-VPN software is free. Global VPN client, by comparison, is licensed for around $150 or something like that. But the SSL-VPN software is free. It is already built-in with the box."
  • "Our licenses are stackable and can be anywhere from five users to a million users."
  • "This solution is priced well and we currently have the maximum number of licenses allowed."
  • "All the costs are included in a bundled license."
  • "The platform has medium pricing."
  • More SonicWall SMA Pricing and Cost Advice →

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    Questions from the Community
    Top Answer:It's an ideal gateway solution for small and medium businesses, i.e., around 300 devices can be easily handled.
    Top Answer:The product is very cost-effective and has no requirement for additional licenses. The setup is not easy. Users need… more »
    Top Answer:THe solution is used as a primary gateway with two lease lines of 450 Mbps total. Around 200 users are under it. There… more »
    Top Answer:For our company's needs, AnyConnect is sufficient and very easy to use.
    Top Answer:All Cisco equipment tends to be expensive compared to newer options from other vendors. Moreover, there are some… more »
    Top Answer:Blocklisting and allowlisting are the most beneficial features for network security.
    Top Answer:Enhancing live tracking capabilities could improve the product, particularly in monitoring user activity and request… more »
    Comparisons
    Also Known As
    TNSR
    Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility, AnyConnect Secure Mobility, Cisco AnyConnect, AnyConnect
    SonicWall Aventail, SonicWall SMA SSL-VPN, SonicWall Secure Mobile Access
    Learn More
    Overview

    TNSR is an advanced open source-based secure networking software platform with highly-scalable packet processing, manageability, and service expansion capabilities. This video provides a high-level introduction. that address a number of commonly asked new product questions - in just a couple of minutes.

    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.”

    SonicWall SMA is a unified secure access gateway that enables organizations to provide anytime, anywhere and any device access to mission critical corporate resources. SMA's granular access control policy engine, context aware device authorization, application level VPN and advanced authentication with single sign-on empowers organizations to embrace BYOD and mobility in a hybrid IT environment.
    Sample Customers
    UCLA, COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY, shopify
    MST, Molina Healthcare, Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers, Arup, New South Wales Rural FireService
    UnitedStack, Newport City Homes, Faith Lutheran College Redlands, PRIME aerostructures GmbH, Celtic Manor Resort
    Top Industries
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Computer Software Company16%
    Comms Service Provider10%
    Manufacturing Company8%
    Government7%
    REVIEWERS
    Computer Software Company24%
    Comms Service Provider20%
    Energy/Utilities Company13%
    Manufacturing Company9%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Educational Organization42%
    Computer Software Company17%
    Government5%
    Financial Services Firm5%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Computer Software Company19%
    Construction Company10%
    Comms Service Provider8%
    Government6%
    Company Size
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Small Business29%
    Midsize Enterprise18%
    Large Enterprise54%
    REVIEWERS
    Small Business29%
    Midsize Enterprise14%
    Large Enterprise58%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Small Business18%
    Midsize Enterprise47%
    Large Enterprise34%
    REVIEWERS
    Small Business73%
    Midsize Enterprise13%
    Large Enterprise13%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Small Business43%
    Midsize Enterprise12%
    Large Enterprise45%
    Buyer's Guide
    Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client vs. SonicWall SMA
    March 2024
    Find out what your peers are saying about Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client vs. SonicWall SMA and other solutions. Updated: March 2024.
    768,578 professionals have used our research since 2012.

    Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client is ranked 3rd in Enterprise Infrastructure VPN with 69 reviews while SonicWall SMA is ranked 21st in Enterprise Infrastructure VPN with 14 reviews. Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client is rated 8.6, while SonicWall SMA is rated 8.2. The top reviewer of Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client writes "A stable solution that helps users connect to resources when working from home". On the other hand, the top reviewer of SonicWall SMA writes "It allows us to provide CML-based access to any user, but the reporting could be better". Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client is most compared with OpenVPN Access Server, Microsoft Azure VPN Gateway, Zscaler Zero Trust Exchange, Check Point Remote Access VPN and Fortinet FortiClient, whereas SonicWall SMA is most compared with Fortinet FortiClient, Cisco SD-WAN, SonicWall Netextender, Peplink SpeedFusion and Check Point Remote Access VPN. See our Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client vs. SonicWall SMA report.

    See our list of best Enterprise Infrastructure VPN vendors.

    We monitor all Enterprise Infrastructure VPN reviews to prevent fraudulent reviews and keep review quality high. We do not post reviews by company employees or direct competitors. We validate each review for authenticity via cross-reference with LinkedIn, and personal follow-up with the reviewer when necessary.