Try our new research platform with insights from 80,000+ expert users

Cisco IOS Security vs ExtraHop Reveal(x) 360 comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Dec 19, 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

Cisco IOS Security
Ranking in Intrusion Detection and Prevention Software (IDPS)
14th
Average Rating
8.0
Reviews Sentiment
6.8
Number of Reviews
49
Ranking in other categories
Firewalls (24th)
ExtraHop Reveal(x) 360
Ranking in Intrusion Detection and Prevention Software (IDPS)
19th
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
6.9
Number of Reviews
3
Ranking in other categories
Container Security (30th), Network Traffic Analysis (NTA) (9th), Extended Detection and Response (XDR) (23rd)
 

Mindshare comparison

As of October 2025, in the Intrusion Detection and Prevention Software (IDPS) category, the mindshare of Cisco IOS Security is 1.6%, up from 0.9% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of ExtraHop Reveal(x) 360 is 0.8%, up from 0.4% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Intrusion Detection and Prevention Software (IDPS) Market Share Distribution
ProductMarket Share (%)
Cisco IOS Security1.6%
ExtraHop Reveal(x) 3600.8%
Other97.6%
Intrusion Detection and Prevention Software (IDPS)
 

Featured Reviews

Danijel Cerovecki - PeerSpot reviewer
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.
Maksym Toporkov - PeerSpot reviewer
A competitive choice for network detection and response with exceptional user interface, ease of implementation and minimal false positives
The NDR feature analyzes network traffic, creating records with connection details. While these records offer insights, there's a limitation in investigating payloads directly. ExtraHop provides an option for an additional server to save payloads, but its temporary storage has constraints. Unlike some competitors, it lacks an automatic payload-saving feature for each detection, presenting an improvement opportunity. Suggested enhancement involves the main sensor prompting payload storage for specific detections, streamlining the investigation process, and contributing to a more efficient workflow. A drawback includes packet storage limitations for payload data, necessitating timely extraction for thorough investigations.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"Cisco is head-and-shoulders above all of the competition when it comes to technical support."
"The VPN was valuable for us because more people are working from home. It has a lot of reporting and easy-to-use management tools."
"We use Cisco IOS Security mostly for routers to route off the firewall. It's a next-generation device."
"Cisco IOS Security is a mature product with extensive capabilities, serving as the base for the defense layer. It offers good network visibility, which helps in rapid response through the Rapid Threat Containment feature. Its deployment and configuration are straightforward."
"One of the valuable features of the solution is its flexibility and it performs great."
"You can scale it when you need to."
"The stability of this solution is excellent."
"Cisco Technical Assistance Center works on a follow-the-sun concept and gives real 24x7 customer support, which is a great advantage when you have a service contract with them."
"It is scalable."
"It stands out for its intuitive and efficient user interface, robust detection capabilities with minimal false positives, and the ability to handle encrypted traffic, making it a valuable asset for network security and management."
"It is very easy to collect and handle data in ExtraHop Reveal(X) Cloud. Integration with Big Data is also easy. Many of our customers integrate it with Big Data platforms like Splunk or Elastic. It is also easy to handle and easy to understand."
 

Cons

"The configuration should be easier in the solution."
"Cisco changes their licensing policy quite frequently, which is becoming confusing and complicated."
"There's a technology called SD-WAN that we would like to see. We are unable to handle multiple connections or to automatically load balance. I would like to have a feature that enables us to automatically prepare for load balancing."
"The initial setup is complicated."
"There could be a bit more functions on offer that could make it easier to use."
"If they could increase the performance a little better because the device sometimes gets slow."
"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."
"I would love it if it has a link-by-link feature, integration with Unified Threat Management (UTM), and load balancers. They haven't got any link-by-link feature right now, which can be a very attractive option. This link-by-link feature can also be made available for Cisco's UTM firewalls. The link-by-link feature is available in some of the other firewalls. Currently, integration with UTM is missing. Cisco IOS Security also doesn't have the load balancers and a few things that need to be done to get a good UTM firewall. Normally, other firewalls have UTM. As a next-generation firewall, it's good, but as a UTM, it has to do some work."
"There needs to be more support."
"They can include integration with SAP. Currently, no vendor provides network performance monitoring in the SAP market. It is a very big market. We have around 400 customers for SAP in Korea. In the USA, there are more than 10,000 customers."
"A drawback includes bucket storage limitations for payload data, necessitating timely extraction for thorough investigations."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The pricing is okay. It is competitive. It costs more when you need get more features."
"The licensing is on a subscription basis, and it is fairly costly. I would prefer a one-time payment."
"The price of the solution should be cheaper, and the license is purchase annually."
"Palo Alto networks are more expensive than this solution and this is why you will see more products like this one in Mexico."
"The solution's pricing is very good."
"The tool could be priced lower. If you want advanced services, then you need to purchase them."
"Price is certainly something that the IOS technology has fallen behind the competition on."
"It is an expensive solution."
"When compared to other solutions, it aligns with the market average, indicating a competitive pricing level."
report
Use our free recommendation engine to learn which Intrusion Detection and Prevention Software (IDPS) solutions are best for your needs.
869,566 professionals have used our research since 2012.
 

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
26%
Government
9%
Manufacturing Company
8%
Outsourcing Company
7%
Financial Services Firm
9%
Government
9%
Computer Software Company
8%
Comms Service Provider
8%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business19
Midsize Enterprise14
Large Enterprise18
No data available
 

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about Cisco IOS Security?
Cisco IOS Security is a mature product with extensive capabilities, serving as the base for the defense layer. It offers good network visibility, which helps in rapid response through the Rapid Thr...
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Cisco IOS Security?
Pricing can be reduced. I rate the current price for the product a four out of ten.
What needs improvement with Cisco IOS Security?
While I do not have specific recommendations for improvement, pricing can be reduced.
What do you like most about ExtraHop Reveal(x) 360?
It stands out for its intuitive and efficient user interface, robust detection capabilities with minimal false positives, and the ability to handle encrypted traffic, making it a valuable asset for...
What needs improvement with ExtraHop Reveal(x) 360?
The NDR feature analyzes network traffic, creating records with connection details. While these records offer insights, there's a limitation in investigating payloads directly. ExtraHop provides an...
What advice do you have for others considering ExtraHop Reveal(x) 360?
I recommend prioritizing demos over POCs when engaging with vendors. Organizing POCs involves significant time and resource investments for both parties. Instead, invest time in multiple demo sessi...
 

Also Known As

IOS Security
ExtraHop Reveal(X) Cloud, Reveal(X) Cloud
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

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
Wizards of the Coast
Find out what your peers are saying about Cisco IOS Security vs. ExtraHop Reveal(x) 360 and other solutions. Updated: September 2025.
869,566 professionals have used our research since 2012.