Cisco IOS Security vs Forcepoint Next Generation Firewall comparison

Cisco IOS Security vs. Forcepoint Next Generation Firewall

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Review summaries and opinions

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

ROI

Sentiment score

7.4

Cisco IOS Security delivered significant ROI through improved routing, security, stability, and cost-efficiency, despite competitive vendor pressures.

Sentiment score

5.2

Forcepoint Next Generation Firewall reduces costs and improves efficiency with centralized management, automation, and reduced workforce needs.

The return on investment is satisfactory with Cisco products as they have long lifespans, and our customers are satisfied with them.

For more quotes and insights, download the Cisco IOS Security report

Head of Cyber Defense Department and Network Technologies Department at Verso Altima

Cybersecurity ROI could be $1 or $100 million, depending on the risk of data behind it.

For more quotes and insights, download the Forcepoint Next Generation Firewall report

Sales Manager at Mega tech S.A

It is easy and offers different solutions for each solution type with small, mid, and large scale options available.

VikasTiwari

Senior Network Engineer at Anthology

I did see a return on investment with Forcepoint Next Generation Firewall, as mentioned by the efficiency improvements and the metrics related to how much I cut investigation time, the number of incidents, and the ease of making changes or pushing new configurations.

reviewer2774055

Cybersecurity Engineer at a tech consulting company with 51-200 employees

Customer Service

Sentiment score

6.7

Cisco IOS Security support is generally praised for speed and skill, though some report delays and complexity in access.

Sentiment score

5.8

Most customers find Forcepoint Firewall support helpful and reliable, despite occasional delays and logistical challenges.

My impression is that the support quality has deteriorated over time.

For more quotes and insights, download the Cisco IOS Security report

Head of Cyber Defense Department and Network Technologies Department at Verso Altima

Unlike Fortinet where you can escalate an issue and quickly get responses from the development team, Forcepoint's process seems slow and challenging.

Sales Manager at Mega tech S.A

TAC engineers are very experienced and troubleshoot issues within the expected timeframe with no problems.

VikasTiwari

Senior Network Engineer at Anthology

We have a point of contact from the account manager to the presales representative, and they connect with the technical support team, providing support in Indian time, so we do not have to worry about US or European time zones.

For more quotes and insights, download the Forcepoint Next Generation Firewall report

Manager Solution Consulting at Accops Systems Pvt Ltd

Scalability Issues

Sentiment score

7.4

Cisco IOS Security offers scalable, enterprise-level solutions but may increase costs and limit universality due to required hardware.

Sentiment score

7.2

Forcepoint Next Generation Firewall offers scalable integration, supporting diverse environments with ease in both on-premises and cloud deployments.

No quotes available

For more quotes and insights, download the Cisco IOS Security report

I can have one management node similar to Palo Alto Panorama, with multiple nodes covering different sites, data centers, or zones.

reviewer2774055

Cybersecurity Engineer at a tech consulting company with 51-200 employees

Even if you have some firewalls in the cluster, it is not necessary to have them on the same version.

Petr Pouzar

IT Consultant at M-COM s.r.o

In a country such as India with a large population, we often need to scale up or down depending on projects and requirements, and it is very much easy to do both ways.

For more quotes and insights, download the Forcepoint Next Generation Firewall report

Manager Solution Consulting at Accops Systems Pvt Ltd

Stability Issues

Sentiment score

7.6

Cisco IOS Security is generally reliable with occasional issues, frequently updated for stability, scoring 7-10 in satisfaction.

Sentiment score

7.7

Forcepoint Firewall is reliable with minor issues; high-availability setups reduce downtime, though complex deployments may face challenges.

We find Cisco products stable and thoroughly tested before new software or firmware versions are released.

For more quotes and insights, download the Cisco IOS Security report

Head of Cyber Defense Department and Network Technologies Department at Verso Altima

I find Cisco IOS Security to be a very stable product.

Binoob John

Partner/Owner and Director of Human Resources at Up arrow Systems

It has many freezes for no reason.

Marcelo-Araujo

Cyber Security Specialist at a comms service provider with 501-1,000 employees

Forcepoint Next Generation Firewall should make some improvements because there is some instability with their software.

reviewer2320872

System Engineer at a computer software company with 1,001-5,000 employees

For more quotes and insights, download the Forcepoint Next Generation Firewall report

Room For Improvement

Cisco IOS Security struggles with integration, usability, cost, lacking features, complex licensing, performance, and requires enhancement and support.

Forcepoint Next Generation Firewall needs a user-friendly interface, better integration, improved support, and competitive pricing.

Cisco changes their licensing policy quite frequently, which is becoming confusing and complicated.

For more quotes and insights, download the Cisco IOS Security report

Head of Cyber Defense Department and Network Technologies Department at Verso Altima

Fast response and efficient handling of issues, similar to how Fortinet responds, would be great.

For more quotes and insights, download the Forcepoint Next Generation Firewall report

Sales Manager at Mega tech S.A

AI improvements could be beneficial, as having AI capabilities has become an important checkmark feature.

reviewer2220669

CEO at a comms service provider with 11-50 employees

I recommend that additional features be included in a single license to avoid the need for extra licensing costs.

Aamir Ejaz

Head of IT Department at Mana

Setup Cost

Cisco IOS Security is costly, favoring medium to large enterprises with longer-term savings over SMB challenges.

Forcepoint's pricing is competitive, especially in Asia, with variable licensing terms and additional costs for extra features.

The cost of Cisco IOS Security for customers is on the higher end of pricing compared to the competition, depending on the targeted customers.

For more quotes and insights, download the Cisco IOS Security report

Head of Cyber Defense Department and Network Technologies Department at Verso Altima

The costs can be high since additional features require separate licenses.

Aamir Ejaz

Head of IT Department at Mana

In terms of price, I would say Forcepoint Next Generation Firewall is not expensive.

Manager Solution Consulting at Accops Systems Pvt Ltd

In terms of pricing, I would place Forcepoint in the middle when compared to other firewalls like Fortinet and Palo Alto.

For more quotes and insights, download the Forcepoint Next Generation Firewall report

Sales Manager at Mega tech S.A

Valuable Features

Cisco IOS Security offers scalable, stable solutions with VPN, AAA, firewall integration, and user-friendly management for high-demand environments.

Forcepoint NGFW offers robust security, easy integration, advanced protection, and versatile deployment with centralized management for seamless connectivity.

This solution, called Network Access Controller, handles authentication, authorization, and accounting for devices accessing the network.

Binoob John

Partner/Owner and Director of Human Resources at Up arrow Systems

The best features of Cisco IOS Security are its integration with software management tools such as Cisco DNA Center and Cisco ICE, which provide centralized policy and network access control.

For more quotes and insights, download the Cisco IOS Security report

Head of Cyber Defense Department and Network Technologies Department at Verso Altima

Forcepoint Next Generation Firewall has impacted my organization positively by making it very easy to work and offering a more competitive price compared to other vendors.

Marcelo-Araujo

Cyber Security Specialist at a comms service provider with 501-1,000 employees

Forcepoint Next Generation Firewall has positively impacted my organization by providing always-on perimeter security.

reviewer2783121

Responsabile System and Security at a energy/utilities company with 501-1,000 employees

Strong network segmentation is my favorite feature that Forcepoint Next Generation Firewall offers.

reviewer2774055

Cybersecurity Engineer at a tech consulting company with 51-200 employees

For more quotes and insights, download the Forcepoint Next Generation Firewall report

Categories and Ranking

Cisco IOS Security

Ranking in Firewalls

41st

Average Rating

8.0

Reviews Sentiment

6.8

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Intrusion Detection and Prevention Software (IDPS) (16th)

Forcepoint Next Generation ...

Ranking in Firewalls

26th

Average Rating

7.6

Reviews Sentiment

6.5

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Software Defined WAN (SD-WAN) Solutions (10th), WAN Edge (11th)

Mindshare comparison

As of August 2026, in the Firewalls category, the mindshare of Cisco IOS Security is 0.6%, up from 0.3% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Forcepoint Next Generation Firewall is 1.0%, up from 0.5% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Firewalls Mindshare Distribution
Product	Mindshare (%)
Forcepoint Next Generation Firewall	1.0%
Cisco IOS Security	0.6%
Other	98.4%

Firewalls

Featured Reviews

Have faced challenges in keeping licensing clear and consistent while ensuring reliable network protection

Head of Cyber Defense Department and Network Technologies Department at Verso Altima

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.

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Unified security management has improved traffic control and simplified remote workforce access

Manager Solution Consulting at Accops Systems Pvt Ltd

Forcepoint Next Generation Firewall does help in vulnerability identification and response by providing a single unified console through which I am able to monitor and manage infrastructure. The URL filtering capability of Forcepoint Next Generation Firewall helps in blocking malicious sites. We have to take care of both known threats and unknown threats. The firewall takes care of known threats, and we protect ourselves from unknown threats such as malicious code and malware that we cannot create firewall rules for. With these routing capabilities and policies, only whitelisted things get processed or passed. The biggest advantages of Forcepoint Next Generation Firewall, especially as a partner, service provider, and integrator, are that it is very easy to integrate these APIs with our solution, and most of the features I am getting in the clientless mode. Even with the client mode, it is easy to integrate with our client, allowing the customer to get a single client to address all the features of the firewall as well as the GTNA perspective. The flexibility of deployment, especially for the government and defense sectors, is that they want an on-premises solution, while the rest of the PSUs or enterprise segment are comfortable with the cloud offering, which is the SaaS offering and the way to go in the future.

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Construction Company

19%

Outsourcing Company

11%

Financial Services Firm

Comms Service Provider

Construction Company

13%

Financial Services Firm

10%

Manufacturing Company

Computer Software Company

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	20
Midsize Enterprise	14
Large Enterprise	18

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	29
Midsize Enterprise	11
Large Enterprise	14

Questions from the Community

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...

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Forcepoint Next Generation Firewall?

In terms of price, I would say Forcepoint Next Generation Firewall is not expensive. It is very much comparable to other vendors, and pricing is not a problem, especially for the Asian market, with...

What needs improvement with Forcepoint Next Generation Firewall?

The negative side of Forcepoint Next Generation Firewall is that the ZTNA part is missing. For that, we have to integrate a third-party component with Forcepoint Next Generation Firewall to complet...

What is your primary use case for Forcepoint Next Generation Firewall?

The major use cases for Forcepoint Next Generation Firewall are in government turnkey projects where we require a lot of traffic coming from the public domain. That is why we are putting these fire...

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Product Reports

Cisco IOS Security

Download Cisco IOS Security product report

Forcepoint Next Generation Firewall

Download Forcepoint Next Generation Firewall product report

Forcepoint Next Generation Firewall report

Also Known As

IOS Security

Forcepoint NGFW, Stonesoft Next Generation Firewall, McAfee Network Security Platform, Intel Security Network Security Platform

Overview

Cisco IOS Security integrates advanced VPN capabilities, IPsec security, and firewall features, ensuring scalable and reliable protection suitable for enterprise networks.

Cisco IOS Security offers comprehensive firewall integration, robust AAA capabilities, and encryption, empowering organizations with a reliable network environment. EEM provides flexibility and programmability, while integrated threat detection, intrusion prevention, and centralized management enhance its security profile. Despite its reliability, challenges include complexity in configuration, high pricing, and confusing licensing policies. Performance issues and the need for enhanced integration, automation, and better monitoring tools are areas for improvement.

What are the key features of Cisco IOS Security?

VPN Capabilities: Ensures secure remote connectivity.
IPsec Security: Offers robust encryption for data protection.
Firewall Integration: Enhances network defense with built-in firewalls.
AAA Capabilities: Provides secure authentication, authorization, and accounting.
Threat Detection: Identifies and mitigates threats proactively.

What benefits should organizations look for in reviews?

Reliability: Recognized for its stable network performance.
Scalability: Supports growing network demands seamlessly.
Comprehensive Security: Offers robust protection against diverse cyber threats.
Ease of Configuration: Facilitates efficient network setup and management.

Industries leverage Cisco IOS Security to protect against zero-day attacks, deploy secure VPNs, and facilitate network access control and compliance checks. Organizations utilize its features for firewalls, routing, and switching, integrating technologies like Cisco ICE and TrustSec to enhance security across enterprise environments.

Cisco

Forcepoint Next Generation Firewall offers robust network protection with features like URL filtering and advanced threat protection, ensuring comprehensive security and operational efficiency across various infrastructures.

Forcepoint Next Generation Firewall integrates URL filtering and advanced threat protection, including intrusion prevention and DDoS prevention. The centralized management console provides application awareness, strong network segmentation, and SD-WAN capabilities. Its graphical interface enhances user experience, while efficient technical support and seamless integration offer stability and scalability. Companies use it for perimeter security, VPNs, and threat prevention, optimizing performance in diverse sectors.

What are the key features of Forcepoint Next Generation Firewall?

URL Filtering: Provides robust protection against malicious sites.
Advanced Threat Protection: Includes IPS and DDoS prevention.
Centralized Management: Simplifies control across multiple devices.
Application Awareness: Enhances security policies.
Network Segmentation: Ensures strong internal security structures.
SD-WAN Capabilities: Optimizes wide area network configurations.

What benefits should users expect when evaluating?

Operational Efficiency: Streamlined management with a centralized console.
Enhanced Security: Comprehensive threat protection and VPN solutions.
Scalability: Easily adapts to infrastructure growth.
Integration: Seamlessly works with existing architectures.

Forcepoint Next Generation Firewall is widely implemented in sectors including finance, education, and government, offering security for data centers and managing remote access with IPsec VPN tunnels, SSL VPNs, and site-to-site connectivity. Companies appreciate its use for Unified Threat Management and automatic optimization, ensuring data security and efficient network performance.

Forcepoint

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

California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR)

Cisco IOS Security vs. Forcepoint Next Generation Firewall