

Cisco IOS Security and Fortinet FortiGate-VM are two popular network security solutions. Fortinet FortiGate-VM has the upper hand due to its rich feature set, making it a worthwhile investment.
Features: Cisco IOS Security users value its stability, integration capabilities, and cost-effectiveness. Fortinet FortiGate-VM users highlight its robust security features, flexibility, and superior feature breadth.
Room for Improvement: Users suggest Cisco IOS Security could enhance its automation, configuration simplicity, and reporting tools. Fortinet FortiGate-VM users request improvements in reporting tools, virtual deployment performance, and user interface.
Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Cisco IOS Security deployment is often straightforward, with solid customer support. Fortinet FortiGate-VM's deployment is more complex but countered with commendable support.
Pricing and ROI: Cisco IOS Security is noted for competitive setup costs and satisfactory ROI. Fortinet FortiGate-VM may have higher initial costs, but its comprehensive feature set justifies the investment, offering better overall ROI.
The return on investment is satisfactory with Cisco products as they have long lifespans, and our customers are satisfied with them.
I observed a fifty to sixty percent reduction in operational costs after migrating to FortiGate VM.
They have a platform that organizes their networks and access effectively.
We haven't used MPLS for over five years now, and it was extremely beneficial to see the changes from MPLS to SD-WAN using Fortinet FortiGate.
My impression is that the support quality has deteriorated over time.
Their support is helpful and effective.
The end-user support is delayed at levels L2 and L3.
They support us almost instantly.
Fortinet FortiGate-VM adapts effectively; for example, you have a limited number of VPN connections on VM01, accommodating around 1,000 remote users, and if the customer needs another endpoint, we can deploy VM02 and manage that transition effectively.
Scalability is well-supported, with the notable ability to implement features easily.
It can start with a single core and scale up to a 32-core license for a robust deployment.
We find Cisco products stable and thoroughly tested before new software or firmware versions are released.
I find Cisco IOS Security to be a very stable product.
The stability of Fortinet FortiGate is excellent.
The product has been very stable, based on my ten to eleven years of experience.
In the past couple of years, they started releasing numerous new features, and things have become somewhat unstable.
Cisco changes their licensing policy quite frequently, which is becoming confusing and complicated.
You should not look just at a data sheet, but also look at real tests in the field and load tests from companies who are making them.
The API needs better integration to match accounts and objects more effectively.
Now, these features require separate products like FortiManager, FortiAnalyzer, and a FortiCloud subscription for reporting.
The cost of Cisco IOS Security for customers is on the higher end of pricing compared to the competition, depending on the targeted customers.
The license for Fortinet FortiGate-VM costs 100K to 150K Philippine pesos per year for VM1 or VM2.
I don't have this experience with Fortinet FortiGate-VM because my colleagues in Germany are reaching better prices than me.
As long as there is competition, they go with 50% + discounts.
This solution, called Network Access Controller, handles authentication, authorization, and accounting for devices accessing the network.
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.
The more integrated we become, the less we spend on solving bugs and issues, allowing us to reduce time focusing on understanding and improving our network.
Fortinet is the only provider to have successfully set up a unified operating system on all its products in the network security ecosystem.
For what we need to do, which is setting up a VPN connection between both sides and using it for SSL VPN connections for remote users, it works effectively and we haven't encountered vulnerabilities.
| Product | Mindshare (%) |
|---|---|
| Fortinet FortiGate-VM | 2.2% |
| Cisco IOS Security | 0.6% |
| Other | 97.2% |


| Company Size | Count |
|---|---|
| Small Business | 20 |
| Midsize Enterprise | 14 |
| Large Enterprise | 18 |
| Company Size | Count |
|---|---|
| Small Business | 74 |
| Midsize Enterprise | 35 |
| Large Enterprise | 43 |
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?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.
Fortinet FortiGate-VM delivers robust security services and advanced network management suitable for cloud environments, providing solutions like firewall and SD-WAN, with seamless integration across Fortinet devices.
FortiGate-VM is designed for enterprise security, offering comprehensive features like intrusion prevention and application filtering. It's known for its scalability and flexibility, supporting cloud platforms such as Azure and AWS. It enhances threat response and network management efficiency, thanks to real-time threat response, intuitive integration with existing systems, and cost-effectiveness.
What are the key features of Fortinet FortiGate-VM?Fortinet FortiGate-VM is predominantly employed in industries requiring stringent data center security, enabling network segmentation and VPN services. It's particularly favored by organizations using virtual and cloud networks due to its Unified Threat Management capabilities, making it an efficient solution for protecting virtual environments from threats.
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