Cisco IOS Security vs Fortinet FortiManager comparison

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Executive Summary

We performed a comparison between Cisco IOS Security and Fortinet FortiManager based on real PeerSpot user reviews.

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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 security on offer is very good.""We have been able to offer several services to customers in a single box.""The security features that they have are quite good. On top of that, their licensing model is quite nice where they don't charge you anything for the SD-WAN functionality for the firewall.""All of the features of Fortinet FortiGate are useful and the security protection is good.""Secure, user-friendly, stable, and scalable network security solution. Installation is straightforward.""It works very well. It has a lot of different functionalities. Its cost is also fine for our customers.""This solution has helped our organization by having strong functions and a reliable firewall.""The technical support is great."

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"The security is very good.""The solution effectively integrates with Umbrella.""One of the valuable features of the solution is its flexibility and it performs great.""Completely integrates branch offices with perimeter security.""The VPN is the most valuable feature.""The product's stability is good.""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.""The technical is excellent."

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"Stability is good within the product.""The main benefit of Fortinet FortiManager is the ability to control all the devices from a central location, view their statuses, and manage their configurations and updates from a single management console.""This solution enables you to centralize the rules and the configuration of all the equipment.""The most valuable feature is the central configuration for firewall policies.""FortiManager's ability to scale is good.""It can scale well.""The product is a combination of management and monitoring from the same interface.""It is easy to deploy to licenses."

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Cons
"Monitoring and reporting could be better.""The ease of use could be improved.""The graphical user interface of Fortinet's FortiGate product does not function well with text-based interfaces.""There can be more security in hybrid implementations. When a customer has a hybrid environment where some parts are in the cloud, we need a consistent security solution for such scenarios.""The UTM filtering needs improvement.""If they could extend their fabric towards other vendor environments for integration, that would be great.""I would like to have logs, monitoring, and reporting for a month without extra fees.""It would be nice if FortiGate incorporated some built-in endpoint protection features. I would also like a built-in SOC dashboard for managing multiple Fortinet firewalls."

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"We cannot directly upgrade the system. The tool's deployment is also very difficult in legacy environments. The tool needs to have bigger ports as well.""With respect to user-friendliness, it is a command-line interface and those with such experience will get along just fine, whereas others may struggle.""Cisco IOS Security should improve its functionalities.""I would like upgrading iOS to be a bit easier.""The configuration should be easier in the solution.""The configuration and reporting interfaces need a lot of improvement. It needs to be more accessible forsolide without a strong technical background. If you had a simplified dashboard, the lower-level techs could manage the solution and provide services. Cisco IOS Security requires someone who is highly trained to operate it.""Cisco IOS Security's monitoring is rather rudimentary and could be improved.""We faced significant challenges related to licensing issues, particularly when licenses expire."

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"For the IPSEC tunnels, Fortimanager doesn't have all of the features that are available on Fortigate.""Their EDR products could be better. They need to dedicate more R&D to that area.""The FortiManager is more complex and they can make it easier to use the VPN manager. All other features are okay. However, the VPN manager is more difficult and can cause some issues in the environment, if you do not have the experience to use it.""Fortinet is releasing quite a lot of new versions and I would say that most of the versions are not well tested before they're pushed out. Even the new versions sometimes are a bit buggy before it's all correct.""Wizards could be improved in pushing policies.""In the next release, FortiManager should include more protection features.""The solution has some bugs.""The interface could be improved. It is split up into different areas, which makes it more difficult to navigate and get the right section of the correct file. The solution is quite expensive, so it would not be suitable for small to medium sized organizations."

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Pricing and Cost Advice
  • "Fortinet has one or two license types, and the VPN numbers are only limited by the hardware chassis make."
  • "These boxes are not that expensive compared to what they can do, their functionality, and the reporting you receive. Fortinet licensing is straightforward and less confusing compared to Cisco."
  • "Go for long term pricing negotiated at the time of purchase."
  • "Work through partners for the best pricing."
  • "The value is the capability of having multiple services with one unique license, not having the limitation per user licensing schema, like other vendors."
  • "Easy to understand licensing requirements."
  • "​We saved a bundle by not needing all the past appliances from an NGFW.​"
  • "The cost is too high... They have to focus on more features with less cost for the customer. If you see the market, where it's going, there are a lot of players offering more features for less cost."
  • More Fortinet FortiGate Pricing and Cost Advice →

  • "The pricing is very expensive. Normally I do a yearly contract; I don't know the exact pricing, but it's around $75,000 USD per year. That's the standard licensing."
  • "The licensing is on a subscription basis, and it is fairly costly. I would prefer a one-time payment."
  • "The licenses for this solution are expensive."
  • "It is an expensive solution."
  • "The pricing is okay. It is competitive. It costs more when you need get more features."
  • "Price is certainly something that the IOS technology has fallen behind the competition on."
  • "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."
  • "Palo Alto networks are more expensive than this solution and this is why you will see more products like this one in Mexico."
  • More Cisco IOS Security Pricing and Cost Advice →

  • "Fortinet FortiManager is not expensive at all if you compare it with other vendors like Check Point and Cisco. Fortinet products are the least expensive on the market in the category of firewalls."
  • "The licensing costs depend on how many devices you want to use."
  • "In comparison with other products, the price of FortiManager is reasonable."
  • "Fortinet is a high-end product and the cost is high. They should consider reducing the price, especially for existing customers."
  • "The license model they use depends on the size and is not limited to the users."
  • "This is an affordable solution, and its licensing model is based on the number of devices."
  • "For us, it is a little bit expensive."
  • "For the licensing fee, we paid around 10,000 to 15,000 euros."
  • More Fortinet FortiManager Pricing and Cost Advice →

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    Questions from the Community
    Top Answer: When you compare these firewalls you can identify them with different features, advantages, practices and usage at… more »
    Top Answer:From my experience regarding both the Sophos and FortiGate firewalls, I personally would rather use FortiGate. I know… more »
    Top Answer:As a solution, Sophos UTM offers a lot of functionality, it scales well, and the stability and performance are quite… more »
    Top Answer:The VPN connection portal scan works flawlessly, which was a big plus for us.
    Top Answer:Cisco comes with a premium reputation, and while it's certainly not the cheapest option. Compared to other products like… more »
    Top Answer:Some GUI modules have extended prices compared to other vendors, which isn't ideal. Cisco is a scalable product, but it… more »
    Top Answer:The user interface, along with user-friendly planning features, makes it straightforward to configure desired settings.
    Top Answer:While I find the pricing somewhat higher compared to other options, it remains acceptable for now. I anticipate a… more »
    Top Answer:Issues arise when customers experience unstable electricity or poor grounding conditions. In such cases, their CPE or… more »
    Comparisons
    Also Known As
    FortiGate 60b, FortiGate 60c, FortiGate 80c, FortiGate 50b, FortiGate 200b, FortiGate 110c, FortiGate
    IOS Security
    Learn More
    Overview

    Fortinet FortiGate enhances network security, prevents unauthorized access, and offers robust firewall protection. Valued features include advanced threat protection, reliable performance, and a user-friendly interface. It improves efficiency, streamlines processes, and boosts collaboration, providing valuable insights for informed decision-making and growth.

    Cisco IOS Software delivers a sophisticated set of security capabilities for a comprehensive, layered security approach throughout your network infrastructure. Cisco IOS security technologies help to defend critical business processes against attack and disruption, protect privacy, and support policy and regulatory compliance controls.

    Networks are constantly evolving due to threats, organizational growth, or new regulatory/business requirements. Traditional management products focus on mitigating company-wide threats through firewall policies, firmware updates, and keeping content security current. FortiManager offers the features to contain threats as well as providing flexibility to evolve along with your ever-changing network.

    Sample Customers
    1. Amazon Web Services 2. Microsoft 3. IBM 4. Cisco 5. Dell 6. HP 7. Oracle 8. Verizon 9. AT&T 10. T-Mobile 11. Sprint 12. Vodafone 13. Orange 14. BT Group 15. Telstra 16. Deutsche Telekom 17. Comcast 18. Time Warner Cable 19. CenturyLink 20. NTT Communications 21. Tata Communications 22. SoftBank 23. China Mobile 24. Singtel 25. Telus 26. Rogers Communications 27. Bell Canada 28. Telkom Indonesia 29. Telkom South Africa 30. Telmex 31. Telia Company 32. Telkom Kenya
    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
    Black Gold Regional Schools, Amadeus Hospitality, Jefferson County, Chunghwa Telecom, City of Boroondara, Dimension Data
    Top Industries
    REVIEWERS
    Comms Service Provider16%
    Computer Software Company9%
    Financial Services Firm8%
    Manufacturing Company7%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Educational Organization20%
    Computer Software Company15%
    Comms Service Provider8%
    Manufacturing Company6%
    REVIEWERS
    Comms Service Provider17%
    Computer Software Company17%
    Financial Services Firm14%
    Manufacturing Company10%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Computer Software Company21%
    Financial Services Firm10%
    Manufacturing Company8%
    Government7%
    REVIEWERS
    Computer Software Company32%
    Comms Service Provider26%
    Manufacturing Company13%
    Transportation Company6%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Computer Software Company20%
    Manufacturing Company8%
    Financial Services Firm8%
    Comms Service Provider7%
    Company Size
    REVIEWERS
    Small Business48%
    Midsize Enterprise23%
    Large Enterprise30%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Small Business27%
    Midsize Enterprise32%
    Large Enterprise41%
    REVIEWERS
    Small Business34%
    Midsize Enterprise28%
    Large Enterprise38%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Small Business22%
    Midsize Enterprise20%
    Large Enterprise58%
    REVIEWERS
    Small Business45%
    Midsize Enterprise29%
    Large Enterprise27%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Small Business28%
    Midsize Enterprise17%
    Large Enterprise55%
    Buyer's Guide
    Firewalls
    February 2024
    Find out what your peers are saying about Netgate, Fortinet, OPNsense and others in Firewalls. Updated: February 2024.
    763,955 professionals have used our research since 2012.

    Cisco IOS Security is ranked 23rd in Firewalls with 21 reviews while Fortinet FortiManager is ranked 3rd in Network Management Applications with 43 reviews. Cisco IOS Security is rated 8.0, while Fortinet FortiManager is rated 8.0. The top reviewer of Cisco IOS Security writes "It's a reliable solution that will be around for a long time, but the configuration and reporting interfaces need improvement". On the other hand, the top reviewer of Fortinet FortiManager writes "Easy to set up, quick response to threats, and collaborates well with other Fortinet products". Cisco IOS Security is most compared with Cisco Secure Firewall, Meraki MX, Fortinet FortiOS, Netgate pfSense and OPNsense, whereas Fortinet FortiManager is most compared with Fortinet FortiGate Cloud, Fortinet FortiOS, Cisco DNA Center, Zabbix and AlgoSec.

    We monitor all Firewalls 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.