Cisco IOS Security vs GajShield Next Generation Firewall comparison

Cisco and GajShield are both solutions in the Firewalls category. Cisco is ranked #24 with an average rating of 8.5, while GajShield is ranked #40 with an average rating of 7.5. Cisco holds a 0.3% mindshare in Firewalls, compared to GajShield’s 0.1% mindshare. Additionally, 91% of Cisco users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 100% of GajShield users who would recommend it.

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Sep 16, 2024

Cisco IOS Security and GajShield Next Generation Firewall are two competing security solutions. GajShield Next Generation Firewall seems to have the upper hand due to its superior features, preferred by users despite its higher price.

Features: Cisco IOS Security is valued for its robust security protocols, seamless integration with other Cisco products, and extensive support resources. GajShield Next Generation Firewall is favored for its advanced threat detection, customizable security policies, and comprehensive feature set.

Room for Improvement: Cisco IOS Security can improve its logging capabilities, documentation clarity, and interface responsiveness. GajShield Next Generation Firewall could benefit from enhanced reporting tools, a more intuitive configuration process, and better scalability options.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Cisco IOS Security is known for its smooth deployment process owing to extensive support resources. GajShield Next Generation Firewall users report a steeper learning curve but commend the responsive and knowledgeable customer service.

Pricing and ROI: Users find Cisco IOS Security cost-effective with a satisfactory ROI due to competitive pricing and extensive support. GajShield Next Generation Firewall, despite higher setup costs, is seen as a valuable investment with its advanced features justifying the expense, leading to favorable long-term ROI.

To learn more, read our detailed Cisco IOS Security vs. GajShield Next Generation Firewall Report (Updated: September 2025).

Buyer's Guide

Cisco IOS Security vs. GajShield Next Generation Firewall

September 2025

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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:

Categories and Ranking

Fortinet FortiGate

Mindshare comparison

As of October 2025, in the Firewalls category, the mindshare of Fortinet FortiGate is 20.4%, up from 19.1% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Cisco IOS Security is 0.3%, up from 0.2% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of GajShield Next Generation Firewall is 0.1%, up from 0.1% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Firewalls Market Share Distribution
Product	Market Share (%)
Fortinet FortiGate	20.4%
Cisco IOS Security	0.3%
GajShield Next Generation Firewall	0.1%
Other	79.2%

Firewalls

Featured Reviews

Vasu Gala

Manager, Information Technology Operation/Presales at TechMonarch

A stable solution with an intuitive interface and quick customer service

I have been working with Fortinet FortiGate, WatchGuard, Sophos, and SonicWall. I'm not as comfortable with SonicWall because of their UI and limitations. I prefer Fortinet above all other options. When it comes to configuration, I am confident in my ability to handle various tasks, including creating policies such as firewall rules, web policies, and application policies. Additionally, I can configure VPNs and implement load balancing, among other tasks. Overall, I feel much more comfortable working with Fortinet. Fortinet has made significant improvements by integrating AI with firewalls for threat analysis and prevention. In the past 2-3 years, they have launched FortiSASE and SIEM, and they also provide SOC services. Both Palo Alto and Fortinet FortiGate are excellent. While Fortinet FortiGate comes at higher prices, the functionality and support justify the cost. They promptly resolve firmware issues and inform all support providers about configuration changes.

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Danijel Cerovecki

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

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.

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Nazish Sameer Shaikh

Senior Network Security Engineer at UNITE HERE HEALTH

Simplifies the management of complex data networks, but its technical support could be improved

Sometimes, we have to use SD-WAN support for the solution, which can be improved by adapting some features that will help our approach to network services. The solution can adapt some of the tools where we, as network engineers, can adjust to the changing application needs. Also, the solution can provide us with multiple support, allowing us to create a network segment. The solution’s technical support could be improved.

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Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"It's super reliable. I don't think I've ever had a reliability issue with it."

"Valuable features include the Web Application Firewall, and it even has DLP (data leak prevention)."

"In terms of cost, features, and security, everything is top-notch."

"The best features of Fortinet FortiGate are that it does the job effectively and protects our environment."

"The most valuable features of Fortinet FortiGate are it is one of the most mature firewalls in the UTM bundle."

"One of the nice things about FortiGate is that it can be deployed on the cloud or on-premises. You can actually do both. That's the biggest reason why I stick with this solution as opposed to something like Cisco Meraki. Another nice thing is that I can log directly into a FortiGate or get to it through their FortiCloud access products. They're pretty reliable and consistent. One of the reasons why I started using the product was their single pane of management. I can deploy their line of firewalls in conjunction with their switching and access points, and I can manage the entire network from one interface. I don't have to log into one interface for the firewall, another one for the access points, and another one for the switches. These firewalls have access point controller functionality built right into the system, so I don't even have to purchase additional devices to manage them."

"The quick resolution of issues with Fortinet FortiGate is due to the support of the company and the fact that the equipment is easy to work with."

"Easy to use support and licensing portal as well as activation process."

More Fortinet FortiGate pros

"Cisco IOS allows us to keep the same security features as our principal offices."

"I'm able to transfer data over internet network security. With the GRE I'm able to transfer data within one bunch to another bunch in a public way, like the internet. The communication is encrypted and is private. It gives me added privacy."

"Cisco has always been a premium product. There's a lot of other entry-level solutions. This is more robust."

"The solution effectively integrates with Umbrella."

"The solution is stable."

"It covers everything we need it to without looking to secondary solutions."

"I've found their network routing to be very good."

"The Intrusion Firewall is a valuable feature."

More Cisco IOS Security pros

"GajShield has improved our mobile device-based connectivity."

"It is a stable solution."

"Gajshiled's enterprise cloud and DLP-level features give it an advantage over other products."

"GajShield Next Generation Firewall's best feature is the network DLP."

"It is an easily scalable solution...The initial setup was very easy."

"The solution's outcome is very high, and we often use it in a very high-traffic environment."

"The most valuable feature of the GajShield Next Generation Firewall is the user-friendly settings, dashboards, and anti-threat protection. Additionally, the solution upgrades frequently which is good because we receive new features."

Cons

"I want some additional features. For example, I want something to ensure that when we are using Google email or Microsoft email, or Google Workspace, emails can only be accessed on designated machines given to our employees. I would like them to access data from designated machines, not from any machine. It should work for designated mobiles and laptops. I don't know if Fortinet provides something like that out of the box."

"Lacks sufficient security options."

"The logging details need to be improved."

"We called them for a geolocation issue and we didn't get any proper assistance."

"They could simplify their deployment process, especially when customers have existing devices."

"Performance and technical support are the main issues with this solution."

"At the moment, the main concern is the pricing and the type of licensing."

"In the past six months, they took quite a long time to respond to the support tickets. I don't know if they are overwhelmed with too much activity, but for the last six months, the support has not been very good."

More Fortinet FortiGate cons

"I wish it would be more like the next generation firewall technology. There should be more selection between the application and filtering."

"Cisco IOS Security could improve by having more compatibility with other Cisco solutions."

"The routers, don't have like long-term tendency features, or higher availability features available for the IOS. It could also use a better user interface."

"We faced significant challenges related to licensing issues, particularly when licenses expire."

"Cisco IOS Security's monitoring is rather rudimentary and could be improved."

"We have a very bad experience on the support. They take too much time requesting logs, and they are not coming directly online to resolve the issues."

"The solution is not user friendly and it is hard to manage the GUI interface."

"Cisco very slowly introduces and implements the products, unlike other brands."

More Cisco IOS Security cons

"The firewall configuration and administration screens could use some improvement."

"Gajshield can improve SD-WAN compatibility at an enterprise cloud level."

"We raised a support ticket, and the project didn't get a proper response. There was a skill issue in TAC support."

"GajShield Next Generation Firewall could improve the flow of the settings. If somebody's using a Cisco firewall or any other brand and they want to use GajShield Next Generation Firewall the platform's UI is a bit different. If it was more similar to the others it would be better."

"We face issues with some configuration parts that we don't understand in the solution, and sometimes we face issues with the VPN connection."

"Sometimes, we have to use SD-WAN support for the solution, which can be improved by adapting some features that will help our approach to network services."

"GajShield Next Generation Firewall would be improved with the addition of a load-balancing feature."

Pricing and Cost Advice

"It is not a very costly product if you compare it with other products. The return on investment is also good. If you compare the return of investment and money that you are spending on this product with Palo Alto, Cisco, Check Point, and other solutions, the investment is very less. We are happy with this solution. The optional licenses are there, and you can choose which one you want and which one to avoid."

"It's a year based license."

"It is too expensive for us. My organization is very small, and we have a total of ten users. We have three internal users and seven external users. The FortiGate 100D series is too expensive for renewing the licenses."

"Go for long term pricing negotiated at the time of purchase."

"The price of Fortinet FortiGate is the lowest in the market."

"It is around $50,000 per month."

"FortiGate Next Generation Firewall is a very cheap solution."

"Fortinet FortiGate is expensive."

More Fortinet FortiGate pricing and cost advice

"Palo Alto networks are more expensive than this solution and this is why you will see more products like this one in Mexico."

"The tool could be priced lower. If you want advanced services, then you need to purchase them."

"They have smart licenses that can be provided for one year, two years, three years, five years, and seven years. Alternatively, they have perpetual licenses available."

"The solution's pricing is very good."

"The pricing for Cisco IOS Security is reasonable compared to other Cisco products."

"I rate Cisco IOS Security's pricing a ten out of ten."

"The pricing is average and includes all features with support."

"The product is expensive."

More Cisco IOS Security pricing and cost advice

"It was about 15% cheaper compared to Sophos."

"The price of the GajShield Next Generation Firewall is very attractive when compared to other solutions."

"GajShield Next Generation Firewall is not that expensive, and its pricing is better than Palo Alto."

"GajShield is a cheaper solution as of now. The subscription is yearly."

"GajShield Next Generation Firewall is reasonably priced."

"GajShield Next Generation Firewall is cheaper than the other products in the market. The licensing costs for the solution are on a yearly basis."

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Computer Software Company

15%

Comms Service Provider

Manufacturing Company

Financial Services Firm

Computer Software Company

26%

Government

Manufacturing Company

Outsourcing Company

Media Company

29%

Manufacturing Company

10%

Energy/Utilities Company

Non Profit

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	350
Midsize Enterprise	130
Large Enterprise	187

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	19
Midsize Enterprise	14
Large Enterprise	18

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	3
Midsize Enterprise	1
Large Enterprise	3

Questions from the Community

Which is the better NGFW: Fortinet Fortigate or Cisco Firepower?

When you compare these firewalls you can identify them with different features, advantages, practices and usage a...

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What is the biggest difference between Sophos XG and FortiGate?

From my experience regarding both the Sophos and FortiGate firewalls, I personally would rather use FortiGate. I know...

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What are the biggest technical differences between Sophos UTM and Fortinet FortiGate?

As a solution, Sophos UTM offers a lot of functionality, it scales well, and the stability and performance are quite ...

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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 off...

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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.

See all answers

What needs improvement with Cisco IOS Security?

While I do not have specific recommendations for improvement, pricing can be reduced.

See all answers

What do you like most about GajShield Next Generation Firewall?

The solution's outcome is very high, and we often use it in a very high-traffic environment.

See all answers

What needs improvement with GajShield Next Generation Firewall?

Sometimes, we have to use SD-WAN support for the solution, which can be improved by adapting some features that will ...

See all answers

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

GajShield Next Generation Firewall helps us with security solutions and platforms. It helps us configure the network....

See all answers

Comparisons

Sophos XG vs Fortinet FortiGate

Compared 17% of the time

Cisco Secure Firewall vs Fortinet FortiGate

Compared 11% of the time

Netgate pfSense vs Fortinet FortiGate

Compared 9% of the time

OPNsense vs Fortinet FortiGate

Compared 4% of the time

Cisco Meraki MX vs Fortinet FortiGate

Compared 4% of the time

More Fortinet FortiGate Competitors

Cisco Secure Firewall vs Cisco IOS Security

Compared 21% of the time

Cisco Meraki MX vs Cisco IOS Security

Compared 11% of the time

OPNsense vs Cisco IOS Security

Compared 10% of the time

Fortinet FortiOS vs Cisco IOS Security

Compared 6% of the time

ExtraHop Reveal(x) vs Cisco IOS Security

Compared 6% of the time

More Cisco IOS Security Competitors

Sophos XG vs GajShield Next Generation Firewall

Compared 39% of the time

WiJungle vs GajShield Next Generation Firewall

Compared 25% of the time

More GajShield Next Generation Firewall Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Fortinet FortiGate

October 2025

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Buyer's Guide

Cisco IOS Security

October 2025

Download Cisco IOS Security product report

Buyer's Guide

GajShield Next Generation Firewall

September 2025

GajShield Next Generation Firewall report

Download GajShield Next Generation Firewall product report

Also Known As

No data available

IOS Security

GajShield NGFW

Overview

Fortinet FortiGate excels in providing integrated VPN, firewalling, and Unified Threat Management (UTM) with centralized management and high availability. It supports remote access and comprehensive threat protection, making it a preferred choice for securing networks.

Fortinet FortiGate offers a robust security platform with features such as strong intrusion prevention, application control, and web filtering. Its integration with Active Directory and SD-WAN functionality provides scalable solutions for large networks. Users appreciate its ease of use through centralized management interfaces, ensuring robust security with flexible configurations. However, FortiGate could enhance its graphical interface and technical support responsiveness, address firmware bugs and costly licensing, improve logging, integrate better with third-party tools, and strengthen scalability and memory for log storage. Complexity in configuration and the need for intuitive features are noted challenges, and there's a demand for advanced security, zero-trust capabilities, and AI integration.

What are the key features of Fortinet FortiGate?

VPN: Secure remote access and connectivity.
Firewalling: Protects networks from unauthorized access and attacks.
UTM: Offers a comprehensive approach to threat management.
SD-WAN: Optimizes traffic routing for efficient network performance.
Web Filtering: Controls and monitors web access and ensures Internet security.

What benefits or ROI should be considered?

Centralized Management: Simplifies administration and monitoring.
High Availability: Ensures consistent security and network availability.
Scalability: Adapts to the needs of growing networks.
Comprehensive Threat Protection: Provides robust security measures.
Ease of Use: Minimizes the complexity of security management.

Fortinet FortiGate is widely implemented across industries like education, finance, and government. Companies use it for firewall protection, VPN, and SD-WAN capabilities, ensuring secure perimeter and data center security. It facilitates remote access management and traffic routing optimization, offering reliable security and connectivity solutions.

Fortinet

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.

Cisco

GajShield Next Generation Firewall (NGFW) is a cutting-edge cybersecurity solution designed to protect organizations from advanced threats and secure their network infrastructure. With its advanced features and robust capabilities, GajShield NGFW offers comprehensive security, high performance, and simplified management.

GajShield NGFW provides real-time visibility and control over network traffic, allowing organizations to monitor and manage their network effectively. It offers deep packet inspection (DPI) technology, which enables the identification and analysis of application-layer protocols, ensuring that only authorized applications are allowed to pass through the firewall.

This next-generation firewall also incorporates advanced threat intelligence and behavior-based analytics to detect and prevent sophisticated cyber threats. It uses machine learning algorithms to identify and block malicious activities, ensuring that organizations are protected against zero-day attacks and advanced persistent threats (APTs).

GajShield NGFW offers a wide range of security features, including an intrusion prevention system (IPS), virtual private network (VPN), web filtering, and data loss prevention (DLP). These features help organizations enforce security policies, prevent unauthorized access, and protect sensitive data from being leaked or compromised.

Furthermore, GajShield NGFW provides granular control over user access and application usage, allowing organizations to define and enforce policies based on user roles and responsibilities. It also offers bandwidth management capabilities, enabling organizations to prioritize critical applications and ensure optimal network performance.

With its intuitive and user-friendly interface, GajShield NGFW simplifies the management and administration of network security. It provides centralized control and monitoring, allowing administrators to configure policies, generate reports, and receive real-time alerts on security events.

GajShield Next Generation Firewall is a comprehensive cybersecurity solution that offers advanced threat protection, network visibility, and simplified management. With its powerful features and robust capabilities, it helps organizations safeguard their network infrastructure and protect against evolving cyber threats.

GajShield

Sample Customers

Amazon Web Services, Microsoft, IBM, Cisco, Dell, HP, Oracle, Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, Sprint, Vodafone, Orange, BT Group, Telstra, Deutsche Telekom, Comcast, Time Warner Cable, CenturyLink, NTT Communications, Tata Communications, SoftBank, China Mobile, Singtel, Telus, Rogers Communications, Bell Canada, Telkom Indonesia, Telkom South Africa, Telmex, Telia Company, 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

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Buyer's Guide

Cisco IOS Security vs. GajShield Next Generation Firewall

September 2025

Free Report: Cisco IOS Security vs. GajShield Next Generation Firewall

Find out what your peers are saying about Cisco IOS Security vs. GajShield Next Generation Firewall and other solutions. Updated: September 2025.

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