Cisco IOS Security vs SonicWall NSSP comparison

Cisco and SonicWall are both solutions in the Firewalls category. Cisco is ranked #20 with an average rating of 8.2, while SonicWall is ranked #38 with an average rating of 7.3. Cisco holds a 0.3% mindshare in Firewalls, compared to SonicWall’s 0.1% mindshare. Additionally, 91% of Cisco users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 85% of SonicWall users who would recommend it.

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Sep 16, 2024

Cisco IOS Security and SonicWall NSSP compete in network security solutions. SonicWall NSSP seems to have the upper hand in features and performance based on user reviews.

Features: Cisco IOS Security offers extensive networking capabilities, integration with Cisco's broader ecosystem, and beneficial features for enterprises invested in Cisco products. SonicWall NSSP provides advanced protection features like capture ATP, SSL decryption, and real-time deep memory inspection. Users find SonicWall's security features more comprehensive and advanced.

Room for Improvement: Users suggest Cisco IOS Security could enhance threat detection capabilities, improve the command-line interface for new users, and make configuration simpler. SonicWall NSSP users indicate the need for a more streamlined configuration process, better documentation, and simpler setup despite its advanced security features.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Cisco IOS Security is praised for integration within Cisco environments but can be complex to deploy and configure. SonicWall NSSP is noted for being easier to deploy but has configuration complexity. Both receive favorable customer service ratings, with SonicWall leading due to shorter response times.

Pricing and ROI: Cisco IOS Security has higher setup costs reflecting its robust features, while SonicWall NSSP offers competitive pricing. Users find SonicWall NSSP delivers a better ROI due to its potent security suite, making it cost-effective for many businesses.

To learn more, read our detailed Cisco IOS Security vs. SonicWall NSSP Report (Updated: July 2025).

Buyer's Guide

Cisco IOS Security vs. SonicWall NSSP

July 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:

ROI

Sentiment score

5.7

Users find Fortinet FortiGate cost-effective, enhancing security and productivity while reducing operational costs and manpower needs.

Sentiment score

8.1

Cisco IOS Security offers high ROI through improved efficiency, reduced risks, cost savings, and a beneficial subscription model.

Sentiment score

1.0

SonicWall NSSP improved network security, reduced threat management time, increased efficiency, and provided significant cost savings and robust support.

Clients are now comfortable and not wasting productive hours on IT support.

MURALI NIDAMANURI

Managing Director at VIPUN COGNITIVE SOLUTIONS PVT LTD.

The automation part is giving us a cost benefit and speed; we can react faster.

Bart Homblé

BDM Fortinet & BDM Teamlead at Exclusive Networks

It's a very useful tool to mitigate and protect your enterprise.

Bernard Samontanes

Staff Infrastructure & Security Engineer at Mozn Systems

For more quotes and insights, download the Fortinet FortiGate report

No quotes available

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

No quotes available

For more quotes and insights, download the SonicWall NSSP report

Customer Service

Sentiment score

6.4

Fortinet FortiGate's customer support is generally positive but varies in responsiveness and expertise, influenced by region and support tier.

Sentiment score

7.0

Cisco IOS Security offers expert support but faces criticism for slow responses and communication challenges, remaining a strong choice.

Sentiment score

5.0

SonicWall NSSP customer support receives mixed reviews, praised for effectiveness by some, while others cite response issues.

They offer very accurate solutions.

Taimoor Khan

Network Operations Engineer at Inara Technologies

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.

Alexandre Menezes

IT Manager at a consultancy with 10,001+ employees

I would rate the technical support for Fortinet FortiGate a ten out of ten.

AnishKumar

NAC Support at Rah Infotech Pvt Ltd

For more quotes and insights, download the Fortinet FortiGate report

No quotes available

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

No quotes available

For more quotes and insights, download the SonicWall NSSP report

Scalability Issues

Sentiment score

6.9

Fortinet FortiGate effectively supports scalable deployments, offering adaptability despite potential hardware limits and integration and licensing concerns.

Sentiment score

7.5

Cisco IOS Security is praised for scalability and efficiency but may require additional hardware and specific Cisco equipment.

Sentiment score

5.5

SonicWall NSSP is scalable for SMBs, though some organizations require upgrades for improved capacity and adaptability.

They scale up really well from smaller models like the FortiGate 40 and 50 to bigger sites with the FortiGate 100 for more throughput - up to enterprise datacenters.

Ian Manton

IT Manager at Daltons Limited

The variation comes in terms of the interfaces and throughputs, but from a security perspective, you get the same benefit, irrespective of whether you have an entry-level unit or an enterprise.

reviewer2667480

Cewa Solutions Architect at a tech services company with 11-50 employees

We determine sizing based on multiple factors: number of users, available links, traffic types, server count, services in use, and whether services will be published.

FatmaSamy

General Surgery Specialist at Helwan University Cairo

For more quotes and insights, download the Fortinet FortiGate report

No quotes available

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

No quotes available

For more quotes and insights, download the SonicWall NSSP report

Stability Issues

Sentiment score

7.4

FortiGate is praised for stability and performance, with minor challenges managed by updates, proper sizing, and support.

Sentiment score

7.7

Cisco IOS Security is praised for stability and reliability, with few integration issues reported when not using Cisco equipment.

Sentiment score

3.3

SonicWall NSSP is highly stable, with minimal issues reported and excellent handling of power and firmware updates.

We're experiencing 99.999% availability consistently.

Ricardo Biggs

Manager, Information Technology at a consumer goods company with 11-50 employees

I would rate the stability of Fortinet FortiGate a ten out of ten.

AnishKumar

NAC Support at Rah Infotech Pvt Ltd

Currently, we are experiencing a general outage of one of the main internet service providers of the Dominican Republic, and we have not been impacted in our operations because with SD-WAN, we have another internet service provider and we are working with the second WAN connection without any disruption.

Juan Frias

CISO at a financial services firm with 1,001-5,000 employees

For more quotes and insights, download the Fortinet FortiGate report

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

Binoob John

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

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

In 30 years, only three to four boxes out of 1,000 to 2,000 boxes have had issues.

Winsley De Oliveira

Owner at ANOC

For more quotes and insights, download the SonicWall NSSP report

Room For Improvement

Fortinet FortiGate struggles with integration, user complexity, support inefficiencies, high costs, and feature performance, needing improved documentation and security.

Cisco IOS Security needs more intuitive management, better performance, advanced features, and improved integration, usability, and support.

SonicWall NSSP requires UI improvements, better marketing, enhanced EDR/XDR features, more stable performance, and less costly reporting.

Investing in a solution that can accommodate such growth would be more cost-effective than repeatedly purchasing new hardware.

Jose Gisbert

Manager Network (IT/OT) at a consumer goods company with 5,001-10,000 employees

The constant daily revisions necessitate meticulous identification of the relevant documents to prevent the use of outdated information that could jeopardize our environment.

James-Jiang

IT Security Analyst at a energy/utilities company with 51-200 employees

While Fortinet claims to offer a comprehensive network solution, it falls short in addressing computer application issues, particularly server security.

MOHAN SUKUMAR

Head of computer systems at Indian Institute of Space Science & Technology(IIST)

For more quotes and insights, download the Fortinet FortiGate report

No quotes available

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

No quotes available

For more quotes and insights, download the SonicWall NSSP report

Setup Cost

Fortinet FortiGate offers competitive, cost-effective pricing, appealing to small-medium businesses with flexible licensing and valued security solutions.

Cisco IOS Security is pricey, subscription-based, aimed at medium-to-large enterprises, with recent SMB options, often seen as expensive.

SonicWall NSSP pricing varies by location and licensing, with import taxes impacting costs, but features and support are valued.

FortiGate is priced lower than Palo Alto.

James-Jiang

IT Security Analyst at a energy/utilities company with 51-200 employees

Last year, I renewed the support for three years, which can sometimes be expensive but depends on the security benefits and how it helps us.

AiméKouchade

Network & System Admin at Invoke Studios

It is about 20% cheaper.

MithatBulut

Network Security Engineer at TD SYNNEX

For more quotes and insights, download the Fortinet FortiGate report

No quotes available

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

When purchasing through local distributors such as ScanSource or Tech Data, they incur around 100% in taxes just for import procedures.

Winsley De Oliveira

Owner at ANOC

For more quotes and insights, download the SonicWall NSSP report

Valuable Features

Fortinet FortiGate is user-friendly, cost-effective, and offers high-performance comprehensive security with advanced threat protection features.

Cisco IOS Security enhances network security with robust features, user-friendly interface, and strong performance, preferred over competitors.

SonicWall NSSP offers robust security features, user-friendly management, and favorable pricing, enhancing protection with advanced threat prevention tools.

In terms of security, we have not experienced any security flaws or loopholes, and it has proven to be quite stable.

MOHAN SUKUMAR

Head of computer systems at Indian Institute of Space Science & Technology(IIST)

FortiGate has helped reduce the risk of cyberattacks that might disrupt our client's production.

Taimoor Khan

Network Operations Engineer at Inara Technologies

These features help reduce our downtime, manage the ISPs, and deploy SLAs for all the website traffic.

Syed Ali Waqas

Head IT at Burraq Cyber Security Solutions

For more quotes and insights, download the Fortinet FortiGate report

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

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

No quotes available

For more quotes and insights, download the SonicWall NSSP report

Categories and Ranking

Fortinet FortiGate

Mindshare comparison

As of August 2025, in the Firewalls category, the mindshare of Fortinet FortiGate is 20.8%, up from 17.8% 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 SonicWall NSSP is 0.1%, up from 0.0% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

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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Binoob John

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

Rrobust network security and device authentication with advanced access control features

This solution should be implemented for most enterprise-level customers. It ensures that users accessing the corporate network or wireless network with their own devices are authenticated and authorized. As a network administrator, I can track who is accessing the network, what devices they are…

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Winsley De Oliveira

Owner at ANOC

Long-term reliability and efficient customer support elevate user experience

The best features with the SonicWall NSSP firewall are safety and stability. The most defining aspect I can share is that if you try to find firmware, a pirate firmware for Fortinet on the internet, you're going to find it in Russia or elsewhere. However, try to find SonicWall NSSP firmware and you will never find it anywhere. Nobody shares it. I have my internal library for old and deactivated firewalls, but we don't share with anyone. This is very significant because anyone claiming to have hacked SonicWall NSSP firmware is incorrect. With Fortinet, it's different. It's a very nice product. For the customers and clients, it's transparent. We have rules, and they are very strict. Any bad sites or blocklist sites are blocked, and users don't complain. They are used to our controls. We have a standard package for our customers that's the same in every company. When customers buy it, they must accept it. If they don't accept the package we offer as a consulting company, we don't sell. It's a yes or no situation with no options. All our customers have the same scenario and configuration, with very minor exceptions.

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Computer Software Company

16%

Comms Service Provider

Manufacturing Company

Financial Services Firm

Computer Software Company

28%

Manufacturing Company

Government

Outsourcing Company

No data available

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

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...

See all answers

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 SonicWall NSSP?

The solution's pricing is good.

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for SonicWall NSSP?

SonicWall is a rather expensive solution with a rating of eight out of ten regarding its pricing. Despite being expen...

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What needs improvement with SonicWall NSSP?

The EDR and XDR capabilities of SonicWall need to be improved. When compared to a brand like SentinelOne, SonicWall s...

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Comparisons

Sophos XG vs Fortinet FortiGate

Compared 20% of the time

Cisco Secure Firewall vs Fortinet FortiGate

Compared 12% of the time

Netgate pfSense vs Fortinet FortiGate

Compared 11% of the time

Cisco Meraki MX vs Fortinet FortiGate

Compared 5% of the time

SonicWall TZ vs Fortinet FortiGate

Compared 4% of the time

More Fortinet FortiGate Competitors

Cisco Secure Firewall vs Cisco IOS Security

Compared 22% of the time

OPNsense vs Cisco IOS Security

Compared 13% of the time

Cisco Meraki MX vs Cisco IOS Security

Compared 12% of the time

Fortinet FortiOS vs Cisco IOS Security

Compared 10% of the time

Palo Alto Networks NG Firewalls vs Cisco IOS Security

Compared 7% of the time

More Cisco IOS Security Competitors

SonicWall NSa vs SonicWall NSSP

Compared 36% of the time

OPNsense vs SonicWall NSSP

Compared 19% of the time

More SonicWall NSSP Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Fortinet FortiGate

August 2025

Download Fortinet FortiGate product report

Buyer's Guide

Cisco IOS Security

August 2025

Download Cisco IOS Security product report

Buyer's Guide

Firewalls

August 2025

Download SonicWall NSSP product report

Also Known As

FortiGate 60b, FortiGate 60c, FortiGate 80c, FortiGate 50b, FortiGate 200b, FortiGate 110c, FortiGate, Fortinet Firewall

IOS Security

SonicWall Network Security Services Platform

Overview

Fortinet FortiGate offers comprehensive network security and firewall protection across multiple locations. It effectively manages data traffic and secures environments with features like VPN, intrusion prevention, and UTM controls.

Organizations rely on Fortinet FortiGate for its robust integration with advanced security policies, ensuring significant protection for enterprises, cloud environments, and educational sectors. It facilitates network segmentation, application-level security, and authentication management, securing communication within and between locations such as branches and data centers. Its efficient SD-WAN and UTM features enable streamlined data management and enhanced threat protection capabilities. Users appreciate its centralized management, facilitating seamless operations across diverse environments.

What are the key features of Fortinet FortiGate?

VPN Capabilities: Ensure secure remote access for users and seamless site-to-site connections.
Intrusion Prevention System (IPS): Detect and prevent security threats and vulnerabilities.
Advanced Firewall: Offers robust firewalling with application control and web filtering.
SD-WAN: Optimizes application performance and enhances bandwidth management.
SSL VPN: Provides reliable and secure access for remote workers.

What benefits should users expect from Fortinet FortiGate?

High-performance Security: Delivers effective threat mitigation with high availability.
Centralized Management: Simplifies network operations with cloud-based management tools.
Detailed Analytics: Provides comprehensive insights into network activity and security threats.
Load Balancing: Ensures optimal resource distribution and traffic management.

Fortinet FortiGate is crucial in sectors like education, offering robust networks for secure data flow between campuses and facilitating remote learning. In enterprise environments, it allows efficient management of application traffic and security across multiple branches, while in the cloud, it seamlessly integrates with diverse platforms to enhance security infrastructure.

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

The SonicWall Network Security services platform (NSsp) 12000 series takes a modern approach to threat detection and prevention by combining cloud intelligence with appliance-based protection in a scalable, high-speed platform.

SonicWall

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

Comlogic, Depaul, Hutt City Council

Buyer's Guide

Cisco IOS Security vs. SonicWall NSSP

July 2025

Free Report: Cisco IOS Security vs. SonicWall NSSP

Find out what your peers are saying about Cisco IOS Security vs. SonicWall NSSP and other solutions. Updated: July 2025.

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