We performed a comparison between Cisco IOS SSL VPN and F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager (APM) based on real PeerSpot user reviews in five categories. After reading all of the collected data, you can find our conclusion below.
Comparison Results: Cisco IOS SSL VPN is the preferred option over F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager (APM) according to user reviews. It is described as user-friendly, secure, and feature-rich. F5 BIG-IP APM is stable and reliable but complex and expensive, with room for improvement in reporting and management. It also requires a larger team for maintenance compared to Cisco IOS SSL VPN, which is easy to install and has excellent customer support. Overall, Cisco IOS SSL VPN is a reliable and scalable solution that provides a strong ROI.
"It is very effective and I am satisfied with how it works and with its performance."
"Cisco IOS SSL VPN is stable, and once we connect, we don't face any issues and can do our work."
"The solution is very easy to work with. This is its most valuable feature. They also did a good job surrounding how you configure the devices."
"The solution is very stable."
"The product is very stable."
"It's a very stable solution and I'd say it works perfectly."
"The split panel functionality is much better in the Cisco IOS SSL VPN than in the Aruba VPN."
"IOS is user-friendly and simple. You connect to a particular VPN, and that's it. You become seamless after that."
"The portal access was very good."
"The solution is stable and reliable."
"The most valuable feature is the virtual IP creation. It's our most frequently used feature."
"The performance of the solution is valuable."
"The load balancing features are valuable."
"In my opinion, the GUI is perfect with the configuration options provided. F5 BIG-IP has given customization options and policy configuration tools in the GUI. It's good and good enough to work."
"F5 BIG-IP APM is relatively easy to use."
"Our customers have never complained about the stability"
"The company sets the policies for the default location, and destination, which the VPN connects. If there is a problem with one of those locations, which happens sometimes when I travel I need to have an option to select a different available location. Currently, I am unable to see that from a user's point of view."
"Cisco device management is quite difficult. They should work to simplify this."
"The configuration is critical and complex."
"The high price of the product is an area of concern where improvements are required."
"Multi-factor authentication in Cisco IOS SSL VPN has certain shortcomings that need improvement."
"It can be difficult to find service and at times we cannot connect with the internet easily."
"The product’s dashboard is not good enough."
"In addition to Cisco, we work with other solutions on behalf of our customers, such as Fortinet for FortiGate, but this latter solution can achieve the same results at a lower price."
"I'd suggest improved documentation integration directly within the GUI. Right now, finding comprehensive documentation often requires going to external websites like the community portal."
"Integrating identity providers and single sign-on solutions can simplify user authentication and access control."
"The technical support’s response time must be improved."
"The initial setup was complex."
"The solution’s GUI looks very old."
"F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager has room for improvement in integration with other products."
"The price of this product can be improved."
"In my opinion, the GUI side needs some improvement based on my usage. Sometimes, it doesn't work as efficiently as the CLI side."
More F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager (APM) Pricing and Cost Advice →
Cisco IOS SSL VPN is ranked 1st in SSL VPN with 47 reviews while F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager (APM) is ranked 4th in SSL VPN with 13 reviews. Cisco IOS SSL VPN is rated 8.6, while F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager (APM) is rated 8.2. The top reviewer of Cisco IOS SSL VPN writes "The solution is very stable and scalable, but it is expensive, and the configuration is complicated". On the other hand, the top reviewer of F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager (APM) writes " Facilitates packet inspection, modification, and offloading and offers visibility and troubleshooting capabilities, allowing for pre-production server testing". Cisco IOS SSL VPN is most compared with Fortinet FortiClient, Zyxel VPN Client, Ivanti Connect Secure, Citrix Gateway and SonicWall Netextender, whereas F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager (APM) is most compared with Citrix Gateway, CyberArk Privileged Access Manager, Cisco ISE (Identity Services Engine), Microsoft Remote Desktop Services and Aruba ClearPass. See our Cisco IOS SSL VPN vs. F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager (APM) report.
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We monitor all SSL VPN 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.
