

Find out in this report how the two ZTNA solutions compare in terms of features, pricing, service and support, easy of deployment, and ROI.
At Amazon, we knew exactly how much it would cost if a fulfillment center was down for an hour.
The AI features further contribute by expediting threat detection and incident response, ensuring tangible returns through operational savings.
It is one of those tools that needs to work right out of the box, and thankfully, it does; it is reliable, and the setup time was quick and straightforward.
Now, with the SAML and Active Directory integration, the process is down to under two minutes, which frees up our senior staff to focus on critical infrastructure tasks instead of managing access tickets.
The platform automatically reads the user role and maps them to the correct network subnets instantly, saving us countless hours of administration overhead every month.
Financially, we observe that while costs were initially high, optimizing user connections has rendered better financial management in the long run, improving user access without extensive management needs.
Cisco TAC is very competent.
With our established point of contact within Cisco, our experience has greatly improved; we no longer log all issues through technical cases, as we can go directly to our account managers or customer service team, which expedites resolution.
I would rate the technical support ten out of ten. Hands down.
I would definitely rate customer support 10 out of 10.
The ticketing system is responsive, and the technical team knows the product inside and out.
My advice is to map out your user access groups and routing subnets before configuring the server; this makes it easier to enforce least privilege.
We turn the traffic to the Cisco Secure Access cloud, and we can manage and apply the policies that are necessary, making it very easy to scale the solution.
Cisco has a great benefit in that you can integrate with other solutions in an easy way because it has a lot of protocols to integrate with others and sophisticated steps that we can apply for integration.
Performance has remained consistent, usage has increased, and we have not experienced scalability-related limitations.
When we deploy and install OpenVPN Access Server, the principle is to install and forget.
You can easily upgrade the underlying hardware resources or spin up additional nodes in a cluster configuration if you need to handle a massive surge in concurrent users.
It's not very easy to expand, and it would be beneficial if the process were simpler.
Cisco is renowned for their reliability, and their products perform well under high data usage.
The service consistently provides secure connectivity for remote users, contractors, and hybrid environments with minimal disruption.
I rate the stability of Cisco Secure Access as ten out of ten.
OpenVPN Access Server is 100% stable in my experience.
Regarding stability, I have not had any crashes, performance issues, or stability issues with OpenVPN Access Server.
OpenVPN Access Server is very stable, and we have a hassle-free work experience using it.
Modernization is needed, specifically in the enhancement of security features and functionality.
It was challenging to learn because it has a significant learning curve and requires considerable training to become proficient.
The granular access issue is coming from the product limitation at the moment, as it does not offer us the option to tell it that a particular role can only manage websites, allowed sites, and blocked sites.
Lastly, it would be awesome to see native support for newer, lighter protocols through WireGuard built straight into the platform alongside standard OpenVPN for better performance efficiency.
Additionally, native support for newer, lighter protocols like WireGuard built straight into the platform alongside standard OpenVPN for better performance efficiency would be beneficial.
With WireGuard, which is locked down over UDP, it is harder for attackers to probe ports.
The solution is cheaper than premium options such as Palo Alto, existing Cisco licenses facilitate replacing previous solutions with Cisco Secure Access smoothly and affordably.
It is good because you want to push Cisco Secure Access, and regarding the price, it is very much below other products.
Improvement on the pricing will help in expanding the market for Cisco Secure Access and then it can be affordable to much more number of companies than what it is right now.
The sticker price may look clear, but the real cost includes the time spent untangling subscription limitations, account conflicts, sales handoffs, and unclear guidance.
My experience with pricing is excellent as the pricing is free.
The experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing for OpenVPN Access Server is really good, not that expensive.
It eliminates the hassle of switching on VPNs and provides a direct connection to resources via Cisco Secure Access.
They are sending the traffic encrypted and categorizing the traffic based on the type, whether web traffic or internet traffic, and doing the security mechanism that is needed for the traffic type.
Using ZTNA in Cisco Secure Access has positively affected my transition and my clients' transition to Zero Trust and least privilege principles, reinforcing the security posture.
The most valuable features of OpenVPN are its ease of use, client familiarity, end-user familiarity, operating system integration, and price points.
The main benefits I have seen from using OpenVPN Access Server include secure access to private resources over the public internet.
OpenVPN Access Server has positively impacted my organization by allowing access to our private services, enhancing security, and enabling remote work from anywhere.
| Product | Mindshare (%) |
|---|---|
| Cisco Secure Access | 2.9% |
| OpenVPN Access Server | 3.5% |
| Other | 93.6% |
| Company Size | Count |
|---|---|
| Small Business | 29 |
| Midsize Enterprise | 13 |
| Large Enterprise | 36 |
| Company Size | Count |
|---|---|
| Small Business | 44 |
| Midsize Enterprise | 14 |
| Large Enterprise | 25 |
Cisco Secure Access is a comprehensive Security Service Edge (SSE) solution (a key component of a SASE solution) that addresses the complexities of securing a hybrid enterprise. Cloud-delivered and grounded in zero trust, it delivers a unique blend of user simplicity and IT efficiency for frictionless, secure access to all applications—SaaS (with gen AI), private apps, and the internet—regardless of user location or device. Secure Access protects users, data, and devices against relentless, sophisticated, and constantly evolving threats including AI-driven attacks and identity breaches.
Provides all core SSE components (ZTNA, SWG, CASB, and FWaaS) plus extended capabilities.
Includes VPN-as-a-Service (VPNaaS), data loss prevention (DLP), AI Assistant, visibility/control/guardrails for generative AI use, digital experience monitoring (DEM), reserved IP, remote browser isolation (RBI), DNS-layer security, flexible security enforcement (in cloud or on-premises), policy verification, and more.
Protects users as they seamlessly access resources and apps with no extra steps needed, regardless of protocol, port, or level of customization
Simplifies IT operations through a single client, single dashboard, single license, and unified policies.
Lowers risk with least privilege, granular controls backed with unmatched threat intelligence of Cisco Talos.
Eases interoperability with other products from Cisco and third-party vendors with common administrative controls, data structures, and policy management.
Robust integrations
Integrates with Cisco Identity Intelligence to protect against the startling increase in identity-based attacks.
Integrates with many SAML Identity Providers (IDPs) such as AD, Azure AD, Okta, Ping, etc.
Integrates with Cisco offerings including SD-WAN, Splunk, XDR, Thousand Eyes, third party technologies such as Menlo RBI, Chrome Enterprise Browser, and AppOmni for SSPM.
OpenVPN Access Server Enterprise provides secure, scalable remote access with strong encryption and cross-platform compatibility, leveraging open-source flexibility for cost-effectiveness. It's ideal for connecting remote workers, maintaining privacy, and securing network communications.
OpenVPN Access Server Enterprise is renowned for its ease of setup and adaptability, supporting Linux and different operating systems, which ensures robust security and seamless integration across network scenarios. With features like two-factor authentication and customizable installers, it emphasizes privacy and remote connectivity. While it offers robust documentation and community support, there are challenges with user management due to the lack of a simple GUI. Users note stability issues under heavy traffic, and improvements in security features and configuration automation are desired. Despite these areas for enhancement, it remains a reliable choice for secure remote access.
What are the key features?
What benefits and ROI should users seek?
In industries such as finance and healthcare, OpenVPN Access Server Enterprise secures sensitive data while enabling remote access across LANs and VPCs. It's utilized for encrypted traffic protection, facilitating site-to-site VPNs, and connecting mobile workers securely, thus maintaining data integrity in interoffice communications and IoT platforms.
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