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Cisco Secure Firewall Management Center vs FortiGate Cloud-Native Firewall (FortiGate CNF) comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Nov 4, 2024

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
2.2
Cisco Secure Firewall offers good ROI for some users, though opinions vary due to premium pricing and alternative options.
Sentiment score
8.8
FortiGate Cloud-Native Firewall maximizes ROI with robust, cost-effective security, reducing CapEx and enhancing value with a single license.
There are a lot of solutions which can provide the same features.
FortiGate Cloud-Native Firewall provides the same features that higher-end models offer, but at a much lower cost.
 

Customer Service

Sentiment score
6.5
Cisco Secure Firewall Management Center is praised for its helpful support, though some experience delays and complex documentation.
Sentiment score
7.7
FortiGate CNF is praised for strong support, though areas for improvement and training needs are identified.
There is local support through the distributor, which is efficient and provides a friendly relationship.
Customer service for Fortinet is rated at four out of five.
Technical support from Fortinet is rated high, a nine out of ten, though there is always room for improvement.
 

Scalability Issues

Sentiment score
8.0
Cisco Secure Firewall Management Center is praised for scalable performance, supporting small to large organizations with flexible expansion capabilities.
Sentiment score
6.9
FortiGate CNF offers robust scalability for diverse organizational needs, though some users prefer open-access software and hardware adjustments.
I would rate scalability capabilities as ten out of ten.
The scalability allows for increasing the capacity through configuration adjustments.
Unfortunately, FortiGate Cloud-Native Firewall (FortiGate CNF) is not very scalable.
For scalability, if the hardware isn't fit or working, the box needs changing.
 

Stability Issues

Sentiment score
7.0
Cisco Secure Firewall Management Center is reliable but faces occasional issues with updates, high CPU use, and legacy integrations.
Sentiment score
8.6
FortiGate CNF is praised for its stability, reliability, and effective security performance, earning high user satisfaction and trust.
The stability of FortiGate Cloud-Native Firewall (FortiGate CNF) is highly appreciated by the people I work with, as they love its reliability.
I would rate the stability of FortiGate Cloud-Native Firewall (FortiGate CNF) as nine out of ten, indicating it is very stable.
The FortiGate firewall is stable and supports all our requirements for infrastructure security.
 

Room For Improvement

Cisco Secure Firewall Management Center faces challenges in setup, integration, performance, and cost, with better competitor alternatives available.
FortiGate CNF requires improvements in DNS options, support, cost, stability, processing power, and enhanced security features for competitiveness.
I remember version 6.4 had an integration with Eddie, allowing me to define a policy according to my users, however, the latest version, lacks this integration.
The Intrusion Prevention System (IPS) in Fortinet products, including FortiGate Cloud-Native Firewall (FortiGate CNF), is not very strong; we often prefer Cisco IPS instead.
The customization of FortiGate Cloud-Native Firewall (FortiGate CNF) could be improved, particularly in terms of configurations to better adjust to specific needs.
Migration can be quite challenging when moving from a different firewall to FortiGate Cloud-Native Firewall.
 

Setup Cost

Cisco Secure Firewall Management Center is costly, but offers flexible licensing for feature customization, rated moderate to high.
FortiGate Cloud-Native Firewall's pricing is seen as competitive by some, expensive by others, with flexible model benefits.
A $80 or $200 device translates to approximately 8,000 to 10,000 Rand, which includes licensing costs.
The pricing of FortiGate Cloud-Native Firewall is very good and is not considered expensive compared to other products.
FortiGate CNF has medium pricing, making it an attractive option for many businesses.
 

Valuable Features

Cisco Secure Firewall offers centralized management, integration, and advanced protection features, praised for scalability, stability, and threat intelligence.
FortiGate Cloud-Native Firewall provides cost-effective advanced protection, easy integration, real-time updates, and extensive features for comprehensive security.
It provides full visibility of my devices, whether I have six or ten devices.
It enables better segregation and integration with on-premise firewalls and infrastructure so that I can seamlessly handle both on-prem physical firewalls and cloud firewalls.
Threat detection and prevention features are the most effective aspects of FortiGate CNF.
The visibility and exposure to logs provide valuable insights for our InfraSec team, aiding in monitoring and managing communication and policies.
 

Categories and Ranking

Cisco Secure Firewall Manag...
Ranking in Firewall Security Management
8th
Average Rating
8.0
Reviews Sentiment
6.4
Number of Reviews
27
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
FortiGate Cloud-Native Fire...
Ranking in Firewall Security Management
7th
Average Rating
8.4
Reviews Sentiment
7.7
Number of Reviews
16
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of August 2025, in the Firewall Security Management category, the mindshare of Cisco Secure Firewall Management Center is 1.3%, up from 0.7% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of FortiGate Cloud-Native Firewall (FortiGate CNF) is 1.7%, up from 1.4% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Firewall Security Management
 

Featured Reviews

Yonas Abebe - PeerSpot reviewer
Great dashboard with extensive visibility and good support
I expect more integration with AI. I expect Cisco to be easier for users in India, especially for junior users. For a junior one, it may somehow be complex, especially when configuring something. I remember version 6.4 had an integration with Eddie, allowing me to define a policy according to my users, however, the latest version, lacks this integration. The logging of FMC should be improved as it does not offer real-time solutions like DazaSodo.
MuhammadJahangir - PeerSpot reviewer
Provided us with a good experience, making it the best firewall for our needs
We are using two Fortinet firewalls. One is as an office firewall for all users behind it, configured with remote VPN for users working from home. The other firewall is for production use, with our applications behind it, ensuring PCI DSS compliance. It is deployed in AWS Cloud FortiGate has…
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Government
22%
Computer Software Company
16%
Engineering Company
9%
Performing Arts
6%
Computer Software Company
14%
Manufacturing Company
13%
Financial Services Firm
11%
Energy/Utilities Company
6%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
 

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about Cisco Secure Firewall Management Center?
The platform has significantly enhanced our organization's operations by providing secure communication channels between different office locations.
What needs improvement with Cisco Secure Firewall Management Center?
Licensing has been a challenge with Cisco Secure Firewall Management Center, and personally, I would consider switching to another solution. We are thinking of taking a Fortinet or another solution...
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for FortiGate Cloud-Native Firewall (FortiGate CNF)?
The pricing is a bit expensive, primarily due to licensing fees. Extra expenses include upgradations beyond licensing.
What needs improvement with FortiGate Cloud-Native Firewall (FortiGate CNF)?
The customization of FortiGate Cloud-Native Firewall (FortiGate CNF) could be improved, particularly in terms of configurations to better adjust to specific needs.
 

Interactive Demo

Demo not available
 

Overview

Find out what your peers are saying about Cisco Secure Firewall Management Center vs. FortiGate Cloud-Native Firewall (FortiGate CNF) and other solutions. Updated: July 2025.
865,384 professionals have used our research since 2012.