Skybox Security Suite and Cisco Secure Firewall Management Center compete in the comprehensive security solutions category. Skybox has an advantage in vulnerability management and network analysis, beneficial for large enterprises, while Cisco excels in integrated firewall management within the Cisco ecosystem.
Features: Skybox Security Suite offers network path analysis, expansive vulnerability management, and compliance options, supporting scalability and vendor integration. Cisco Secure Firewall Management Center provides strong firewall management, seamless integration with other Cisco products, and robust security intelligence, enhancing centralized management and threat detection.
Room for Improvement: Skybox Security Suite could enhance its web-based interface and integration features. Performance improvements and pricing reductions would benefit Cisco Secure Firewall Management Center. Enhancements in Cisco's GUI and user experience are also needed.
Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Skybox Security Suite supports flexible deployments such as on-premises and hybrid cloud, though customer service can be slow. Cisco Secure Firewall Management Center is well-integrated with private cloud setups, with generally good support but complexity issues during deployment.
Pricing and ROI: Skybox Security Suite has high pricing but offers a quick ROI for large networks due to its feature set. Cisco Secure Firewall Management Center is also expensive with a complex licensing structure, but justified by its comprehensive security offerings and brand reputation for companies heavily using Cisco ecosystems.
There are a lot of solutions which can provide the same features.
I rate the technical support from Cisco as ten out of ten.
A significant issue was contacting support after hours on the weekends.
For the 3000 new series and the 4000, we can make a cluster.
I would rate scalability capabilities as ten out of ten.
One issue I faced with scalability was the transition from Skybox Security Suite's 6500 platform to the 7500 series due to licensing costs becoming prohibitive.
Now Cisco has published the 120 series and the 1100 series, which support SD-WAN features in the firewall.
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 lack of continued support and problematic licensing costs were also areas needing improvement.
Only the licensing part of Skybox had an edge. We were not renewing the licenses of Skybox every year, but in the case of other tools, we would have to renew if we wanted to use those tools.
It would be better if something more attractive or similar useful information found in AlgoSec was available.
I find the pricing for Cisco Secure Firewall Management Center to be very reasonable, as they offer the license for both virtual and hardware options.
From a commercial perspective, AlgoSec is more expensive compared to Skybox Security Suite.
The pricing became prohibitive when transitioning between the 6500 and 7500 series models.
I consider Talos feedback that Cisco provides as free threat intelligence to be the most valuable for me and for the operation of the security policy in my organization.
It provides full visibility of my devices, whether I have six or ten devices.
The tool successfully helped in preventing vulnerabilities and breaches.
Skybox Security Suite's network modeling and path analysis is a good feature when we need to check regarding the connectivity.
The most helpful feature is the firewall analyzer.
| Product | Market Share (%) |
|---|---|
| Skybox Security Suite | 9.0% |
| Cisco Secure Firewall Management Center | 1.6% |
| Other | 89.4% |
| Company Size | Count |
|---|---|
| Small Business | 12 |
| Midsize Enterprise | 9 |
| Large Enterprise | 7 |
| Company Size | Count |
|---|---|
| Small Business | 21 |
| Midsize Enterprise | 4 |
| Large Enterprise | 21 |
The Cisco Secure Firewall Management Center is the administrative nerve center for select Cisco security products running on multiple platforms. It provides unified management of Cisco Secure Firewalls with Firewall Threat Defense (FTD) software for port and protocol control, application control, IPS, URL filtering, and malware protection functions. Firewall Management Center is the centralized event and policy manager for:
● Cisco Secure Firewall with the Firewall Threat Defense (FTD) OS
● Cisco ASA with FirePOWER Services
● Cisco Secure IPS (Firepower Next-Gen IPS / NGIPS)
● Cisco FirePOWER Threat Defense for ISR
● Cisco Malware Defense (AMP)
Skybox Security Suite provides comprehensive tools for network and firewall compliance, vulnerability management, and change management, with a focus on risk reduction and network optimization.
Skybox Security Suite supports over 130 vendors with massive scalability and seamless integration, notably with Nessus and Qualys. Its features include network path analysis and offline attack simulation, which enhance management effectiveness. Despite its robust offering, improvements are needed in its UI, web interface, reporting detail, and customization. Automation, orchestration, and device policy provisioning require better support, and integration with tools like Rapid7 could be improved. Enhancements in firewall configuration checks, cloud connectivity, pricing, and marketing awareness are also called for, alongside a transition from Java GUI to a consistent web-based system.
What Are Key Features of Skybox Security Suite?Skybox Security Suite is commonly used in industries requiring strict compliance like finance and healthcare. Firms employ it for firewall audits, enhancing network visibility, and managing configurations against standards such as PCI, ensuring security and policy compliance across expansive networks.
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