Cisco IOS Security vs Fortinet FortiGate IPS comparison

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410 views|309 comparisons
91% willing to recommend
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4,199 views|2,638 comparisons
95% willing to recommend
Comparison Buyer's Guide
Executive Summary

We performed a comparison between Cisco IOS Security and Fortinet FortiGate IPS based on real PeerSpot user reviews.

Find out in this report how the two Intrusion Detection and Prevention Software (IDPS) solutions compare in terms of features, pricing, service and support, easy of deployment, and ROI.
To learn more, read our detailed Cisco IOS Security vs. Fortinet FortiGate IPS Report (Updated: March 2024).
768,740 professionals have used our research since 2012.
Featured Review
Quotes From Members
We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use.
Here are some excerpts of what they said:
Pros
"The product is easy to use.""The VPN was valuable for us because more people are working from home. It has a lot of reporting and easy-to-use management tools.""The VPN is the most valuable feature.""Previously, anyone in the organization would see any data point in the wall. They could just go and connect their machine with that data point and could access the network. But now, even if someone came and tried that, they will not be given access.""Cisco has always been a premium product. There's a lot of other entry-level solutions. This is more robust.""The solution effectively integrates with Umbrella.""The VPN connection portal scan works flawlessly, which was a big plus for us.""Cisco IOS allows us to keep the same security features as our principal offices."

More Cisco IOS Security Pros →

"Fortinet FortiGate's most valuable features are the UTM package which provides internet blocking restrictions and load balancing. Additionally, the solution is easy to use and the security reporting is good. The security fabric which they have launched Fortinet FortiGate IPS, it's very good in terms of giving details.""Integrated management is a very valuable feature.""It does not require a lot of maintenance.""The VPN used with the product is secure and reliable without lag.""Before using this solution, we had so many problems accessing our resources because we don't have a lot of internet bandwidth. And by using application control and traffic shaping, we were able to manage user to quickly access services that are important. This tool has aided to the simplicity of our day-to-day management.""FortiGate protects and secures our clients' networks. The security is solid, and it performs well. I think they use some artificial intelligence, so I think it's excellent equipment.""The most valuable features of Fortinet FortiGate IPS are firewall and filtering.""FortiGate IPS is really easy to use. I don't have any problems with this."

More Fortinet FortiGate IPS Pros →

Cons
"We have a very bad experience on the support. They take too much time requesting logs, and they are not coming directly online to resolve the issues.""The product's technical support services need improvement.""Most of their features are meant for Cisco. You cannot integrate them with any other vendor.""There's a technology called SD-WAN that we would like to see. We are unable to handle multiple connections or to automatically load balance. I would like to have a feature that enables us to automatically prepare for load balancing.""It takes too much time to deploy a policy to FMC. It takes around eight minutes. You can't afford any downtime when you're changing policies.""I would like upgrading iOS to be a bit easier.""The pricing is the only con for this product.""I would like to see much more embedded security that works and that isn't a bolt-on."

More Cisco IOS Security Cons →

"We'd like to have multi-factor authentication via fiber.""To stay ahead of the competition Fortinet FortiGate IPS needs to think about how to adjust pricing.""The prevention mechanisms and implementation are not easy.""The system can slow down when inspections are carried out.""While the security is good, we'd always prefer if it was even better to ensure protection.""The initial deployment could be improved.""I would like to be able to generate reports about the protections that we have. I would like a report feature.""I would like to be able to see more log details."

More Fortinet FortiGate IPS Cons →

Pricing and Cost Advice
  • "The pricing is very expensive. Normally I do a yearly contract; I don't know the exact pricing, but it's around $75,000 USD per year. That's the standard licensing."
  • "The licensing is on a subscription basis, and it is fairly costly. I would prefer a one-time payment."
  • "The licenses for this solution are expensive."
  • "It is an expensive solution."
  • "The pricing is okay. It is competitive. It costs more when you need get more features."
  • "Price is certainly something that the IOS technology has fallen behind the competition on."
  • "It is necessary to pay for a license in order to use the solution. It is on a yearly basis and the price is high."
  • "Palo Alto networks are more expensive than this solution and this is why you will see more products like this one in Mexico."
  • More Cisco IOS Security Pricing and Cost Advice →

  • "The pricing for FortiGate IPS is competitive with other products in the category."
  • "We are currently evaluating a Palo Alto solution, and the pricing could be a reason for going for Palo Alto."
  • "They are more expensive than others."
  • "It is not expensive as compared to Cisco."
  • "The price is okay, so far so good."
  • "The solution could be better priced."
  • "The licensing costs are very competitive."
  • "There is an annual license to use this solution. The prices have been increasing over the years."
  • More Fortinet FortiGate IPS Pricing and Cost Advice →

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    Questions from the Community
    Top Answer:Cisco IOS Security is a mature product with extensive capabilities, serving as the base for the defense layer. It offers good network visibility, which helps in rapid response through the Rapid Threat… more »
    Top Answer:The challenge often comes down to pricing for SMB customers or those below enterprise level. It's tough for them to invest in Cisco Security products, not because the products lack quality—on the… more »
    Top Answer:In the security portfolio from Cisco, the issue is marketing. Cisco is still seen primarily as an enterprise network player rather than being acknowledged as a security vendor. Cisco offers a vast… more »
    Top Answer:The most significant aspect of IPS is self-explanatory as it primarily focuses on intrusion prevention, which is crucial for Fortinet's internal outbreak prevention efforts and ensuring compliance on… more »
    Top Answer:There is room for improvement in being proactive about identifying and integrating new signatures.
    Ranking
    Views
    410
    Comparisons
    309
    Reviews
    17
    Average Words per Review
    350
    Rating
    7.8
    Views
    4,199
    Comparisons
    2,638
    Reviews
    26
    Average Words per Review
    372
    Rating
    8.5
    Comparisons
    Also Known As
    IOS Security
    FortiGate IPS
    Learn More
    Overview
    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.

    Fortinet FortiGate IPS is a highly effective intrusion detection and prevention solution. It is designed to secure a user’s system from end to end and ensure that users are equipped to handle even the most sophisticated threats. Organizations across a wide variety of industries trust IPS to help them prevent unwanted intrusions from harming their networks.

    Fortinet FortiGate IPS Benefits

    Some of the ways that organizations can benefit by choosing to deploy Fortinet FortiGate IPS include:


    • Vulnerability scanning and patching. IPS scans for threats on a deeper level than more traditional software might. It penetrates the uppermost layer of a network and identifies vulnerabilities that might not be easily spotted. It scans the entire network to give administrators a full understanding of the potential threats that they might have to address. They can then patch the points of vulnerability before those areas can be exploited.


    • Flexibility. IPS is highly flexible in that it is truly agnostic. It is capable of operating across a wide variety of devices and environments. Any network, cloud, or device type that an organization wants to protect can run IPS. Users do not need to buy any other solution to enable this to operate in the way that they need.


    • Reliability. IPS provides a complete protective package without requiring users to sacrifice speed. It allows for quick threat identification and remediation.


    Fortinet FortiGate IPS Features


    • Machine learning and AI. IPS puts powerful machine learning and AI tools into the hands of its users. These tools enable users to find threats that users might not otherwise be able to identify. They identify vulnerabilities that traditional software simply cannot and enables users to address them before they can escalate. They analyze every portion of an organization’s network architecture to find areas that can be exploited.


    • Integration suite. IPS enables users to integrate their security with many different cloud and application security services. This gives users the option to plug any feature hole that they might perceive. Advanced threats that ordinarily cannot easily be dealt with using IPS’ features can now be easily resolved. Organizations can seamlessly combine the features that IPS offers with other platforms to bolster their effectiveness and resolve virtually any type of threat.


    • Security controls. IPS comes equipped with security controllers that enable users to run it on the web server application of their choice.


    Reviews from Real Users

    Fortinet FortiGate IPS is a highly effective solution that stands out when compared to many of its competitors. Two major advantages are the powerful zero-day protection features and the way it manages to compete with even its fiercest competitors.

    Srahavan A., the CEO of a computer software company, said, “We like signature-based anomaly detection and zero-day protection features. For zero-day protection, we use Cloud Sandboxing, so whenever the zero-day threat occurs, it automatically sends it to its Cloud Sandbox. After getting information from Cloud Sandbox, then the intrusion is defined.”

    Sachin V., a network administrator said, “We've found the most valuable feature to be the very user-friendly interface... It has a good set of UTM features, a good bandwidth shaping mechanism, and other features. It has efficient algorithms and it competes well with Palo Alto and TechPoint.

    Sample Customers
    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
    Riverside Healthcare, Salt Lake City, Dell SecureWorks, Credit Bank Zagreb
    Top Industries
    REVIEWERS
    Comms Service Provider17%
    Computer Software Company17%
    Financial Services Firm14%
    Manufacturing Company10%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Computer Software Company22%
    Financial Services Firm11%
    Manufacturing Company8%
    Government7%
    REVIEWERS
    Computer Software Company19%
    Comms Service Provider19%
    Financial Services Firm17%
    Manufacturing Company8%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Computer Software Company24%
    Financial Services Firm9%
    Comms Service Provider8%
    Manufacturing Company7%
    Company Size
    REVIEWERS
    Small Business34%
    Midsize Enterprise28%
    Large Enterprise38%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Small Business21%
    Midsize Enterprise21%
    Large Enterprise58%
    REVIEWERS
    Small Business51%
    Midsize Enterprise13%
    Large Enterprise36%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Small Business25%
    Midsize Enterprise18%
    Large Enterprise57%
    Buyer's Guide
    Cisco IOS Security vs. Fortinet FortiGate IPS
    March 2024
    Find out what your peers are saying about Cisco IOS Security vs. Fortinet FortiGate IPS and other solutions. Updated: March 2024.
    768,740 professionals have used our research since 2012.

    Cisco IOS Security is ranked 11th in Intrusion Detection and Prevention Software (IDPS) with 47 reviews while Fortinet FortiGate IPS is ranked 4th in Intrusion Detection and Prevention Software (IDPS) with 54 reviews. Cisco IOS Security is rated 8.0, while Fortinet FortiGate IPS is rated 8.4. The top reviewer of Cisco IOS Security writes "User-friendly and excels in documentation, making it easier to resolve issues". On the other hand, the top reviewer of Fortinet FortiGate IPS writes "Very stable with good network protection". Cisco IOS Security is most compared with Cisco Secure Firewall, Fortinet FortiGate, Meraki MX, Fortinet FortiOS and Netgate pfSense, whereas Fortinet FortiGate IPS is most compared with Palo Alto Networks Advanced Threat Prevention, Trend Micro TippingPoint Threat Protection System, Cisco NGIPS, Check Point IPS and Cisco Sourcefire SNORT. See our Cisco IOS Security vs. Fortinet FortiGate IPS report.

    See our list of best Intrusion Detection and Prevention Software (IDPS) vendors.

    We monitor all Intrusion Detection and Prevention Software (IDPS) 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.