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Karthik PR - PeerSpot reviewer
Sr. Datacenter Solutions Architect at a computer retailer with 51-200 employees
Real User
Aug 9, 2023
A stable solution that is used for security purposes
Pros and Cons
  • "The product's stability is good."
  • "Cisco very slowly introduces and implements the products, unlike other brands."

What is our primary use case?

We use Cisco IOS Security for firewalls and security purposes. Cisco has licenses that allow you to create registered ports.

What is most valuable?

The product's stability is good.

What needs improvement?

The weakness of Cisco's products is that it has higher prices for even its lowest configurations. Cisco has to come a little forward with its products. Cisco very slowly introduces and implements the products, unlike other brands.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have 10 years of experience with Cisco IOS Security. 

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Cisco IOS Security
February 2026
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What do I think about the stability of the solution?

It is a very good product stability-wise, even if it is an entry-level product.

How are customer service and support?

We have our own digital team who deploys the solution, but the support team is fine.

How was the initial setup?

It is not an easy product and doesn’t have a plug-in system. Only experienced people can integrate it with other functions. It has a different set of protocols that need to be followed during the deployment, as compared to Aruba. It requires experience to deploy and the team needs to have knowledge of all specifications. 

What other advice do I have?

I have global customers who have applied this product. People who are buying this solution should know that they need and have the required solutions. I recommend Cisco IOS Security only for enterprises because it is expensive and involves complex implementation processes. It is not the easiest product available in the market and requires a strong infrastructure and an experienced workforce. Small and medium companies don’t have the required resources to apply this product and a lot of licensing is involved for each port. Given the price, stability, features, and other factors, I would rate it an eight out of ten. 

Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer. Partner
PeerSpot user
Darryl Thompson - PeerSpot reviewer
ICT Leader at a manufacturing company with 201-500 employees
Real User
May 9, 2023
A robust solution, but its monitoring could be improved
Pros and Cons
  • "Cisco IOS Security is very robust and works very well."
  • "Cisco IOS Security's monitoring is rather rudimentary and could be improved."

What is our primary use case?

We use Cisco IOS Security to segregate IT and OT environments.

What is most valuable?

Cisco IOS Security is very robust and works very well. Once set up and operational, very limited human interaction is required with the device to run it for years. We deployed the solution, activated certain features, and forgot about it. We didn't have the necessary tools to monitor and maintain the solution actively.

What needs improvement?

Cisco IOS Security's monitoring is rather rudimentary and could be improved.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using Cisco IOS Security for around 15 years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

I rate Cisco IOS Security a ten out of ten for stability.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

Less than fifty users were using Cisco IOS Security in my previous organization.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup for Cisco IOS Security is relatively straightforward compared to other firewalls. We had two people, including myself and a network specialist, for the deployment and maintenance of Cisco IOS Security.

What about the implementation team?

We implemented the solution in-house.

What was our ROI?

Cisco IOS Security got the job done. The solution was secure and stable. So we got a decent return on investment.

What other advice do I have?

I look at companies and what they specialize in, and Cisco never really specialized in security. Other companies have security as their core focus. I will not be deploying any Cisco security devices in the near future.

Overall, I rate Cisco IOS Security a seven out of ten.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
PeerSpot user
Buyer's Guide
Cisco IOS Security
February 2026
Learn what your peers think about Cisco IOS Security. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: February 2026.
881,733 professionals have used our research since 2012.
TOFIK AHMED - PeerSpot reviewer
Ict User Support Technician at a university with 10,001+ employees
Real User
Feb 16, 2023
Not user-friendly, or stable, but is easy to deploy
Pros and Cons
  • "The most valuable feature is endpoint protection."
  • "The solution is complex and can be more user-friendly."

What is our primary use case?

The primary use case of the solution is firewall protection.

What is most valuable?

The most valuable feature is endpoint protection.

What needs improvement?

The security of the solution has room for improvement.

The solution is complex and can be more user-friendly.

The stability and scalability can be improved.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using the solution for over one year.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The solution is not stable.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The solution doesn't have the proper bandwidth source to be scalable.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup is straightforward.

The deployment takes about two hours.

What other advice do I have?

I give the solution a six out of ten.

We have over 1,000 people using the solution in our organization.

We require around ten people for the deployment and maintenance of the solution.

I do not recommend the solution because it is not secure and is complex.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
PeerSpot user
Business Development Manager at a tech services company with 1-10 employees
Reseller
Dec 30, 2022
Very highly scalable and an effective Umbrella integration for tech analysis
Pros and Cons
  • "The solution effectively integrates with Umbrella."
  • "The solution is not user friendly and it is hard to manage the GUI interface."

What is our primary use case?

Our company uses the solution as intrusion protection for customers. It fully integrates with the BMA and ISE. We manage all traffic in data centers to protect them from internal users and outside traffic.

What is most valuable?

The solution effectively integrates with Umbrella which has an intelligent background and is very helpful in tech analysis or discovery. 

What needs improvement?

The solution is not user friendly and it is hard to manage the GUI interface. This is an ongoing CISCO problem. 

The solution needs Active/Active firewalls to have good load balance with high availability. The firewalls should work simultaneously, not just as failovers. 

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using the solution for ten years. 

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The solution is very stable if configured properly. I rate stability a nine out of ten. 

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The solution is very highly scalable and other products really don't compete with its scalability. The solution can easily be used for small companies or big enterprises with thousands of users. I rate scalability an eight out of ten. 

How are customer service and support?

Technical support does not have a broad knowledge base, so I rate them a six out of ten. 

How would you rate customer service and support?

Neutral

How was the initial setup?

The setup is better than before but still not easy or clear like Palo Alto. If you want to configure the solution, then you need to study how to do it. 

The setup is difficult so I rate it a six out of ten. 

What about the implementation team?

We implement the solution for customers on our own unless we have an issue or bug. It takes one expert staff person for deployment. Depending on the customer's policies and the network's complexity, deployment might take from three to seven days. 

Our process includes verifying the license and setting up the firewall, hardware, FMC, and the failover when there is more than one firewall. We then define or set up the configurable interfaces and the IP addresses. Finally, we define the VLAN of the customer and policies for each VLAN. 

The solution does not require ongoing maintenance if it is configured properly. 

What was our ROI?

Our ROI is that the solution saves time because it reduces attacks and helps with ongoing protection. The subscription model is also very helpful for ROI. 

I rate ROI at 1800%. 

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

The pricing is average and includes all features with support. I rate pricing a six out of ten. 

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

Palo Alto has a better GUI interface for handling all features and is easier to configure. 

What other advice do I have?

I recommend the solution and rate it an eight out of ten. 

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer. Reseller
PeerSpot user
Bilal  Mustafa - PeerSpot reviewer
Operations Specialist - MX Operations at a financial services firm with 5,001-10,000 employees
Real User
Top 10
Sep 18, 2022
It's a stable solution with good local support, but it takes to long to update and deploy policies
Pros and Cons
  • "In Pakistan, we only use Cisco because they have good local support infrastructure. Huawei and Fortinet don't offer direct support in Pakistan."
  • "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."

What is our primary use case?

IOS Security is a firewall, and every connection goes through it. We have around 12,000 people in the company.

What is most valuable?

In Pakistan, we only use Cisco because they have good local support infrastructure. Huawei and Fortinet don't offer direct support in Pakistan.

What needs improvement?

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. 

The update process could also be smoother. They could improve the FirePOWER integration to reduce the time needed to update to the newer version. Sometimes, in the middle of the update, the process starts, but it doesn't find the new installation, so we have to force it to run that particular part. 

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using IOS Security for about six or seven years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

When we have FirePOWER integrated into the solution, there are some gaps, so it's not as stable as the legacy solutions like SFR and ASA. 

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

It depends on the size of the box. We don't have any issues regarding scalability with the appliance we have.

How are customer service and support?

We don't directly connect with the principal. In Pakistan, we have vendors providing support indirectly to our principal. We have Smart Net support, but in the banking sector, management always prefers an indirect channel.

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

I also use FortiGate. IOS Security is more stable than competitors, and Cisco is more comprehensive in its approach. The company is trusted and has a greater presence. That is the main reason to use Cisco over other vendors. 

What other advice do I have?

I rate Cisco IOS Security seven out of 10. To make it a 10, Cisco needs to speed up all the processes to reduce downtime to a minimum. For example, if a department comes to me to do a UAT, I might find out I have to make some changes. There's an additional 10 minutes. It's a lengthy process for me.

If you have the support for another firewall, I suggest researching your options. Go for the UAT environment and check as you're comparing them. I won't say that you should definitely go for Cisco.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
PeerSpot user
Senior Network Security Engineer at a tech services company with 10,001+ employees
Real User
Oct 31, 2023
A scalable solution that can be used for security functions like firewalls and IPS
Pros and Cons
  • "Cisco IOS Security increases the overall security of our network, performs authentication, and provides level 15 access and privileges."
  • "Cisco IOS Security should improve its functionalities."

What is our primary use case?

We use Cisco IOS Security for security functions like firewalls and IPS in specific remote branches.

How has it helped my organization?

Cisco IOS Security enables communication between our network nodes. The solution provides authentication like policy enforcement, QOS, and intelligent routing. We use Cisco IOS Security for administration purposes.

What is most valuable?

Cisco IOS Security increases the overall security of our network, performs authentication, and provides level 15 access and privileges.

What needs improvement?

Cisco IOS Security should improve its functionalities.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using Cisco IOS Security for more than four years.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

I rate Cisco IOS Security a nine out of ten for scalability.

How are customer service and support?

The solution's technical support is good. I rate the solution's technical support eight and a half out of ten.

How would you rate customer service and support?

Positive

How was the initial setup?

The solution's initial setup is straightforward.

What was our ROI?

We have seen a return on investment with Cisco IOS Security.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

The solution's pricing is very good.

What other advice do I have?

Overall, I rate Cisco IOS Security a nine out of ten.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
PeerSpot user
Network Administrator at a manufacturing company with 1-10 employees
Real User
Sep 6, 2023
Has good scalability, but its technical support services need improvement
Pros and Cons
  • "The product has valuable features for business intelligence."
  • "The product's technical support services need improvement."

How has it helped my organization?

Cisco IOS Security helps us with splitting the DNS between a specific perimeter.

What is most valuable?

The product has valuable features for business intelligence. It enables intrusion detection for the network.

What needs improvement?

The product's technical support services need improvement.

For how long have I used the solution?

We have been using Cisco IOS Security for more than ten years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

Cisco releases new patches and updates, whenever required. I rate its stability a nine out of ten.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

I rate the product’s scalability a ten out of ten. We have three users for it in our organization. We might increase the usage depending on the business requirements.

How are customer service and support?

Cisco has a lot of support partners. However, it takes a long time to replace some equipment.

How would you rate customer service and support?

Positive

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

I have used Cisco Adaptive Security Appliance (ASA) before.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup requires specific training. I rate the process an eight out of ten. The deployment involves setting up a bot for Buffalo with the management IP address. After that, I deploy the data center and access it remotely to complete the process.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

I rate Cisco IOS Security's pricing a ten out of ten.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

We evaluated a few products. Later, we opted for Cisco as we already have experience working with it.

What other advice do I have?

It is a good product. It is valuable in terms of availability. Once configured and installed, the equipment runs for years. I rate it a seven out of ten as its support cost is high.

Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
PeerSpot user
ErsinArslan - PeerSpot reviewer
Senior Sales Engineer at a tech services company with 10,001+ employees
MSP
May 9, 2023
A stable and scalable firewall solution
Pros and Cons
  • "We use the product for firewalls."
  • "We cannot directly upgrade the system. The tool's deployment is also very difficult in legacy environments. The tool needs to have bigger ports as well."

What is our primary use case?

We use the product for firewalls. 

What needs improvement?

We cannot directly upgrade the system. The tool's deployment is also very difficult in legacy environments. The tool needs to have bigger ports as well. 

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been working with the product for four years. 

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The product is stable. 

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The tool is scalable. 

How was the initial setup?

The tool's deployment takes around thirty minutes to complete. 

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

The tool could be priced lower. If you want advanced services, then you need to purchase them. 

What other advice do I have?

Most of our customers are from the banking and financial domain. I have chosen the product after a thorough comparison and reading through whitepapers. 

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer. Partner
PeerSpot user
Buyer's Guide
Download our free Cisco IOS Security Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions.
Updated: February 2026
Buyer's Guide
Download our free Cisco IOS Security Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions.