

Cisco ACI and Akamai App and API Protector compete in the network and cloud security domain. Cisco ACI seems to have the upper hand in data center integration and automation, while Akamai excels in cloud security tailored for web applications.
Features: Cisco ACI offers extensive programmability and automation, supporting over 64,000 tenant networks and integrated management with vCenter. It excels in software-defined networking and multi-tenancy, providing scalability and security. Akamai App and API Protector emphasizes cloud security with features like DDoS protection, web application firewall, and seamless traffic analysis. It ensures scalable security, adaptive stream delivery, and geo-based IP filtering.
Room for Improvement: Cisco ACI users often mention the complexity of its configuration and user interface, suggesting a need for simplified processes and better documentation. Challenges in troubleshooting and third-party integration are noted. Akamai App and API Protector could improve its WAF capabilities, integration options, and overall user-friendliness. Interface clunkiness and enhancements in report generation and custom rules are suggested.
Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Cisco ACI faces deployment challenges, particularly in on-premises environments, having a steep learning curve. Its robust customer support is noted, although response times can vary regionally. Akamai App and API Protector provides more flexibility with cloud deployments, and while its customer service is responsive, there are concerns about support inefficiencies and rule conflicts.
Pricing and ROI: Cisco ACI is seen as expensive, reflecting its enterprise-level capabilities and robust features. While it's considered a valuable investment in large-scale deployments, concerns exist over licensing and support costs. Akamai App and API Protector, albeit costly, offers competitive pricing for cloud services without extra licensing, making it appealing for web security priorities. Both solutions promise potential ROI through operational efficiency, but Cisco ACI presents a stronger case for large enterprises due to its automation and multi-tenancy advantages.
Efficient utilization leads to cost savings and efficiency gains.
The technical support from Cisco is satisfactory.
My experience with customer support has been very good;
When issues occur, the TAC is not able to provide much support, leading to difficulties in finding RCAs.
The solution offers high performance and scalability with connectivity options up to 100 GS.
Expanding your network or your data center with Cisco ACI is not an issue; scalability is a good feature.
The scalability of Cisco ACI supports our organization's growth effectively.
Cisco ACI has been stable and reliable for me.
For stability, Cisco ACI rates a nine or 9.5 because I've seen three customers using Cisco ACI and once deployed, the solution is very stable.
What we need is something called RAG, or retrieval-augmented generation. If Cisco can implement that to utilize customer-specific data instead of general knowledge, while ensuring data privacy under GDPR laws, I think that will result in very good, reliable output.
We do not make use of its visibility and analytics features, as we are mostly using it for the networking part only.
Their lack of on-ground offices can result in business losses.
In general, Cisco ACI is on the higher side; it's not a cheap solution.
Cisco's pricing tends to be on the higher end compared to other vendors.
Cost is one thing that could be improved, as it is heavy for an emerging market like ours.
The area in which Akamai excels compared to other competitors with a WAF is in threat intelligence, as threats continually evolve, requiring ongoing updates to backend algorithms to effectively capture smart bots.
Analytics can be used, and AppDynamics can also be integrated into Cisco ACI for application-level monitoring, enabling analysis of applications and determining which application is taking how much of network loads.
Cisco ACI provides substantial capability; you can design your network accordingly and it's part of the SDN family, providing many benefits to the organization, especially when moving from traditional network infrastructure.
With the Cisco ACI fabric, you manage them as a whole, and it's an automation-driven solution, with our network development team integrating with the APIs to establish workflows for observability, fault alerts, monitoring, and more.
| Product | Mindshare (%) |
|---|---|
| Cisco ACI | 3.7% |
| Akamai App and API Protector | 1.9% |
| Other | 94.4% |


| Company Size | Count |
|---|---|
| Small Business | 4 |
| Midsize Enterprise | 7 |
| Large Enterprise | 18 |
| Company Size | Count |
|---|---|
| Small Business | 21 |
| Midsize Enterprise | 19 |
| Large Enterprise | 89 |
Akamai App and API Protector provides website security by preventing DDoS attacks, acting as an application firewall, managing content delivery, and monitoring APIs. It adapts to threat profiles and is used for fast media delivery and identifying malicious activities.
Akamai App and API Protector offers strong protection, adaptable security features, and efficient traffic management. Its WAF blocks IP addresses and country-specific threats while preventing SQL injections. Companies utilize it for scalable CDN services and comprehensive traffic analysis. Known for its cost-effectiveness and user-friendly dashboard, this protector stands out for its customizable rules and technical support. Users also highlight the ease of integration and detailed attack insights available through its advanced dashboard.
What are the key features of Akamai App and API Protector?In media, Akamai App and API Protector ensures smooth streaming by handling high bandwidth demands. E-commerce companies use it to guard against fraud and data breaches. Financial sectors rely on its ability to protect sensitive transactions. Implementations in healthcare focus on safeguarding patient data while maintaining compliance with regulations.
Cisco ACI provides advanced capabilities with features like seamless integration with VMware and APIs for programmability. It offers centralized management for streamlined operations, efficient micro-segmentation, and robust security, addressing modern data center needs.
Cisco ACI brings automation to data center infrastructure, enabling transitions from legacy to modern environments with centralized management. Organizations benefit from optimized server farms, seamless integration with VMware, and support for Kubernetes, making it suitable for large-scale environments. Offering support for healthcare, finance, and public sectors, Cisco ACI facilitates tasks such as virtual networking and multi-site connectivity with application-centric and network-centric designs.
What are the key features of Cisco ACI?In the healthcare industry, Cisco ACI supports secure and efficient data management, accommodating regulatory needs and enhancing patient data handling. Financial institutions benefit from robust security and seamless integration with existing infrastructures, facilitating smooth transaction processing. In the public sector, it's utilized for reliable network management and servicing a diverse range of applications.
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