Cisco IOS Security vs Sangfor NGAF comparison

Cisco and Sangfor are both solutions in the Firewalls category. Cisco is ranked #41 with an average rating of 8.0, while Sangfor is ranked #22 with an average rating of 8.4. Cisco holds a 0.6% mindshare in Firewalls, compared to Sangfor’s 1.1% mindshare. Additionally, 91% of Cisco users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 90% of Sangfor users who would recommend it.

Cisco IOS Security

Read 49 Cisco IOS Security reviews

3,637 Views
2,073 Comparison Views

91% willing to recommend

Sangfor NGAF

Read 34 Sangfor NGAF reviews

4,864 Views
4,718 Comparison Views

90% willing to recommend

Cisco IOS Security

Sangfor NGAF

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Jan 25, 2026

Cisco IOS Security and Sangfor NGAF are strong competitors in the network security sector. Cisco IOS Security holds a slight advantage with its comprehensive feature set and scalability, appealing to larger enterprises. Sangfor NGAF gains an edge in cost-effectiveness and simplicity, making it preferable for smaller businesses.

Features: Cisco IOS Security stands out with features like robust AAA protocols, comprehensive VPN solutions, and advanced scalability on Cisco hardware. It includes sophisticated tools like IPsec configuration, content filtering, and intrusion prevention. Sangfor NGAF is notable for user-friendliness, featuring powerful application control, a Web Application Firewall (WAF), and effective vulnerability assessments, aligning well with smaller scale setups.

Room for Improvement: Cisco IOS Security could improve in resource management for ACL and zone-based firewalls. Enhancements in user interfaces and reporting tools would add significant value. Sangfor NGAF requires better reporting features and ongoing updates to address emerging threats effectively. The complexity in port definitions and interface usability also needs refinement for optimal user experience.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Cisco IOS Security supports extensive deployment options both on-premises and hybrid, but there is a need for faster technical support response times. Sangfor NGAF excels in straightforward setup and is praised for reliable support within its tiered market, making it ideal for quick deployments.

Pricing and ROI: Cisco IOS Security is priced at a premium, designed for medium to large enterprises, offering long-term ROI despite higher initial costs. Sangfor NGAF is cost-effective, particularly appealing to smaller firms, delivering substantial ROI with its affordable pricing and effective operations.

To learn more, read our detailed Cisco IOS Security vs. Sangfor NGAF Report (Updated: August 2026).

Buyer's Guide

Cisco IOS Security vs. Sangfor NGAF

August 2026

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Helped 908,834 peers since 2012

Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Categories and Ranking

Cisco IOS Security

Ranking in Firewalls

41st

Average Rating

8.0

Reviews Sentiment

6.8

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Intrusion Detection and Prevention Software (IDPS) (16th)

Sangfor NGAF

Ranking in Firewalls

22nd

Average Rating

8.0

Reviews Sentiment

6.5

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Mindshare comparison

As of August 2026, in the Firewalls category, the mindshare of Cisco IOS Security is 0.6%, up from 0.3% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Sangfor NGAF is 1.1%, down from 1.2% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Firewalls Mindshare Distribution
Product	Mindshare (%)
Sangfor NGAF	1.1%
Cisco IOS Security	0.6%
Other	98.3%

Firewalls

Featured Reviews

Danijel Cerovecki

Head of Cyber Defense Department and Network Technologies Department at Verso Altima

Have faced challenges in keeping licensing clear and consistent while ensuring reliable network protection

We are a Gold Partner with Cisco. Our customers come from various industries, including service providers, and we target service providers and enterprise customers.We do not extensively use Zone-Based Firewalls in Cisco IOS Security, instead typically deploying standalone firewalls such as Cisco FTDs or Cisco ASA devices. For threat analytics and vulnerability scanning, we utilize third-party vendors with dedicated devices and software. We use products such as Tenable from Nessus for this type of analysis. We have implemented Secure Access Control Server in Cisco IOS Security, which combines multiple security mechanisms including AAA, 802.1X for network access control with Cisco ICE, TrustSec for identity-based segmentation, and Cisco DNA Center. Cisco IOS Security's VPN support is comprehensive and increasingly important in daily communication, from basic site-to-site tunnels to remote access VPNs and SD-WAN secure VPNs. Protecting and encrypting communication is essential in modern networks. The challenges with Cisco IOS Security are more operational than product-related. There is an understaffing issue, making automation and orchestration capabilities particularly valuable. For the products themselves, we only encounter routine operational matters such as addressing new vulnerabilities and patching. For those considering Cisco IOS Security, it is important to understand that Cisco offers a complete ecosystem. When embracing the Cisco ecosystem fully, customers receive excellent products and comprehensive solutions. On a scale of 1-10, I rate Cisco IOS Security a 9.

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Zaid Farooqui

CIO at Indus Motor Company

Enhanced threat detection with integrated security features and good support

We are using application firewalling, WAF, and SD-WAN. The capabilities are mostly within the box. For example, you will get web application firewall WAF as part and parcel of this. SD-WAN is also bundled. It integrates with their SIEM and SOAR solutions very nicely. Lastly, the pricing point is very cost-efficient as well.

Read full review

Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Pros

"The solution's most valuable aspect is that it is extremely integrated, basically coming with firewall features including IPS, URL filtering, malware, et cetera, offering a good mix of robust, premium features that you can always expand with additional modules as needed."

"In terms of advice, I would suggest others should use it; it is quite a good product, it is one of the market leaders."

"IOS Security is more stable than competitors, and Cisco is more comprehensive in its approach."

"The solution effectively integrates with Umbrella."

"There is a positive impact on security, particularly the intrusion feature, which helps keep the solution concealed and secure."

"Cisco is head-and-shoulders above all of the competition when it comes to technical support."

"It covers everything we need it to without looking to secondary solutions."

"I think the multi-layered approach is valuable, just the fact that it covers everything on the LSA (Local Security Authority) right up to layer 7, in-depth packet analysis, and all that, as it covers everything we need it to without looking to secondary solutions."

More Cisco IOS Security pros

"Sangfor NGAF specializes in ransomware detection and helps to protect our network from ransomware threats and malware."

"The VPN connectivity feature is really nice."

"Sangfor serves most of the basic purposes of a firewall, is particularly good in the DPI where we can inspect the inbound and outbound traffic on a very granular level, gives a very good predictive measure as well as the current measure of things going on in our network, and gives us value for money overall."

"The level of support provided to local companies is good. They transform their application control and other settings according to that country."

"I think this solution is a very good example of a proactive solution that can detect problems and immediately fix the problems or issues."

"Sangfor's tech features and technologies are more powerful than those of the other solution providers in terms of security. They also have big solutions in terms of cybersecurity."

"So far, the performance and reliability of the product have supported our company's critical network traffic."

"The support from Sangfor NGAF here in Pakistan is great."

More Sangfor NGAF pros

Cons

"Cisco very slowly introduces and implements the products, unlike other brands."

"Some additional features could be improved. For example, the licensing for DNA environments could be better."

"The initial setup is complicated."

"While Cisco IOS Security is stable and scalable, I would like to see it improved to be even better."

"The whole process can be complex."

"WAN connectivity is difficult on a router which is running IOS Security."

"The solution is not user friendly and it is hard to manage the GUI interface."

"If they could increase the performance a little better because the device sometimes gets slow."

More Cisco IOS Security cons

"The support offered by the product has certain shortcomings where improvements are required. The knowledge levels and response time of the support team need improvement."

"It would be ideal if the solution offered SD-WAN capabilities."

"Our experience with its customer support was quite challenging."

"Sangfor NGAF could improve by refining its application control policies, especially in addressing challenges with certain types of applications."

"An area of improvement for Sangfor NGAF could be in the field of reporting and logging."

"The GUI needs to be improved, lacks logic in some areas."

"I feel Sangfor should follow the hierarchy and close deals via resellers instead of closing it all with their own team."

"The solution should be able to work in a hybrid setup."

More Sangfor NGAF cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

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

"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 cost may be around $5,000 to $10,000 a year. If you want support you have to pay at least this price."

"It is an expensive solution."

"We can purchase its licenses as per specific business requirements."

"The pricing is average and includes all features with support."

"Cisco IOS Security is not very expensive, and pricing depends on where you live. It's affordable for both individuals and institutions. On a scale from one to five, I would give Cisco's pricing a four."

"The pricing is okay. It is competitive. It costs more when you need get more features."

More Cisco IOS Security pricing and cost advice

"The license of Sangfor NGAF can be purchased at different interval lengths, such as annually or three years. They offer a range of packages to choose from, such as combo or hybrid packages. We are using the complete solution package which includes IM, NGF and SSL VPN, and WAF."

"The product is very cost-effective compared to other brands or vendors."

"The price could be more competitive."

"We purchased one year technical support and return to factory support, and we also purchased one-year technical support services. So those were additional."

"I rate the product price as one on a scale of one to ten, where one is low price and ten is high price."

"When it comes to the price of firewall solutions, Sangfor NGAF takes the cake."

"Sangfor NGAF price is reasonable and there is an annual license. However, the maintenance cost can be a bit high."

"Sangfor NGAF is a cheaply priced product, especially if I consider the previous product that was used in my company."

More Sangfor NGAF pricing and cost advice

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Construction Company

19%

Outsourcing Company

11%

Financial Services Firm

Comms Service Provider

Financial Services Firm

11%

Comms Service Provider

11%

Manufacturing Company

10%

Construction Company

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	20
Midsize Enterprise	14
Large Enterprise	18

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	15
Midsize Enterprise	10
Large Enterprise	10

Questions from the Community

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Cisco IOS Security?

The cost of Cisco IOS Security for customers is on the higher end of pricing compared to the competition, depending on the targeted customers.This can be a major issue as enterprise customers are o...

See all answers

What needs improvement with Cisco IOS Security?

Regarding improvements in Cisco IOS Security, what consistently confuses me is the inability of Cisco to maintain a clear licensing policy.This is an issue that I have observed for years now. Cisco...

See all answers

What is your primary use case for Cisco IOS Security?

The main use cases for Cisco IOS Security include elementary device hardening, access control, control-plane policing, AAA (Authentication, Authorization, and Accounting), network security, Layer 2...

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Sangfor NGAF?

The licensing cost is quite high compared to other available firewalls in the market.

See all answers

What needs improvement with Sangfor NGAF?

The cost of licensing is very high compared to other firewalls available here. There should be improvements in hardware scalability, allowing for more storage and memory capacity. Making the soluti...

See all answers

What is your primary use case for Sangfor NGAF?

We are hosting applications over the platform, including websites and NAT traffic from our side. Because it's deployed in our data center, which is fully operational, we have various applications h...

See all answers

Comparisons

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Compared 11% of the time

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Compared 10% of the time

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Compared 6% of the time

OPNsense vs Cisco IOS Security

Compared 6% of the time

Netgate pfSense vs Cisco IOS Security

Compared 2% of the time

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Fortinet FortiGate vs Sangfor NGAF

Compared 10% of the time

Cisco Secure Firewall vs Sangfor NGAF

Compared 10% of the time

Sophos Firewall vs Sangfor NGAF

Compared 10% of the time

H3C SecPath Firewalls vs Sangfor NGAF

Compared 8% of the time

Check Point Cloud Firewall (formerly CloudGuard Network Security) vs Sangfor NGAF

Compared 8% of the time

More Sangfor NGAF Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Cisco IOS Security

August 2026

Download Cisco IOS Security product report

Buyer's Guide

Sangfor NGAF

July 2026

Download Sangfor NGAF product report

Also Known As

IOS Security

Sangfor NGAF Firewall Platform

Overview

Cisco IOS Security integrates advanced VPN capabilities, IPsec security, and firewall features, ensuring scalable and reliable protection suitable for enterprise networks.

Cisco IOS Security offers comprehensive firewall integration, robust AAA capabilities, and encryption, empowering organizations with a reliable network environment. EEM provides flexibility and programmability, while integrated threat detection, intrusion prevention, and centralized management enhance its security profile. Despite its reliability, challenges include complexity in configuration, high pricing, and confusing licensing policies. Performance issues and the need for enhanced integration, automation, and better monitoring tools are areas for improvement.

What are the key features of Cisco IOS Security?

VPN Capabilities: Ensures secure remote connectivity.
IPsec Security: Offers robust encryption for data protection.
Firewall Integration: Enhances network defense with built-in firewalls.
AAA Capabilities: Provides secure authentication, authorization, and accounting.
Threat Detection: Identifies and mitigates threats proactively.

What benefits should organizations look for in reviews?

Reliability: Recognized for its stable network performance.
Scalability: Supports growing network demands seamlessly.
Comprehensive Security: Offers robust protection against diverse cyber threats.
Ease of Configuration: Facilitates efficient network setup and management.

Industries leverage Cisco IOS Security to protect against zero-day attacks, deploy secure VPNs, and facilitate network access control and compliance checks. Organizations utilize its features for firewalls, routing, and switching, integrating technologies like Cisco ICE and TrustSec to enhance security across enterprise environments.

Cisco

Sangfor NGAF offers a user-friendly firewall solution with a strong virus database and competitive pricing. It supports SSL VPN connectivity, intrusion detection, and is known for easy deployment and integration capabilities.

Sangfor NGAF is a comprehensive security platform providing robust network protection through its application control and detailed threat insights. While effective in preventing threats and ensuring network security, it has areas needing improvement such as real-time reporting and system support. It delivers secure internet and VPN connections, proficiently handling malware threats. However, it faces challenges with user experience, reporting capabilities, hardware scalability, and needs better third-party integration. Licensing costs are noted to be high, and there are performance variations between versions.

What are the key features of Sangfor NGAF?

User-friendly deployment: Offers an uncomplicated setup process.
Robust virus database: Provides reliable threat detection.
SSL VPN connectivity: Ensures secure remote access.
Application control: Manages application usage for enhanced security.
Intrusion detection: Detects unauthorized access attempts.
URL filtering: Prevents access to malicious websites.

What benefits should users expect when evaluating Sangfor NGAF?

Affordability: Competitive pricing compared to peers.
Integration: Good capabilities with existing systems.
Support: Noted for providing reliable customer service.
Threat prevention: Effective in securing networks against various threats.

Sangfor NGAF is widely used across industries including education, healthcare, and finance for its reliable network security. It is favored for securing internal servers, offering robust threat protection, and managing bandwidth efficiently at a budget-friendly rate.

Sangfor

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

The Ministry of Science, Technology, and Innovation (Indonesia), Lawson, Inc. (Philippines), Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin (Indonesia), TEK Automotive (Italy), etc.

Buyer's Guide

Cisco IOS Security vs. Sangfor NGAF

August 2026

Free Report: Cisco IOS Security vs. Sangfor NGAF

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