Cisco Secure Workload vs Nutanix Flow Network Security comparison

Cisco Secure Workload vs. Nutanix Flow Network Security

Download the complete report

Helped 914,351 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 Secure Workload

Ranking in Microsegmentation Software

4th

Average Rating

8.6

Reviews Sentiment

7.7

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Cloud and Data Center Security (8th), Cloud Workload Protection Platforms (CWPP) (18th), Cisco Security Portfolio (8th)

Nutanix Flow Network Security

Ranking in Microsegmentation Software

5th

Average Rating

9.0

Reviews Sentiment

6.0

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Mindshare comparison

As of September 2026, in the Microsegmentation Software category, the mindshare of Cisco Secure Workload is 11.2%, up from 9.2% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Nutanix Flow Network Security is 6.7%, up from 5.9% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Microsegmentation Software Mindshare Distribution
Product	Mindshare (%)
Cisco Secure Workload	11.2%
Nutanix Flow Network Security	6.7%
Other	82.1%

Microsegmentation Software

Featured Reviews

Raj Metkar

Director, Head of Networks at MUFG, EMEA

Discover internal application dependencies and create a dependency map

We actively seek improvements in integrating the Infoblox DDI platform with Cisco Secure Workload. This integration allows Cisco Secure Workload to learn about our networks and network tags, providing valuable insights into vulnerabilities related to the operating system and various applications installed on our servers. Recently, Cisco announced a new product called HyperShield, an AI-based autonomous micro-segmentation solution. While Cisco has not stated that HyperShield will replace Cisco Secure Workload, it represents a natural evolution for the company. HyperShield features dynamic policy discovery and enforcement; however, once policies are enforced, they do not change until a discovery occurs, requiring a re-enforcement process. This new platform operates autonomously, minimizing the need for user or security engineer intervention. I would have expected Cisco to incorporate more automatic discovery and enforcement features within the existing Cisco Secure Workload product. Instead of enhancing the current product, they have introduced a new solution. Cisco plans to honor existing Tetration licenses, allowing users to transition to HyperShield without additional costs, reflecting the investment enterprises have already made. From Cisco’s perspective, this represents a natural progression in their product line. While the product name changes, it seems more of a rebranding effort. The enhancements are greater autonomy, improved discovery, and automatic enforcement, which are now being introduced in HyperShield. Cisco Secure Workload offers automatic policy enforcement but cannot adjust policies dynamically as the application needs to change. Having used the platform for the past five years, the recent announcement has been reassuring. Cisco has confirmed that our investment in the platform will not go to waste. They will honor our existing licenses, providing a natural migration path to the new solution without any disruption

Read full review

Vishnu Mohan

Service Delivery Manager Cloud And Datacenter Operations at a healthcare company with 10,001+ employees

Cloud-style segmentation has improved hybrid security but integration with on-prem tags still needs work

I would like to see better micro-segmentation capabilities in Nutanix Flow Network Security. It has to work with our Cisco on-premises tooling. We use something called tagging on-premises, so if the same tags could be used in Nutanix Flow Network Security, then that would make life easier. The Cisco part was a challenge in terms of how it integrates with third-party vendors and tools, so we have kept it for the next release.

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

"It's stable."

"The product provides multiple-device integration."

"The most valuable feature right now is to do with having visibility on the network — especially on our servers — and to be able to enforce some type of security measures."

"Overall, this is a really good product and I am happy with it."

"By using Tetration insight, we are able to get the latency on our level accounts and we can determine whatever the issue is with the application latency itself."

"The solution offers 100% telemetry coverage; the telemetry you collect is not sampled, it's not intermittent, it's complete, and you see everything in it, including full visibility of all activities on your endpoints and in your network."

"The most valuable feature of the solution is that we don't have to do packet captures on the network."

"The most valuable feature is micro-segmentation, which is the most important with respect to visibility."

More Cisco Secure Workload pros

"The network view was excellent as it allowed us to expand the server view and visualize all connections it made within the environment. This was particularly useful in identifying the path of our data and not just its location within the data center."

"When comparing the costs of Nutanix Flow versus managing multiple VLANs and many other firewalls, it is far less expensive."

"We appreciate the fact that this solution allows us to segregate two virtual machines that are in the same cluster."

"Flow Network Security's most valuable features are user-friendliness, the console, and policy creation."

"It is a very stable solution. Stability-wise, I rate the solution a ten out of ten."

"The micro-segmentation feature helps to manage network security effectively because it helps the virtual machines that are already on the cluster and the applications inside the cluster itself, protects them and helps them communicate with each other without needing a complex external or internal firewall in this use case."

"Nutanix Flow Network Security is a simple solution that is usable, easy to understand, and easy to deploy."

"Nutanix Flow is straightforward to install. You only need to select a checkmark that you want to enable Nutanix Flow."

More Nutanix Flow Network Security pros

Cons

"There is some overlap between Cisco Tetration and AppDynamics and there are few DC tools, it would be great to have a single pane of glass, rather than have to jump between different tools."

"Cisco Tetration needs more flags and system alerts that we should get with network capture."

"The emailed notifications are either hard to find or they are not available. Search capabilities can be improved."

"I would have expected Cisco to incorporate more automatic discovery and enforcement features within the existing Cisco Secure Workload product."

"It is not so easy to use and configure. It needs a bunch of further resources to work, which is mainly the biggest downside of it. The deployment is huge."

"It is highly scalable, but there is a limitation that it is only available on Cisco devices."

"A feature that I was looking for was emailed alerts and notifications so we'd get them right away."

"They should scale down the hardware a bit. The initial hardware investment is two million dollars so it's a price point problem. The issue with the price comes from the fact that you have to have it with enormous storage and enormous computes."

More Cisco Secure Workload cons

"The most difficult part is the configuration of the initial blueprints."

"The solution’s pricing could be improved."

"While the graphical interface of Nutanix Flow Network Security could have been improved, and some of the reporting features needed extra work, the product's features were similar to VMware's NSX. The difference lay more in the presentation and user interface."

"For customers who are running Nutanix Flow and AHV, the largest area for improvement is in the disaster recovery environments. To automate the populate of rules from one side to the other side in case of disaster you report everything on the disaster recovery site, and you have all the rules automatically applied. This was something that was being built when I left Nutanix. It might already be available. Additionally, the usability of the rules editor could improve."

"For customers who are running Nutanix Flow and AHV, the largest area for improvement is in the disaster recovery environments."

"We would like the reporting functionality of this solution to be improved."

"Last time I used it, it was not handy to see or to analyze traffic logs."

"Nutanix Flow Network Security needs to improve threat hunting, compliance, and policy optimization - these things that security officers would use."

More Nutanix Flow Network Security cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The pricing is a bit higher than we anticipated."

"The price is based on how many computers you're going to install it on."

"Regarding price, Cisco Secure Workload can be expensive if you don't have a budget. If you're not doing micro-segmentation, every extra security measure or enforcement you're putting on top of your existing environment will be an extra cost. It's not a cheap solution at all. But from my point of view, if you need to do micro-segmentation, this is one of the best tools I've seen for it. I can't compare that to Microsoft's solution because I haven't looked into it. I've looked into VMware and Cisco. Those are the only two that I know of. I didn't know that Microsoft could do micro-segmentation at all. Maybe they can, but I haven't heard anything about it."

"Pricing depends on the scope of the application and the features. Larger installations save more."

"The cost for the hardware is around 300k."

"The price is outrageous. If you have money to throw at the product, then do it."

"It is not cheap and pricing may limit scalability."

"There is an annual subscription to use this solution. There is a 60-day trial to use the solution, it gives you time to decide if you want to continue using the solution."

"On a scale from one to ten, where one is cheap and ten is expensive, I rate the solution's pricing a seven out of ten."

"This model is very accessible to implement."

"In comparison to other options available in the market, I would rate their pricing as very competitive, probably a two or three out of ten for cost."

"There are different licensing models."

"The product is available for free use."

"Flow Network Security is available on a three-year license, with annual renewals of the maintenance fee."

See which vendors are best for you

Use our free recommendation engine to learn which Microsegmentation Software solutions are best for your needs.

See recommendations

914,351 professionals have used our research since 2012.

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Manufacturing Company

13%

Financial Services Firm

Government

Outsourcing Company

Healthcare Company

12%

Manufacturing Company

University

Government

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	5
Midsize Enterprise	3
Large Enterprise	8

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	4
Midsize Enterprise	2
Large Enterprise	5

Questions from the Community

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Cisco Secure Workload?

CloudStrike offers antivirus capabilities and firewall features for servers and VDI but lacks automatic policy discovery. This raises questions about the resources required to discover and write po...

What needs improvement with Cisco Secure Workload?

What is your primary use case for Cisco Secure Workload?

When we onboarded Cisco Secure Workload, the usual use case was to discover internal application dependencies and create a dependency map for Cisco ACI. As the network team, we chose to implement A...

What needs improvement with Nutanix Flow?

What advice do you have for others considering Nutanix Flow?

I cannot think of any weak sides, drawbacks, or something to improve. We have not implemented the impact on Nutanix Flow Network Security's zero-trust security model on our threat control processes...

What is your primary use case for Nutanix Flow?

I have experience with Nutanix Flow Network Security, and I have just started working with it this year. What I like about Nutanix Flow Network Security is that it features cloud-like segmentation,...

Illumio Segmentation vs Cisco Secure Workload

Comparisons

Compared 12% of the time

Akamai Guardicore Segmentation vs Cisco Secure Workload

Compared 12% of the time

VMware NSX vs Cisco Secure Workload

Compared 7% of the time

Check Point Email Security (formerly Harmony Email & Collaboration) vs Cisco Secure Workload

Compared 5% of the time

Cisco Secure Network Analytics vs Cisco Secure Workload

Compared 2% of the time

More Cisco Secure Workload Competitors

VMware NSX vs Nutanix Flow Network Security

Compared 48% of the time

Illumio Segmentation vs Nutanix Flow Network Security

Compared 17% of the time

Akamai Guardicore Segmentation vs Nutanix Flow Network Security

Compared 7% of the time

Hillstone CloudHive vs Nutanix Flow Network Security

Compared 6% of the time

Airgap Zero Trust Enterprise vs Nutanix Flow Network Security

Compared 5% of the time

More Nutanix Flow Network Security Competitors

Product Reports

Cisco Secure Workload

Download Cisco Secure Workload product report

Nutanix Flow Network Security

Download Nutanix Flow Network Security product report

Also Known As

Cisco Tetration

Nutanix Flow Microsegmentation

Overview

Cisco Secure Workload offers advanced auditing, micro-segmentation, and network visibility, automating policy presentation for improved security. It enhances application dependency mapping and provides comprehensive telemetry with strategic policy enforcement.

Cisco Secure Workload specializes in automating micro-segmentation, data center management, and traffic analysis. Its capabilities facilitate application dependency mapping and enhance internal micro-segmentation, providing invaluable network visibility. Users find its automation in policy presentation and strategic enforcement beneficial, along with granular control and scalability, despite needing improvements in scalability and integration capabilities. Enhanced notification features, troubleshooting options, and an efficient interface are desired for seamless deployment, along with stronger multi-tenancy, redundancy, and monitoring functions. Broader platform support and integrated cloud connectivity are desired for unified management across tools.

What are the most important features?

Auditing: Provides in-depth network analysis and security auditing capabilities.
Micro-Segmentation: Enhances network security by automating segmentation at a granular level.
Application Dependency Mapping: Visualizes connections and interactions between applications.
Network Visibility: Delivers comprehensive insight into network activities and dynamics.
Policy Discovery: Streamlines policy creation through automation and reduces manual intervention.
Comprehensive Telemetry: Offers complete coverage and insights for better security assessment.

What benefits and ROI should be evaluated?

Enhanced Security Measures: Offers robust features for network security improvement.
Automated Processes: Reduces manual efforts through automation, increasing efficiency.
Scalability: Adapts to growing network demands with flexible scalability options.
Granular Control: Allows detailed control over network policies and enforcement.

Entities in finance, gas, and oil sectors utilize Cisco Secure Workload for networking site management and compliance maintenance. It integrates into extensive Cisco infrastructure, aiding routers, switches, and endpoints, thus supporting auditors in network synchronization and auditing needs.

Cisco

Nutanix Flow Network Security offers advanced network protection through virtual networking and micro-segmentation, supporting zero-trust principles for secure communication among virtual machines and applications while being compatible with Nutanix solutions.

Featuring an intuitive console, Nutanix Flow Network Security simplifies operations and enhances visibility. It integrates with Nutanix solutions, facilitating seamless compatibility. The inclusion of virtual networking and micro-segmentation aids in data management by improving network visualization and virtual machine segregation. Supporting zero-trust principles, the security system efficiently manages isolated communication and secure deployment. With robust connectivity through fiber links and VPCs, it ensures reliable performance across networks, making it accessible to businesses with diverse requirements.

What are the key features of Nutanix Flow Network Security?

Virtual Networking: Provides seamless integration for secure data transmission.
Micro-Segmentation: Enhances security by segmenting traffic within networks.
API Control: Allows streamlined management of network operations through APIs.
Network Performance Analysis: Offers insights into network health and efficiency.
User-Friendly Console: Simplifies policy creation and improves network visibility.

What benefits can be expected when evaluating Nutanix Flow Network Security?

Enhanced Security: Facilitates zero-trust policies and isolated VM communication.
Improved Data Management: Aids in the segregation and visualization of virtual machines.
Operational Efficiency: Simplifies complex networking tasks for faster deployment.
Compatibility: Integrates smoothly with Nutanix solutions, enhancing overall functionality.
Connectivity: Ensures secure and reliable connectivity with fiber links and VPCs.

In industries such as IT and financial services, Nutanix Flow Network Security is commonly used for disaster recovery planning and enhancing micro-segmentation. It ensures secure, isolated communication within virtual environments and helps manage traffic visibility. By facilitating the creation of non-routed virtual private clouds and blocking unauthorized access between VMs, organizations leverage its capabilities for better network communication control across data centers.

Nutanix

Sample Customers

ADP, University of North Carolina Charlotte (UNCC)

JetBlue, International Speedway Corporation, Volkswagen SAIC, Brighton and Hove City Council, Foresters Financial, Janus International Group, Cloud Comrade, Serco

Cisco Secure Workload vs. Nutanix Flow Network Security