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Cisco Secure IPS (NGIPS) vs Darktrace comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Mar 9, 2025

Review summaries and opinions

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

ROI

Sentiment score
7.1
Cisco Secure IPS improves threat detection, though setup costs impact ROI recognition, yet users acknowledge enhanced network protection.
Sentiment score
7.3
Darktrace enhances security, prevents threats, and saves up to 40% on online operations by reducing server attack risks.
Using this solution provides financial benefits by securing from server attacks, which offers indirect savings.
 

Customer Service

Sentiment score
7.3
Cisco Secure IPS customer service is responsive and expert, though regional variability suggests room for improvement in initial response times.
Sentiment score
7.7
Darktrace's customer service is highly rated for responsiveness and adaptability, though faster responses in complex situations are suggested.
Fortinet, on the other hand, offers quicker response times and same-day RMAs, which gives them an edge in customer service.
The response was fast, and they provided experts to solve our issues quickly.
My cases are promptly managed and resolved.
The challenge lies in waiting for a response after logging a ticket.
Darktrace provides excellent technical support with a monthly meeting to review platform incidents, ensuring the system functions as expected.
 

Scalability Issues

Sentiment score
7.1
Cisco Secure IPS scales well for various organizations but faces hardware constraints and high costs affecting flexibility.
Sentiment score
7.6
Darktrace is praised for its scalability, adapting to enterprise needs and offering flexible deployment, despite some cost concerns.
Since it's cloud-based, it expands easily.
Darktrace has high scalability, and I would rate it a nine out of ten.
 

Stability Issues

Sentiment score
7.6
Cisco Secure IPS is generally stable and reliable, though some users report bugs and mixed feelings about its dependability.
Sentiment score
8.5
Darktrace is highly rated for stability and reliability, with minimal issues and favored for network monitoring and security.
The stability of Darktrace is excellent, rated ten out of ten.
The appliance itself has never let me down.
 

Room For Improvement

Cisco Secure IPS users desire better SIEM integration, user-friendliness, third-party tools support, and enhanced management with AI and cloud integration.
Darktrace needs better SIEM integration, simplified interface, improved threat response, and enhanced user engagement with clearer documentation.
Incorporating AI capabilities would enhance its functionality.
There is no dedicated salesperson in Egypt, and having one would help to improve focus on this market.
The intelligence section and the incident view should be seamlessly connected in one view to avoid jumping between pages.
Darktrace could improve by integrating with email security gateways like Mimecast or Ironscales.
 

Setup Cost

Cisco Secure IPS is costly but valued for strong security, with potential deals and discounts available through vendor negotiation.
Darktrace pricing varies widely, often seen as expensive, but discounts are possible; smaller businesses may struggle with affordability.
It's cheaper to integrate with existing IT security solutions compared to other expensive brands with subscription costs.
The licensing cost is approximately eight dollars a year.
The product is considered expensive compared to others.
The pricing is costly in USD, and they charge based on device counts.
 

Valuable Features

Cisco Secure IPS offers robust threat detection, seamless integration, and adaptable security features for comprehensive and cost-effective network protection.
Darktrace offers robust AI security with real-time anomaly detection, intuitive dashboards, and autonomous threat response for comprehensive network protection.
Cisco Secure IPS (NGIPS) is quite powerful for threat detection and includes botnet detection.
I do not need to manually process incidents as Darktrace provides an incident summary, potential detection paths, and other details, all exportable with just a click.
It is capable of responding to lateral movement and ransomware deployment within environments where there is data exfiltration.
The features that are most valuable to me include detection, response with analytics, and network detection.
 

Categories and Ranking

Cisco Secure IPS (NGIPS)
Ranking in Intrusion Detection and Prevention Software (IDPS)
7th
Average Rating
8.0
Reviews Sentiment
6.8
Number of Reviews
68
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
Darktrace
Ranking in Intrusion Detection and Prevention Software (IDPS)
1st
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
7.2
Number of Reviews
79
Ranking in other categories
Email Security (9th), Network Traffic Analysis (NTA) (1st), Network Detection and Response (NDR) (1st), Extended Detection and Response (XDR) (6th), AI-Powered Chatbots (2nd), Cloud Security Posture Management (CSPM) (15th), Cloud-Native Application Protection Platforms (CNAPP) (12th), Attack Surface Management (ASM) (3rd), AI-Powered Cybersecurity Platforms (2nd)
 

Mindshare comparison

As of April 2025, in the Intrusion Detection and Prevention Software (IDPS) category, the mindshare of Cisco Secure IPS (NGIPS) is 4.2%, down from 4.6% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Darktrace is 19.5%, up from 17.8% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Intrusion Detection and Prevention Software (IDPS)
 

Featured Reviews

Yosevan Sinaga Sinaga - PeerSpot reviewer
Effectively identifies malicious behavior while future automation and AI advancements hold potential
Cisco Secure IPS (NGIPS) ( /products/cisco-secure-ips-ngips-reviews ) is quite powerful for threat detection and includes botnet detection. It effectively blocks unwanted software, hashes, and suspicious behaviors. The tool is easy to integrate with other IT security solutions due to similar protocols. The system offers effective threat detection features, although automation capabilities are not yet fully utilized.
Peter-Murphy - PeerSpot reviewer
Enables proactive threat detection and immediate response through AI monitoring
The most valuable feature of Darktrace is its ability to detect and counter threats before they occur. The autonomous response capability is always enabled, blocking threats immediately without hesitation. Additionally, the Darktrace email platform is a significant asset since it addresses incoming threats before they reach the network, enhancing our security measures. Protecting the business is essential, and ensuring security through 24/7 AI monitoring is invaluable.
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Use our free recommendation engine to learn which Intrusion Detection and Prevention Software (IDPS) solutions are best for your needs.
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
16%
University
14%
Financial Services Firm
10%
Comms Service Provider
7%
Computer Software Company
14%
Manufacturing Company
8%
Financial Services Firm
8%
Government
7%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
 

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about Cisco NGIPS?
The product's initial setup phase was easy.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Cisco NGIPS?
Cisco is one of the top brands known for cost-effectiveness, making it worth the money. It's cheaper to integrate with existing IT security solutions compared to other expensive brands with subscri...
What needs improvement with Cisco NGIPS?
In the future, I hope to see automation features like automatic blocking and rule creation. Additionally, incorporating AI capabilities would enhance its functionality.
How does Crowdstrike Falcon compare with Darktrace?
Both of these products perform similarly and have many outstanding attributes. CrowdStrike Falcon offers an amazing user interface that makes setup easy and seamless. CrowdStrike Falcon offers a cl...
Which is better - SentinelOne or Darktrace?
Which solution is better depends on which is more suitable specifically for your company. Darktrace, for example, is meant for smaller to medium-sized businesses. It is also a good option for organ...
What do you like most about Darktrace?
A very useful feature in Darktrace for real-time threat analysis is the packet inspection that analyzes the packet traffic in real time.
 

Also Known As

Sourcefire NGIPS, Firepower NGIPS
No data available
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

American Electric Power, Huntington Bank, Keycorp, Nationwide, Transunion, Marriott, Inova Health, Ford, Thomson Reuters, Dow Chemical, Equifax, Chevron, Walmart, Coca Cola
Irwin Mitchell, Open Energi, Wellcome Trust, FirstGroup plc, Virgin Trains, Drax, QUI! Group, DNK, CreaCard, Macrosynergy, Sisley, William Hill plc, Toyota Canada, Royal British Legion, Vitol, Allianz, KKR, AIRBUS, dpd, Billabong, Mclaren Group.
Find out what your peers are saying about Cisco Secure IPS (NGIPS) vs. Darktrace and other solutions. Updated: April 2025.
848,716 professionals have used our research since 2012.