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Cisco Secure IPS (NGIPS) vs Fortinet FortiGate IPS comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Dec 19, 2024

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
7.2
Fortinet FortiGate IPS boosts cybersecurity, reduces costs, and enhances network management, offering quick ROI and simpler implementation than WatchGuard.
 

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
7.3
Fortinet FortiGate IPS support is generally good, with strong problem-solving skills and regional support, despite occasional delays.
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.
Fortinet support is very responsive.
 

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
7.1
Fortinet FortiGate IPS is generally scalable for medium enterprises but faces hardware and licensing challenges as usage increases.
I can easily integrate it with FortiFabric and manage multiple firewalls and other Fortinet solutions from a single dashboard.
 

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
8.3
Fortinet FortiGate IPS is praised for its stability, reliability, and integration, with few past issues reported.
There are no issues with stability, and it integrates seamlessly with the main product, which is a firewall.
 

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.
FortiGate IPS requires performance, pricing improvements, better integration, enhanced UI, scalability, and more responsive support for user satisfaction.
Incorporating AI capabilities would enhance its functionality.
More advanced AI capabilities would be beneficial in future updates.
Scalability issues.
 

Setup Cost

Cisco Secure IPS is costly but valued for strong security, with potential deals and discounts available through vendor negotiation.
Enterprise users view Fortinet FortiGate IPS pricing as mid-range, competitive but sometimes costly compared to Cisco and Palo Alto.
It's cheaper to integrate with existing IT security solutions compared to other expensive brands with subscription costs.
There are no extra expenses involved after purchasing the solution.
 

Valuable Features

Cisco Secure IPS offers robust threat detection, seamless integration, and adaptable security features for comprehensive and cost-effective network protection.
Fortinet FortiGate IPS provides comprehensive security features, efficient management, scalability, and consistent updates for robust network protection.
Cisco Secure IPS (NGIPS) is quite powerful for threat detection and includes botnet detection.
The most valuable feature is the deep inspection for traffic, which is capable of identifying zero-day attacks.
The firewalls are valuable for threat prevention.
 

Categories and Ranking

Cisco Secure IPS (NGIPS)
Ranking in Intrusion Detection and Prevention Software (IDPS)
6th
Average Rating
8.0
Reviews Sentiment
6.8
Number of Reviews
68
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
Fortinet FortiGate IPS
Ranking in Intrusion Detection and Prevention Software (IDPS)
4th
Average Rating
8.4
Reviews Sentiment
7.1
Number of Reviews
65
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of March 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 Fortinet FortiGate IPS is 7.3%, up from 6.7% 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.
Taha Turkestani - PeerSpot reviewer
Enhanced threat prevention with very good support and valuable behavior reports
We use FortiGate as a firewall. We have a FortiGate 201 model It's good that we didn't get hacked or attacked, indicating strong threat prevention. The reporting on employee behavior and the prevention of new viruses are essential features. Additionally, we have found it convenient for…
report
Use our free recommendation engine to learn which Intrusion Detection and Prevention Software (IDPS) solutions are best for your needs.
842,296 professionals have used our research since 2012.
 

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
16%
University
12%
Financial Services Firm
9%
Educational Organization
8%
Computer Software Company
20%
Financial Services Firm
9%
Manufacturing Company
9%
Comms Service Provider
9%
 

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 needs improvement with Cisco NGIPS?
The dashboard is quite old compared to today's technology. We would like to see improvements in the dashboard features.
What do you like most about Fortinet FortiGate IPS?
The most significant aspect of IPS is self-explanatory as it primarily focuses on intrusion prevention, which is crucial for Fortinet's internal outbreak prevention efforts and ensuring compliance ...
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Fortinet FortiGate IPS?
There are no extra expenses involved after purchasing the solution. Pricing could be better, however, overall, it is considered a middle-level price for a middle-level company.
What needs improvement with Fortinet FortiGate IPS?
There could be improvements in the mathematical algorithms used for behavior analytics of traffic. More advanced AI capabilities would be beneficial in future updates.
 

Also Known As

Sourcefire NGIPS, Firepower NGIPS
FortiGate IPS
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

American Electric Power, Huntington Bank, Keycorp, Nationwide, Transunion, Marriott, Inova Health, Ford, Thomson Reuters, Dow Chemical, Equifax, Chevron, Walmart, Coca Cola
Riverside Healthcare, Salt Lake City, Dell SecureWorks, Credit Bank Zagreb
Find out what your peers are saying about Cisco Secure IPS (NGIPS) vs. Fortinet FortiGate IPS and other solutions. Updated: March 2025.
842,296 professionals have used our research since 2012.