Cisco Secure Access vs Fortinet FortiSASE -- SASE & Zero Trust Compared
Cisco Secure Access vs Fortinet FortiSASE
Cisco Secure Access and Fortinet FortiSASE are both sase & zero trust solutions. Cisco Secure Access cisco's unified SASE platform converging Umbrella, Duo, and Meraki into cloud-delivered security, while Fortinet FortiSASE converged SASE platform powered by FortiOS with competitive pricing and integrated SD-WAN. The best choice depends on your organization's size, technical requirements, and budget.
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The Verdict
Choose Cisco Secure Access if cisco Talos provides massive threat intelligence from the world's largest commercial security research team is your priority and large enterprises with existing Cisco networking infrastructure wanting to consolidate security into a unified SASE platform. Choose Fortinet FortiSASE if most competitive pricing makes enterprise SASE accessible to mid-market matters most and mid-market and large enterprises with existing Fortinet infrastructure that want SASE with integrated SD-WAN at competitive pricing.
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Feature-by-Feature Comparison
| Feature | Fortinet FortiSASE | Cisco Secure Access |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Custom pricing / Per-user tiers starting lower than Zscaler | Custom enterprise pricing / Per-user bundled subscription |
| Pricing Model | Per-user annual subscription with tiered bundles | Per-user annual subscription with bundled tiers |
| Open Source | No | No |
| Deployment | Cloud | Cloud |
| Best For | Mid-market and large enterprises with existing Fortinet infrastructure that want SASE with integrated SD-WAN at competitive pricing | Large enterprises with existing Cisco networking infrastructure wanting to consolidate security into a unified SASE platform |
| Umbrella DNS security and SWG | Not available | Supported |
| Duo zero trust access and MFA | Not available | Supported |
| Meraki SD-WAN integration | Not available | Supported |
When to Choose Each Tool
Choose Fortinet FortiSASE when:
- +You value most competitive pricing makes enterprise SASE accessible to mid-market
- +You value consistent FortiOS experience for existing Fortinet customers
- +You value industry-leading SD-WAN natively integrated into the SASE platform
- +You want to avoid platform still maturing — recently converged from separate Umbrella, Duo, and AnyConnect products
- +You want to avoid integration between acquired components can be inconsistent
Choose Cisco Secure Access when:
- +You value cisco Talos provides massive threat intelligence from the world's largest commercial security research team
- +You value unified platform for organizations already invested in Cisco networking and security
- +You value duo provides the most established zero trust MFA and access solution in the market
- +You want to avoid smaller global PoP footprint than Zscaler and Cloudflare
- +You want to avoid cloud-native capabilities less mature than purpose-built cloud SASE platforms
Other Cisco Secure Access Alternatives
Cloud-native SASE and zero trust platform for secure internet and private application access
Cloud-native SASE platform with industry-leading CASB and granular SaaS visibility
Developer-friendly zero trust platform built on Cloudflare's global Anycast network
Enterprise SASE platform extending Palo Alto's next-gen firewall to cloud-delivered security
Single-vendor cloud-native SASE platform with private global backbone and converged architecture
Data-aware SSE platform with pioneering CASB technology and deep cloud data protection
Cloud-native zero trust platform with FedRAMP authorization and competitive mid-market pricing
Pros & Cons Comparison
Fortinet FortiSASE
Pros
- +Most competitive pricing makes enterprise SASE accessible to mid-market
- +Consistent FortiOS experience for existing Fortinet customers
- +Strong SD-WAN natively integrated into the SASE platform
- +FortiGuard Labs provides massive threat intelligence from global install base
- +Single management console for SASE and on-prem FortiGate firewalls
Cons
- –Smaller global PoP footprint than Zscaler and Cloudflare
- –Cloud-native capabilities less mature than purpose-built cloud SASE platforms
- –CASB and DLP features are less granular than Netskope or Zscaler
- –Architecture evolved from on-prem appliances rather than built for cloud
- –ZTNA capabilities lag behind Zscaler ZPA in maturity and scale
Cisco Secure Access
Pros
- +Cisco Talos provides massive threat intelligence from the world's largest commercial security research team
- +Unified platform for organizations already invested in Cisco networking and security
- +Duo provides the most established zero trust MFA and access solution in the market
- +Meraki SD-WAN integration for branch office connectivity
- +ThousandEyes provides industry-leading digital experience monitoring
Cons
- –Platform still maturing — recently converged from separate Umbrella, Duo, and AnyConnect products
- –Integration between acquired components can be inconsistent
- –Cloud-native SASE capabilities lag behind Zscaler and Netskope
- –Complex licensing with multiple SKUs inherited from different product lines
- –Inline inspection and SSL decryption less performant than purpose-built cloud proxies
Sources & References
- Cisco Secure Access — Official Website & Documentation[Vendor]
- Fortinet FortiSASE — Official Website & Documentation[Vendor]
- Cisco Secure Access Reviews on G2[User Reviews]
- Fortinet FortiSASE Reviews on G2[User Reviews]
- Cisco Secure Access Reviews on TrustRadius[User Reviews]
- Fortinet FortiSASE Reviews on TrustRadius[User Reviews]
- Cisco Secure Access Reviews on PeerSpot[User Reviews]
- Fortinet FortiSASE Reviews on PeerSpot[User Reviews]
- Gartner Magic Quadrant for Single-Vendor SASE 2024[Analyst Report]
- Gartner Magic Quadrant for Security Service Edge 2024[Analyst Report]
- Forrester Wave: Zero Trust Network Access, Q3 2023[Analyst Report]
- IDC MarketScape: Worldwide SASE 2024[Analyst Report]
- CISA Zero Trust Maturity Model[Government Standard]
- Gartner Peer Insights: SSE[Peer Reviews]
Cisco Secure Access vs Fortinet FortiSASE FAQ
Common questions about choosing between Cisco Secure Access and Fortinet FortiSASE.
What is the main difference between Cisco Secure Access and Fortinet FortiSASE?
Cisco Secure Access and Fortinet FortiSASE are both sase & zero trust solutions. Cisco Secure Access cisco's unified SASE platform converging Umbrella, Duo, and Meraki into cloud-delivered security, while Fortinet FortiSASE converged SASE platform powered by FortiOS with competitive pricing and integrated SD-WAN. The best choice depends on your organization's size, technical requirements, and budget.
Is Fortinet FortiSASE better than Cisco Secure Access?
Choose Cisco Secure Access if cisco Talos provides massive threat intelligence from the world's largest commercial security research team is your priority and large enterprises with existing Cisco networking infrastructure wanting to consolidate security into a unified SASE platform. Choose Fortinet FortiSASE if most competitive pricing makes enterprise SASE accessible to mid-market matters most and mid-market and large enterprises with existing Fortinet infrastructure that want SASE with integrated SD-WAN at competitive pricing.
How much does Fortinet FortiSASE cost compared to Cisco Secure Access?
Fortinet FortiSASE pricing: Custom pricing / Per-user tiers starting lower than Zscaler. Cisco Secure Access pricing: Custom enterprise pricing / Per-user bundled subscription. Fortinet FortiSASE's pricing model is per-user annual subscription with tiered bundles, while Cisco Secure Access uses per-user annual subscription with bundled tiers pricing.
Can I migrate from Cisco Secure Access to Fortinet FortiSASE?
Yes, you can migrate from Cisco Secure Access to Fortinet FortiSASE. The migration process depends on your specific setup and the features you use. Both platforms offer APIs that can facilitate automated migration. Consider running both tools in parallel during the transition to ensure zero downtime.
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