Sophos Or Cisco: Which Firewall Is Right For You? (Comparison)
Want to know how these two major brands of firewalls measure up against each other? Check out this feature breakdown of Sophos and Cisco to help you make an informed decision.
Having difficulty choosing a firewall?
I don’t blame you. There are a lot of options to choose from, and often, it can be difficult to parse which one has what you need, which one fits your budget, or, more simply, which one is best.
Let me help — in this article, I’ll show you the features offered by two of the leading firewall brands, Sophos and Cisco.
Feature By Feature: Sophos Vs. Cisco
NEXT-GEN FIREWALL FEATURES
| SOPHOS | CISCO | |
| Firewall Rule and Web Policy Test Simulator | ✓ | |
| Dual Antivirus Engines | ✓ | |
| FastPath Packet Optimization | ✓ | |
| Intrusion Protection System | ✓ | ✓ |
| Application Control | ✓ | Partial |
| Synchronized App Control (using Endpoint telemetry) | ✓ | |
| Shadow IT Cloud App Visibility | ✓ | |
| Block Potentially Unwanted Applications (PUAs) | ✓ | |
| Web Protection and Control | ✓ | ✓ |
| Web Keyword Monitoring and Enforcement | ✓ | |
| User and App Risk Visibility (User Threat Quotient) | ✓ | |
| SSL Inspection Mode – TLS 1.3 Version Support | ✓ |
ADVANCED THREAT PROTECTION FEATURES
| SOPHOS | CISCO | |
| Advanced Threat Protection | ✓ | ✓ |
| Compromised System Detection | ✓ | |
| Compromised System Isolation | ✓ | |
| Lateral Movement Protection | ✓ | |
| Sandboxing | ✓ | ✓ |
SERVER AND EMAIL PROTECTION
| SOPHOS | CISCO | |
| Full-Featured WAF | ✓ | ✓ |
| Complete Email: Antivirus, Anti-Spam, Encryption, DLP | ✓ |
CONNECTING USERS & REMOTE OFFICES
| SOPHOS | CISCO | |
| IPSec and SSL VPN | ✓ | No SSL VPN |
| Wireless Mesh Networks | ✓ | ✓ |
| Plug and Protect Remote Office Security (RED) | ✓ | |
| SD-WAN | ✓ | ✓ |
EASE OF DEPLOYMENT & USE
| SOPHOS | CISCO | |
| Flexible Deployment (HW,SW,VM,IaaS) | ✓ | HW Only |
| Integrates with Other IT Security Products (e.g. Endpoint) | ✓ | |
| Synchronized Security in Discover (TAP) Mode Deployments | ✓ | |
| Free Historical Reporting | ✓ | |
| Free Central Management | ✓ | ✓ |
| Central Management for Partners | ✓ | ✓ |
| User Self-Serve Portal | ✓ |
Should You Choose Sophos Or Cisco?
To us, the answer is obvious — Sophos has all the features you could want, all for one single fee. No add ons, no nickel and diming model, no complicated service maps.
However, that doesn’t mean it’s absolutely the right choice for you. We can’t make this call for your specific business, but we hope this information helps you in your evaluation.
While we believe that Sophos’ next-gen firewalls, with their many features and capabilities, offer a more secure user experience, you may still opt for something else.
Servcom USA Makes Cybersecurity Management Simple
While you may understand that you need a next-generation firewall, now you have to go about getting one. It’s a lot of work to handle it on your own – but you don’t have to.
Instead, you can choose to work with a trusted, expert IT services company like Servcom USA. We have experience working with firewalls, cybersecurity technology, and organizations like yours – we can help you make the right choice, and handle the set-up for you from beginning to end.
Getting the firewall you need can be done in three simple steps:
- Book a free cybersecurity consultation with our team at a time that works for you.
- Find out how Sophos’ firewalls can better secure your IT environment.
- Enjoy the peace of mind that comes with knowing you’re secure.
