Item: Cisco AnyConnect
Rating: 10
Author: F Scott Wilson

Overall Satisfaction with Cisco AnyConnect

Use Cases and Deployment Scope

My primary use of Cisco AnyConnect is to ensure I have a secure gateway for accessing my company's systems when I am working or traveling out of town. Since I've worked remotely since March of 2020, Cisco AnyConnect has been key to maintaining security for my laptop. It also is a requirement of my company for accessing specific platforms, e.g., accounting, process workflows, and so on.

Pros and Cons

Pros

Quick connect time
Easy to use the interface
Excellent security for remote use
Very intuitive, extremely easy to log-on

Cons

No recommendations
The software works very well
No problems at all

Return on Investment

I don't have hard numbers to give, unfortunately.

Usability

Ease of use is key, and the fact that I don't have to log-in multiple times daily (unless I'm away for a while) is very handy. Also, the interface is very intuitive, as well as being very easy to use. It takes me only a couple of minutes to ensure my company's digital security when I use it, which I do daily. I'm also able to engage AnyConnect before logging in to our systems, e.g., before my log-in screen, and that gives me another layer of comfort.

Security

Speaking for myself and my department, Cisco AnyConnect has been instrumental in preventing any breaches of our department's security and has been very easy to use. We have definitely benefited from having our gateway protected from intrusion. I have also heard no complaints from other users in my department or in other departments about connecting to it or using it.

Support Rating

I've never needed to reach out to Customer Service for Cisco at any point. In point of fact, it is the lack of need to contact them that pleases me. I'm confident that, if I do at any point need to contact them, I will expect them to be as thorough and customer friendly as they are with other aspects of their product. For now, no worries at all.

Alternatives Considered

I didn't select Cisco AnyConnect, but am, as I stated, very pleased with the platform. If brought in to consider additional Cisco products or platforms, I would be very inclined to support that addition.

Key Insights

Do you think Cisco AnyConnect delivers good value for the price?

Yes

Are you happy with Cisco AnyConnect's feature set?

Yes

Did Cisco AnyConnect live up to sales and marketing promises?

I wasn't involved with the selection/purchase process

Did implementation of Cisco AnyConnect go as expected?

I wasn't involved with the implementation phase

Would you buy Cisco AnyConnect again?

Yes

Other Software Used

D&B Risk Analytics, Microsoft 365, NAVEX One

Likelihood to Recommend

I use it primarily for remote working. There are bad actors out there who try on a regular basis to insinuate themselves into our systems, and Cisco AnyConnect is a robust defender of my computer and our systems. Our IT department is very proactive in searching for weaknesses in our systems, particularly the human factor, e.g., social engineering, phishing, and so forth. Whenever I'm using Cisco AnyConnect, I'm confident access to our multiple platforms are in good hands.

Cisco AnyConnect Feature Ratings

Cisco Security

Goals and Objectives

We are privately held, and keep our cards close to the vest with any accounting, sales or other information. Preventing intrusion by bad actors keeps the company's assets safe and safeguarded. Since we are in a competitive industry in domestic and global markets, it is very vital to maintain our security so that pricing and bids are held closely and not revealed outside the company and our customers.

Expected Outcomes

I wasn't part of the selection process; I'm very happy with how it was implemented. It was seamlessly integrated into our routine, and to my daily routine, without a lot of extra steps necessary.

Again, I wasn't part of the review or selection process.

Reason for Selection

Ultimately, I suspect it came down to ease of use and dependability across our (numerous) users and systems. I'm basing this upon the overall results I'm seeing and the lack of complaints from others in my organization. Having it work with the rest of our platforms and do so without interfering with the idiosyncrasies of each one of them taken individually and as a group would have been important in making the selection.

Cybersecurity and AI

I'm not an expert with AI, but it will be both a good and a bad thing for companies and individuals. Good in that there is a second set of eyes, so to speak, watching the user and the company, but bad in that hostile groups can use the new AI structure to potentially bypass new and existing security frameworks.

Predictive Threat Hunting

Our IT department is constantly running tests on users to see what will get someone to click on the wrong link or open a hostile text or e-mail. This gives them some predictors in determining what is effective in breaching and allows them to train personnel to watch closely and not respond or open a risky file without looking at it closely.

I do not know.

Resilience and Reliability

Resilience

It is vital. Simply put, there are bad actors out there who will dig repeatedly until they are able to penetrate a system. A resilient platform prevents that digging, or mitigates the effects when and if someone breaches that platform or burrows into the servers or other aspects of a company's operations. Cisco AnyConnect is an excellent VPN solution, and I have not to date experienced any cyber penetration when working on the internet.

Leadership in Resilience

At our company, we have training seminars that are mandatory for all people who use our computers over a network. In addition, our IT department sends out fake phishing emails at irregular intervals to see how we respond to them. If anyone clicks where they shouldn't, they get a quick mini-course assigned to them to complete. This is part of a management initiative to keep our systems secure and ensure everyone stays aware of cyber threats.

Likelihood to Renew

Understand that this I'm not a decisionmaker on any of our software, but I do mention Cisco's usefulness and effectiveness when appropriate. Given the choice, I would give it my highest recommendation and also urge the company to continue using this software.

Reliability and Availability

I have never had any issues connecting with Cisco AnyConnect. I work remotely and occasionally have interruptions or server failures, particularly when there are power outages. CIsco AnyConnect continues to attempt to get me back online as swiftly as possible, which removes one less concern about keeping busy from my day.

Using Cisco AnyConnect

Users and Roles

5000 - All across the organization, as it is a requirement for accessing all of our critical systems. With Sales and Finance working to a large degree remotely, senior management has mandated the use of the remote VPN through Cisco AnyConnect as a prerequisite for any online activity. It is not possible to access our key accounting or sales platforms without first activating the VPN.

Support Headcount Required

6 - Our IT department is tasked with maintaining all of our software access and platforms. The number of personnel I list above is an estimate based upon our number of IT staff and concentrations in North America. I don't have an exact figure for who handles Cisco AnyConnect for us, though.

Business Processes Supported

Sales access
Credit
Finance & Accounting
Human Resources

Future Planned Uses

Not sure.
The usage is universal throughout our company.

Using Cisco AnyConnect

Usability Pros and Cons

Pros	Cons
Like to use Relatively simple Easy to use Technical support not required Well integrated Consistent Quick to learn Convenient Feel confident using Familiar	None