Cisco Sunsetting AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client Version 4.x: Switch to OpenVPN Alternative

On March 31, 2024, Cisco announced end-of-life dates for their Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client 4.x. If your business is a Cisco client, this may be a good time to re-evaluate your VPN solution before transitioning to their Cisco Secure Client software.

What Cisco AnyConnect customers should know

In a recent announcement from Cisco, the company stated:

“Software maintenance for 4.x software releases will end on March 31, 2024. No patches or maintenance releases will be provided for AnyConnect 4.x releases after that date. Application software support will not be available for the stated software versions beyond March 31, 2027… After these dates, all support services for the product are unavailable, and the product becomes obsolete.”

Cisco has urged Cisco AnyConnect VPN Client users to transition to Cisco Secure Client. However, the switch may not be right for all businesses.

Cisco Secure Client VPN vs. OpenVPN Secure Remote Access

Choosing between a legacy platform and a best-of-breed point solution can seem daunting. However, when a solution you’ve relied on is making product changes that can have a negative impact on your business operations, it's often a great time to evaluate whether transitioning to the platform's new solution is what is actually best for your business.

If you’re considering making a switch from Cisco for your VPN service, here are a few factors to consider:

OpenVPN Secure Remote Access

You can choose between self-hosted Access Server or cloud-delivered CloudConnexa for a secure VPN connection.
Grow-as-you-go flexible deployment and payment options. Pay only for concurrent connections, not users.
Both products compatible with multiple security platforms via API integrations.
Both products built on the secure and time-tested OpenVPN Open Source protocol.
All security features available for all users, including free users.
Steers traffic destined to public domains inside the tunnel instead of, or in addition to, public IP addresses through split tunneling.
Can always have the VPN tunnel terminate on networks that you own and control to ensure the data traffic stays in your domain of control.
Can authenticate using SAML, LDAP, RADIUS or PAM.
Configure on the Linux operating system and use Connect Client for IoS, MacOS or Windows.
You can collect syslogs.

Cisco VPN

Cisco Secure Client VPN server requires a separate license from Cisco.
Secure Client is compatible with the overall Cisco umbrella of products, including Cisco Secure Firewalls, Meraki devices, Cisco Secure Connect Choice, Cisco Secure Connect Flex, and Cisco ASA.
Single point-of-failure in a system outage or security breach in the Cisco ecosystem.
Additional security features available for additional cost, such as DNS-layer security and user behavior information.

Get started with OpenVPN

Ready to consider making a switch from Cisco? OpenVPN’s secure networking solutions, self-hosted Access Server and cloud-hosted CloudConnexa, combine the most essential elements of network security into a single cost-effective, easy-to-use package. You can test them out for free, or if you prefer, you can use our interactive demo portal to learn more.

Access Server offers a full-control option for users who are comfortable using and maintaining their own servers, with data communications remaining under your control without passing through OpenVPN infrastructure. Access Server simplifies the rapid deployment of a secure remote access and site-to-site solution with a web-based administration interface and built-in OpenVPN Connect app distribution with bundled connection profiles.

For those who prefer a cloud-hosted environment, CloudConnexa takes the cost and complexity out of secure networking to keep your business operating safely and efficiently by reliably identifying and routing trusted apps and traffic using an integrated multi-tenant virtual network with built-in critical security functions.

No matter which option you choose, our subscriptions are based on concurrent connections, not users, so you pay for what you actually use. You can get started with free connections, no credit card required, and scale to a paid subscription when you’re ready.

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