IBM Technology Lifecycle Services (TLS) has added Cisco’s firewall technology to its enterprise portfolio, broadening the technical services it provides for both virtual and physical firewalls.

Figure 1. IBM Expands Professional Services for Cisco Firewall Technology.

Under this expansion, IBM TLS will now support Cisco’s Secure Firewall platform—a key component of Cisco’s Hybrid Mesh Firewall system. The Secure Firewall delivers deep packet inspection, intrusion prevention, malware and threat detection, and zero-trust segmentation. Cisco’s Hybrid Mesh Firewall integrates a distributed security fabric and zero-trust framework for network segmentation, AI application protection, and advanced threat defense across diverse environments. Figure 1 shows IBM Expands Professional Services for Cisco Firewall Technology.

Recently, Cisco introduced a Mesh Policy Engine that allows organizations to define a single, intent-based policy enforceable across Cisco and third-party firewalls, managed via Cisco’s Security Cloud Control platform.

Through the extended partnership, IBM TLS will handle the full lifecycle of Cisco firewalls—whether physical, virtual, or cloud-based—including planning, design, procurement, installation, de-installation, and ongoing support. The goal, according to Atul Dhall, vice president of product management and global solution design for TLS, is to help clients optimize their core and AI infrastructure.

“As organizations migrate workloads to the cloud, virtual firewalls offer scalable, flexible protection while integrating seamlessly with cloud-native tools,” wrote Atul Dhall, vice president of product management and global solution design for IBM TLS, in a blog post announcing the expansion. “By emphasizing virtual firewall capabilities, enterprises can strengthen cybersecurity defenses and mitigate breach risks in an evolving threat landscape.”

This expansion builds on IBM TLS’s ongoing collaboration with Cisco. In 2024, the group added support for Cisco’s software-defined networking (SDN) and SD-WAN solutions and introduced the IBM Network Health Check for Cisco networking. That service aimed to optimize infrastructure performance, reduce hardware support time, and highlight areas needing attention within enterprise networks.

Beyond Cisco, IBM TLS maintains partnerships with Juniper, F5, Fortinet, Check Point, and Palo Alto Networks, positioning itself among top-tier enterprise service providers. The division competes with players such as HPE and Cognizant in the global IT services market.

Expansion of IBM TLS Services

IBM Technology Lifecycle Services (TLS) has added Cisco’s firewall technology to its enterprise portfolio. This expansion enables IBM to support both physical and virtual Cisco firewalls, helping clients plan, design, procure, install, and maintain these solutions across hybrid and cloud environments.

Cisco Secure Firewall and Hybrid Mesh Integration

IBM TLS will now service Cisco’s Secure Firewall platform, which is part of the Hybrid Mesh Firewall system. This includes capabilities like deep packet inspection, intrusion prevention, malware detection, zero-trust segmentation, and AI-based threat protection across diverse environments.

Strengthening Enterprise Cybersecurity

The partnership helps enterprises enhance their security posture, particularly in hybrid and multi-cloud environments. Virtual firewall capabilities provide scalable, flexible protection, integrate with cloud-native tools, and simplify management, enabling organizations to reduce risks and optimize infrastructure.

Source: NETWORK WORLD

Cite this article:

Priyadharshini S (2025), IBM Broadens its Professional Service Offerings for Cisco Firewall Solutions, AnaTechMaz, pp.237