We are a gold partner of Aruba. We have deployed it in different educational institutions. It is mainly being used by the students. They onboard their mobile devices on ClearPass so that they can use them securely, and the IT team can have more visibility on the product. This is the main use case for ClearPass.
Senior Account Manager at a tech services company with 11-50 employees
Provides good visibility and security, and is affordable and highly scalable
Pros and Cons
- "The visibility and security features are most valuable. We get a clear view. It is a very secure product for educational institutions."
- "The improvement can be in the cloud area. They can improve it for the cloud so that we can deploy it on the cloud."
What is our primary use case?
What is most valuable?
The visibility and security features are most valuable. We get a clear view. It is a very secure product for educational institutions.
It is very user-friendly. It is easy to configure and use. The dashboard is very intuitive, and it can give you a very clear view. You can see all the students and all the onboarded devices on the dashboard.
What needs improvement?
The improvement can be in the cloud area. They can improve it for the cloud so that we can deploy it on the cloud.
In terms of new features, I don't have anything in mind, but Aruba is always working on new features. They are doing releases every quarter or six months.
For how long have I used the solution?
We have been working with Aruba products since 2004. We are one of the oldest partners of Aruba in the Middle East. We've been working with ClearPass for 10 years.
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Aruba ClearPass
December 2024
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What do I think about the stability of the solution?
It is very stable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
It is highly scalable. You can start with a couple of users, and you can scale up to 10,000. We have a deployment of 25,000 users in one of the biggest universities in Lebanon.
How are customer service and support?
They are really fast and highly knowledgeable.
How was the initial setup?
It is really easy to set up. It is very user-friendly and easy to configure.
It doesn't take a lot of time to deploy and configure ClearPass. It takes about a week or a maximum of 10 days for the whole deployment.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
It is affordable. In Lebanon, companies are small, and they do not have a big budget. They cannot invest a lot of money, and Aruba ClearPass is quite affordable for them.
What other advice do I have?
ClearPass is one of the best solutions we have ever worked with. It is very stable and secure, and it has a lot of features that an institution can benefit from.
I would easily rate it a nine out of 10.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: Partner
Network Administrator with 51-200 employees
It has an easy to learn web GUI and command lines
Pros and Cons
- "It has an easy to learn web GUI and command lines."
- "The support is top notch, expert, and very friendly. "
- "The AirWave Dashboard heat maps could be better designed."
- "Instructions on adding layouts are not as clear as they could be."
How has it helped my organization?
We got rid of books after our third year of installing Aruba WiFi. Our educational delivery system is 99% online with the exception of a few AP classes dictated by the State. As IoT has started arriving on campus, the Aruba solution is already in place.
What is most valuable?
ClearPass is the most valuable tool in my arsenal. It ties everything together: users, devices, IoT, mobile devices, guests, and networks. All of it.
It has an easy to learn web GUI and command lines.
What needs improvement?
- The AirWave Dashboard heat maps could be better designed.
- Instructions on adding layouts are not as clear as they could be.
For how long have I used the solution?
More than five years.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Every time I extend my environment: mobile device management, a dashboard to see all my switches, controllers, access points, devices, and users. Aruba has had the best solution.
How is customer service and technical support?
The support is top notch, expert, and very friendly.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
Cost is important. I switched because Aruba's costs were well below Cisco's. Aruba has outpaced Cisco in the marketplace and in performance.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
I shopped six WiFi companies for a year before I decided on going with Aruba. Since then, I have replaced all of my Cisco products, with Aruba except the core, which I installed Juniper. This year Aruba has developed a premium core system, and we are putting it in. I like the fact Aruba has cloud or on-prem controllers. I like managing my own environments, so I use on-prem.
We are an “Aruba House”.
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Buyer's Guide
Aruba ClearPass
December 2024
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824,067 professionals have used our research since 2012.
IT Support Engineer at a energy/utilities company with 501-1,000 employees
The most valuable feature for us is the ability to manage each access point from a single application.
What is most valuable?
The most valuable feature for us is the ability to manage each access point from a single application.
How has it helped my organization?
As we are a reseller, we had it installed in our office for our customer test. Also, we were using it as our demonstration tool. I found ClearPass made our work easier as we were connected to WiFi on our laptop, meaning we weren't constrained to our desks.
What needs improvement?
They need to improve the wizard to make things easier to manage. When we had the access point, I was not sure how to get it to work with Aruba. I tried to follow the guide from Aruba support and the internet, but found it very limited even though I went through one of the two-day technical presentations. The wizard needs to show what you need to configure and what needs to be in there in terms of users. In the end, I got support from one of the Aruba systems engineers to get it to work.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've used it for one year.
What was my experience with deployment of the solution?
We had no issues deploying it.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
We have had no stability issues.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
We have had no issues scaling it.
How are customer service and technical support?
I got support from one of the Aruba systems engineers to get it to work, but I haven't had to use them for anything else.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
Our prior solution was a bit complex to configure things prior to deployment.
How was the initial setup?
We deployed it with assistance from our distributor.
What other advice do I have?
You should go for it.
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Senior Network & Security Engineer at a tech services company with 501-1,000 employees
The advanced RADIUS functionality is the most valuable feature for us. It needs to be more intuitive to use with simplified administration.
What is most valuable?
The advanced RADIUS functionality is the most valuable feature for us.
How has it helped my organization?
It is possible to connect corporate people and external people to the WiFi with certificates by doing CA and on-boarding for external people and traditional Radius for the corporate people.
What needs improvement?
I'd like to see improvement with RADIUS and guest on-boarding. It also needs to be more intuitive to use with simplified administration.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've used it for two to three years.
What was my experience with deployment of the solution?
There were issues with High Availability and very important changes and issues with version upgrades.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
There were no issues with the stability.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
There were no issues with the scalability.
How are customer service and technical support?
2/10 - it was very difficult to find the correct assistance. If we could find the right one, we would be happy.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We previously used Cisco NAC Guest Server and AMI GoPod. ClearPass is the evolution of AMI GoPod.
How was the initial setup?
It was too complex. There is too much functionality in one device such as RADIUS, Guest, Provisioning, On-boarding, and NAC.
What about the implementation team?
The implementation was done in-house. It is the corporative authentication solution and the Guest Portal for the customer.
What other advice do I have?
It is a very complete solution with some important functionalities, but it can be difficult to implement and the support is not the best.
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
System Engineer at Chayon Technologies
Comprehensive solution for network access control, profiling, and security
Pros and Cons
- "ClearPass's best feature is its comprehensiveness."
- "ClearPass isn't hard to set up, but it takes a long time."
What is our primary use case?
I use ClearPass for network access control, profiling, and security.
What is most valuable?
ClearPass's best feature is its comprehensiveness.
What needs improvement?
It would be useful if a free trial was available for customers to see if ClearPass is suitable for them before purchasing.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've been using ClearPass for two years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
ClearPass is stable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
ClearPass is scalable.
How are customer service and support?
ClearPass's technical support is okay.
How was the initial setup?
ClearPass isn't hard to set up, but it takes a long time.
What other advice do I have?
I'd advise anybody thinking of implementing ClearPass to go for it, it's a good solution. I would rate ClearPass as eight out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: Partner
Network Architect at a tech services company with 201-500 employees
Beneficial extra security, useful authentication mechanisms, but under interface needs improvement
Pros and Cons
- "The most valuable features of Aruba ClearPass are the authentication mechanisms and the integration with Active Directory(AD)."
- "Aruba ClearPass could improve the user interface, it is a bit chunky."
What is our primary use case?
I am using Aruba ClearPass for 802.1X and backup indication.
How has it helped my organization?
Aruba ClearPass improved security across a diverse network, which is countrywide. It provides extra security so that anybody that gets on the network, belongs there, we know those that have allowed access to the network, get access to the network.
What is most valuable?
The most valuable features of Aruba ClearPass are the authentication mechanisms and the integration with Active Directory(AD).
What needs improvement?
Aruba ClearPass could improve the user interface, it is a bit chunky.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Aruba ClearPass for approximately 18 months.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Aruba ClearPass is stable in my usage.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
I have found Aruba ClearPass to be scalable.
We have hundreds of users in different locations using this solution.
How are customer service and support?
I have not used the support from Aruba ClearPass.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I have not used a previous solution.
How was the initial setup?
Aruba ClearPass was installed into the cloud and had the resiliency working. Then we had a test lab environment where we rolled out the configurations, to test it, and then we rolled out the overall configuration for all of the switches and access points around the network. The whole process was straightforward. The whole process took approximately three months from start to finish.
What about the implementation team?
The implementation was done in-house. We used three people for the process.
What was our ROI?
I felt we did not get a return on investment.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The price of Aruba ClearPass is expensive. When you want to build redundant systems it can be seen as necessary, so the enterprise will manage all of those costs.
There are additional costs because we have implemented it into a cloud environment, there are costs associated with the cloud environment. We didn't go with appliances.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
I did some research before choosing Aruba ClearPass. I looked at open NAC and some of the other proprietary systems.
What other advice do I have?
There are additional features that we haven't used, such as fingerprinting and guest reception type scenarios. There are other features we haven't implemented and there's no reason to implement them at this stage.
Planning is the most important aspect of getting started before implementing Aruba ClearPass. Don't jump into it, you need to plan. You need to understand what you're trying to do and plan it and then start off in a small, safe environment for rollout. Once you've tested all the scenarios and it works completely for each one, then roll it out over a long period of time to ensure that the user experience is good.
I rate Aruba ClearPass a seven out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Private Cloud
If public cloud, private cloud, or hybrid cloud, which cloud provider do you use?
Microsoft Azure
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Professional Services Engineer and Trainer at a tech services company with 51-200 employees
The OnGuard feature checks the compliance of corporate laptops and restricts network access for users who are not compliant with security policies.
What is most valuable?
Our company provides professional services and we implement the features based on the customer requirement. All the features in ClearPass are good and work the way they need to.
How has it helped my organization?
Based on our implementations for many customers, it seems that they're most interested in the OnGuard feature that checks the compliance of corporate laptops and which restricts network access for users who are not compliant with security policies.
The reporting feature in ClearPass has found devices that are non-compliant had has addressed issues during the initial implementation phase.
Our customers also often request the guest feature, which they find very useful.
What needs improvement?
The OnGuard agent requires some enhancements.
For how long have I used the solution?
We've used it for the last three years.
What was my experience with deployment of the solution?
It works best when you plan deployment according to device behavior while integrated in the network.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
It's been generally stable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
It scales well in our customer network environments.
How are customer service and technical support?
Our TAC is very responsive and very helpful. They are able to provide solutions for all the new requirements by creating customized SQL queries and configs.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I worked initially with Cisco ISE, but I didn't really get to know it well. My company currently provides ClearPass solutions only.
How was the initial setup?
We plan deployments considering all the configuring that needs to be done on the other integrated devices. The setup always ends up smooth and straightforward.
What other advice do I have?
You should test all the requirements during the PoC itself so that the planning and deployment will be smooth.
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: We're a distributor of Aruba and we provide professional services.
System Engineer at Neogenesis technical solutions
Easy-to-configure and has a user-friendly webpage
Pros and Cons
- "The customized modules for guests, the self-registration and login, one license for all, no license for guest users, and the self-integration of sandbox integration are the most valuable features."
- "There is room for improvement in the support."
What is our primary use case?
The solution is used for integration with the third party. If you are not selective of the switches in Juniper or Huawei, then the third-party scan integration of ClearPass is distinct.
What is most valuable?
The customized modules for guests, the self-registration and login, one license for all, no license for guest users, and the self-integration of sandbox integration are the most valuable features.
What needs improvement?
There is room for improvement in the support.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using the solution since 2015. I work with the latest version.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
It is a stable solution.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
It is a scalable solution.
How are customer service and support?
The support is okay.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Positive
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I have not used any other solution before. I have general information about FortiNAC from Fortinet.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is straightforward. It takes around fifteen minutes to be deployed. Just one engineer can deploy the solution.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
In Spain, Cisco is more expensive than ClearPass but in Jordan, there are big deals on Cisco, and even at times, it is free of charge. ClearPass is an affordable solution.
What other advice do I have?
I recommend ClearPass for its integration, stability, and scalability. It is easy to configure and has a user-friendly webpage.
I rate it an eight out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: Partner
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i was under wrong impression that WPA2-Enterpsie will perform better than WPA2-PSK Authentication method. this paper says " plain PSK performs better than any
other public key based mechanisms" citeseerx.ist.psu.edu