Try our new research platform with insights from 80,000+ expert users

Aruba ClearPass vs ExtremeControl comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Nov 5, 2024

Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:
 

Categories and Ranking

Aruba ClearPass
Ranking in Network Access Control (NAC)
2nd
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
6.8
Number of Reviews
85
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
ExtremeControl
Ranking in Network Access Control (NAC)
14th
Average Rating
7.8
Reviews Sentiment
6.0
Number of Reviews
7
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of April 2025, in the Network Access Control (NAC) category, the mindshare of Aruba ClearPass is 24.4%, down from 25.8% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of ExtremeControl is 1.9%, up from 1.8% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Network Access Control (NAC)
 

Featured Reviews

Abdelhamid Saber - PeerSpot reviewer
Secures the network with flexible controls and excellent support
We use Aruba ClearPass as a network access control solution. It prevents unauthorized access and allows access for users in the internal environment, performing checks and onboarding We use ClearPass to secure our environment. Before ClearPass, our environment wasn't as secure. The most…
Jose Mota - PeerSpot reviewer
Has a simple setup process, but it could be affordable
We have noticed similarities between Extreme and Ubiquiti, particularly in their functionality, like how they operate wirelessly and can be managed from the cloud or locally. Based on our experience, Ubiquiti's system may be more user-friendly and capable of handling heavy loads. Still, Extreme could be more reliable, although you have yet to compare them side by side directly. For instance, we have observed Extreme performing well in a warehouse environment, which might have a different level of network traffic than a convention center.

Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:
 

Pros

"ClearPass is effortless to use and configure. It's not hard to learn the tool, and it has lots of features."
"Aruba ClearPass is feature-rich and fairly straightforward to implement."
"Document authentications allows us to decide which users can connect to an office VLAN and this has been the most valuable feature."
"Access Tracker is invaluable for troubleshooting access control incidents and quickly getting to the root cause."
"Aruba ClearPass allows for guest access, BYOD control, IoT device control, access control, device visibility, policy management, interoperability with third-party solutions, self-service, and device profiling."
"You have a good return on investment with Aruba, which is the best overall solution compared to competitors like Cisco, Forescout, and others."
"The support is top notch, expert, and very friendly. ​"
"Aruba ClearPass has improved the security control in our network environment."
"I can know which end users are using which features."
"The company also uses Cisco ISE in other places. I have been told that ExtremeControl is easier to use than ISE. The other reason we prefer ExtremeControl is stability. That's why they chose it for this big hospital in Oslo."
"There is information on migrating most of the cloud system's features."
"Overall, I would rate ExtremeControl nine out of ten."
"The solution is easy to use."
"It has effectively enhanced network security and integrated with other security tools to streamline operations."
 

Cons

"Aruba ClearPass needs significant improvement in being user-friendly."
"The monitoring of Aruba ClearPass needs improvement. For example, they have monitoring for TECHx and you can find out what the administrator did. However, if Aruba ClearPass is managing GUI devices, you do not know what the administrator is doing."
"In my opinion, the price of Aruba ClearPass could be better."
"The initial setup was quite complex, it is not that easy."
"The solution should be more precise for VMs and allow for management of the entire system."
"It would be good if ClearPass made it a SaaS solution."
"I would describe the initial setup as moderately difficult."
"The interface could be made easier and more intuitive."
"One improvement could be better clarification, namely that the system only works optimally with all components purchased together."
"I'd like to have access to more information on the traffic passing through."
"I would rate their technical support five out of ten. They have strict upgrade policies."
"The initial setup was not easy. It requires an experienced person to deploy ExtremeControl, and deployment can take from days to weeks depending on the complexity of the network."
"There isn't enough development for the on-premises controller."
"The installation is easy, it can take between five minutes to four hours depending on the complexity of the environment. The speed of the installation could improve for more complex environments."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"I can say that the package or licensing model offered for the solution is a permanent one."
"The solution is costly."
"The pricing model for Aruba ClearPass is complex. Customers only pay for the license fees, with no additional costs."
"The solution has a licensing model."
"The price of Aruba ClearPass is expensive. However, Cisco ISE was as expensive when we were comparing."
"You can get Aruba ClearPass either where you purchase it outright or you can be subscription-based. The cost will vary according to what is selected, but it's licensed per device. For example, for a hundred users or a hundred device license, it would cost approximately $2,000."
"​Cost is important. I switched because Aruba's costs were well below Cisco's."
"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."
"ExtremeControl can be expensive compared to other options in the market."
report
Use our free recommendation engine to learn which Network Access Control (NAC) solutions are best for your needs.
849,190 professionals have used our research since 2012.
 

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
15%
Government
9%
Manufacturing Company
8%
Educational Organization
6%
Computer Software Company
13%
Government
9%
Retailer
8%
Healthcare Company
8%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
 

Questions from the Community

Which is better - Aruba Clearpass or Cisco ISE?
Aruba ClearPass is a Network Access Control tool that gives secure network access to multiple device types. You can adapt the policies to VPN access, wired, or wireless access. You can securely ...
What is the biggest difference between Aruba ClearPass and FortiNAC?
I've done quite a lot of work with ClearPass, and not a lot with FortiNAC/Bradford. ClearPass incorporates a number of different functions including ClearPass Guest for creating complex wireless g...
What do you like most about Aruba ClearPass?
If you are looking at the base installation, then it was a very straightforward process, which I would rate an eight or nine out of ten.
What do you like most about ExtremeControl?
It has effectively enhanced network security and integrated with other security tools to streamline operations.
What needs improvement with ExtremeControl?
Sometimes the performance with a high number of devices can be an area of concern. We rely more on the cloud for analytics rather than on-premise, and some customers prefer relying on an on-premise...
What is your primary use case for ExtremeControl?
I have already installed ExtremeControl for some of my clients. My clients use ExtremeControl for BYOD, device authentication, network security and control, and network automation.
 

Also Known As

Avenda eTIPS
Extreme Access Control, Enterasys NAC
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Consulate Health Care, Los Angeles Unified School District, Science Applications International Corp (SAIC), San Diego State University, KFC, ACTS Retirement-Life Communities
Street Crane, Robert Bosch, Molex Chengdu, Weir Valves & Controls UK, Renault, AESSEAL, Ducati, Alexander Dennis, UK Ministry of Defence, Manz
Find out what your peers are saying about Aruba ClearPass vs. ExtremeControl and other solutions. Updated: April 2025.
849,190 professionals have used our research since 2012.