Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) vs ExtremeControl comparison

Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) vs. ExtremeControl

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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

Cisco Identity Services Eng...

Ranking in Network Access Control (NAC)

1st

Average Rating

8.2

Reviews Sentiment

6.7

Number of Reviews

142

Ranking in other categories

Cisco Security Portfolio (1st)

ExtremeControl

Ranking in Network Access Control (NAC)

14th

Average Rating

7.8

Reviews Sentiment

6.0

Number of Reviews

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 Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) is 26.3%, down from 31.4% 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

SunilkumarNaganuri

Service Line Manager (Service Operations Expert) - Network Access Control at a pharma/biotech company with 10,001+ employees

Enhanced device administration hindered by complex deployment and security limitations

Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) needs to improve the profiling preauthentication. They are very poor in asset classification and should focus on improving the preauthentication profiling, especially for NAC use cases. This will give them a roadmap for software-defined access (SDA) use cases and network segmentation. Threat detection capabilities are very weak. Additionally, the product is vulnerable and has many bugs.

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Jose Mota

IT specialist at FERCAM SpA

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.

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Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"The solution is integrated with other Cisco devices and can offer automation for an organization, making deployments more dynamic and providing real-time visibility."

"In terms of scalability, you need to factor in your licenses. With a virtual platform, the scalability is more than sufficient. We have over one thousand users."

"I like that Cisco ISE is easy to use."

"There is good integration with third-party systems like antivirus patch management, MDM."

"It integrates with the rest of our platform, like our firewall, and helps us a lot. It also does a good job establishing trust for every access request."

"Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) is very good at device administration."

"The authorization and accounts inside of ISE are very useful for us."

"For me, the TACACS feature is the most valuable. I have also used Cisco ISE with LDAP, not with Active Directory. That works for me because I prefer LDAP versus Active Directory."

More Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) pros

"I can know which end users are using which features."

"Overall, I would rate ExtremeControl nine out of ten."

"It has effectively enhanced network security and integrated with other security tools to streamline operations."

"The solution is easy to use."

"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."

Cons

"Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) needs to improve the profiling preauthentication. They are very poor in asset classification and should focus on improving the preauthentication profiling, especially for NAC use cases."

"Cisco ISE integration with Cisco ACI is something that can be done in a less complex way. And the simplification in that area may help us do better."

"It would be nice if it could be configured easily by default."

"The initial setup was a little bit complex. It's not that simple because it requires a lot of prerequisites for the solution to get a hold on."

"There is room for improvement in its ability to allow end users to self-enroll their devices. Instead, you should be able to assign that permission by AD group, which is currently not available."

"The solution can lag somewhat as we have a large database."

"Documentation is probably the worst part of the software."

"The policies could be adjusted to make them more easily implementable."

More Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) cons

"I would rate their technical support five out of ten. They have strict upgrade policies."

"I'd like to have access to more information on the traffic passing through."

"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."

"One improvement could be better clarification, namely that the system only works optimally with all components purchased together."

"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 think the price is okay."

"It is fairly expensive and that's part of why we have implemented it in the type of 'hack' that we did, to service multiple clients."

"That's where things got a bit more complicated. Previously, it was a one-time purchase and we just had to renew support. These days, there's a subscription model, which is supposed to be easier and cheaper as well, but it's more pricey"

"Cybersecurity resilience has been very important to our organization and has been a big factor. We've had issues in the past, but one of the things I like about ISE is its logging features. Security wise or information wise, it really has been a powerful tool."

"This solution requires an annual license and it is a bit expensive than competitors."

"It is difficult to measure security breaches, but since we have not been attacked so far, it has paid for itself over the years."

"The recent changes in the licensing model have caused some issues with the team."

"Previously, Cisco ISE had a perpetual licensing model, but now they have shifted to a subscription-based licensing system."

More Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) pricing and cost advice

"ExtremeControl can be expensive compared to other options in the market."

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Educational Organization

25%

Computer Software Company

14%

Financial Services Firm

Government

Computer Software Company

13%

Government

Retailer

Healthcare Company

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 are the main differences between Cisco ISE and Forescout Platform?

OK, so Cisco ISE uses 802.1X to secure switchports against unauthorized access. The drawback of this is that ISE cannot secure the port if a device does not support 802.1x. Cameras, badge readers, ...

How does Cisco ISE compare with Fortinet FortiNAC?

Cisco ISE uses AI endpoint analytics to identify new devices based on their behavior. It will also notify you if someone plugs in with a device that is not allowed and will block it. The user exper...

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.

Aruba ClearPass vs Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE)

Comparisons

Compared 24% of the time

Fortinet FortiNAC vs Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE)

Compared 22% of the time

Forescout Platform vs Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE)

Compared 11% of the time

CyberArk Privileged Access Manager vs Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE)

Compared 5% of the time

Ruckus Cloudpath vs Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE)

Compared 1% of the time

More Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) Competitors

Aruba ClearPass vs ExtremeControl

Compared 45% of the time

Fortinet FortiNAC vs ExtremeControl

Compared 14% of the time

Forescout Platform vs ExtremeControl

Compared 9% of the time

More ExtremeControl Competitors

Product Reports

Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE)

Download Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) product report

Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) report

Network Access Control (NAC)

Download ExtremeControl product report

Also Known As

Cisco ISE

Extreme Access Control, Enterasys NAC

Overview

Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) offers comprehensive network access control and visibility, supporting features like 802.1X authentication, profiling, and posturing. It integrates with Microsoft and other Cisco products, facilitating robust security policies across distributed networks.

Cisco Identity Services Engine is a key player in network access control, offering centralized management and a user-friendly interface. It supports zero trust principles and provides strong authentication for wired and wireless networks. ISE's capabilities include granular security policies, enhanced device posturing, and seamless integration, bolstering security infrastructure. Users benefit from its dual authentication through EAP, simplifying access management across networks.

What are the key features of Cisco ISE?

802.1X Authentication: Supports network security for authorized device access.
Profiling: Identifies devices for accurate policy enforcement.
Posturing: Evaluates device compliance for access decisions.
TACACS: Streamlines network device authentication and authorization.
Guest Access: Provides secure access to visitors.
Microsoft Compatibility: Seamlessly integrates with Microsoft environments.

What benefits and ROI should be considered?

Security Enhancement: Offers strong network security policies.
Operational Efficiency: Centralized management improves operational aspects.
Improved Compliance: Ensures adherence to industry standards.
Scalability: Supports growing network demands effectively.

In industries like finance, healthcare, and education, Cisco ISE is pivotal for securing wired and wireless networks, implementing BYOD policies, and managing user access. Organizations leverage ISE for effective authentication and authorization, while maintaining compliance with industry security standards.

Cisco

ExtremeControl lets you manage secure and automated access for both, BYOD and IoT devices from one convenient dashboard. It makes it easy to roll out granular policies across your wired and wireless networks to meet industry and company compliance obligations. Identity based network access control keeps unauthorized people and devices from accessing your network.

Extreme

Sample Customers

Aegean Motorway, BC Hydro, Beachbody, Bucks County Intermediate Unit , Cisco IT, Derby City Council, Global Banking Customer, Gobierno de Castilla-La Mancha, Houston Methodist, Linz AG, London Hydro, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Molina Healthcare, MST Systems, New South Wales Rural Fire Service, Reykjavik University, Wildau University

Street Crane, Robert Bosch, Molex Chengdu, Weir Valves & Controls UK, Renault, AESSEAL, Ducati, Alexander Dennis, UK Ministry of Defence, Manz

Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) vs. ExtremeControl