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

Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) 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

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
7.6
Reviews Sentiment
5.6
Number of Reviews
6
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 - PeerSpot reviewer
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.
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

"We were originally a Cisco shop and Cisco ISE integrated well with our other Cisco switches and networks."
"The valuable feature of the solution lies in its integration capabilities with other applications."
"For guests we give them limited access to the internet when they come in so that access has been useful. Previously, we just used to give them the APN key which they would leave with. Now, we give them credentials to use that are for a limited period of time."
"Cisco ISE is a powerful solution. It gives us the ability to control who's accessing our network, and Cisco has made it very easy."
"The most valuable feature is 801.1x and another very good feature is the TACACS."
"Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) is very good at device administration."
"The return on investment we have seen is related to time in terms of troubleshooting. The logs, such as the security logs, inform us of the issues that people have had. ISE has been very instrumental in helping isolate those issues. We've seen a lot of cost savings because we don't have to pay an IT person to waste time doing something that should be instantaneous."
"Cisco ISE's profiling and posturing features ensure that all devices are compliant with regulatory authorities."
"I can know which end users are using which features."
"There is information on migrating most of the cloud system's features."
"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."
"It has effectively enhanced network security and integrated with other security tools to streamline operations."
 

Cons

"The web interface needs improvement. The new web interface that they have is not as easy to manage and we find it to be very slow."
"They could incorporate some AI features."
"There should be more visibility into TrustSec policy actions. When TrustSec blocks something or makes any kind of changes to the network, we don't always see that. We have to log into the switch itself, or we have to get some type of Syslog parsing to do that."
"There should be a single button that can be pressed to dismiss all of the alarms at once."
"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."
"We do tend to run into a lot of issues with ISE when it comes to bugs."
"I would like to see them simplify the dashboard. It's very configurable, but, at the same time, it's not easy to maneuver through it. They should "Merakify" it."
"I would like to see the product simplified more, especially with the configuration."
"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."
"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."
"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."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"I get very good pricing from Cisco, so I don't have a problem with that. I also don't have a problem with licensing because we get enterprise or global licensing."
"The pricing is good. The last time we purchased four new appliances the price was doable for any organization of our size."
"We are running Version 2.9 because Version 2.9 of the ISE has a persistent license — it's a one-time payment. The latest version (3.1) is only available if you do a yearly subscription."
"It is not that pricey."
"According to my sales and account team, the prices we're getting are pretty good."
"In terms of the licensing and the pricing structure of the Cisco Identity Services Engine, there's been a huge advantage to our clients recently with the advent of the enterprise agreement."
"In general, licensing can be quite complex with Cisco products. It would be nice if it was a bit more intuitive and had fewer "gotchas" in there."
"I believe I have paid around $1,000 in licensing fees. The license is annual."
"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.
845,040 professionals have used our research since 2012.
 

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Educational Organization
26%
Computer Software Company
14%
Financial Services Firm
8%
Government
7%
Computer Software Company
14%
Financial Services Firm
8%
Government
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 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.
 

Also Known As

Cisco ISE
Extreme Access Control, Enterasys NAC
 

Overview

 

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
Find out what your peers are saying about Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) vs. ExtremeControl and other solutions. Updated: March 2025.
845,040 professionals have used our research since 2012.