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 product is useful for device administration."

"There are a lot of integrations available with multiple vendors. This has made the solution easier to work with."

"The interconnection with the ecosystem and the ability to force rules all over the network are the most important features."

"It is stable and easy to use."

"The integration with Active Directory is the most valuable feature for us."

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

"The valuable feature of the solution lies in its integration capabilities with other applications."

"It does a good job of establishing trust for each access request, no matter the source. It's also very effective at helping with the distributed network and at securing access."

More Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) pros

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

"There is information on migrating most of the cloud system's 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."

"The solution is easy to use."

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

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

Cons

"In order to make it a ten, it should be more user-friendly. You need somebody who is knowledgeable about it to use it. It's not easy to use. We have to rely heavily on technical support."

"I'm working from China currently and the only real issue is that, within the country, there's some concern around Cisco and its ability to offer the solution for the long term. As the United States has banned the Huawei version in their country, we feel there may be retaliation in ours and Cisco will get banned as a countermeasure from the government. The future of Cisco in China is in question. Our local partners are worried about the situation."

"Cisco ISE's real-time data analytics for database logging could be improved."

"With the recent release of the solution, we had a bunch of bugs and we had to delay our deployment. Other than that, the solution is good."

"The primary issue is the slowness of the application and the web interface. We have multiple admin nodes and app nodes. So when I need to get some information about a particular user, the GUI would take ten to fifteen seconds in loading when we need to know right away."

"The solution could be more secure."

"The one main thing that it can improve on is the GUI. As the newest addition to the team, I struggle a little bit to get around it just because it has so many features."

"The product is expensive. It would also be a good add-on to have some machine learning."

More Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) cons

"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."

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

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

"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."

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

Pricing and Cost Advice

"I think licensing costs roughly $2,000 a year. ISE is more expensive than Network Access Control."

"I am not aware of the current price for Cisco ISE, but considering it is a Cisco product, it is likely to be quite high."

"I don't know too much about the actual pricing on it. The licensing part is pretty straightforward. It's a lot more simple than some of the other Cisco licensing models. In that aspect, it's great."

"It is not that pricey."

"It has a fair price. It is better than it was before."

"The licensing can be confusing, but it is still pretty good."

"Being fully honest, the Cisco licensing model right now is really confusing. We don't know what licenses we have where. We have Smart licensing, but the different levels are way confusing."

"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."

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

15%

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