Cisco ISE (Identity Services Engine) vs Forcepoint ONE comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive Summary
 

Categories and Ranking

Cisco ISE (Identity Service...
Average Rating
8.2
Number of Reviews
138
Ranking in other categories
Network Access Control (NAC) (1st), Cisco Security Portfolio (1st)
Forcepoint ONE
Average Rating
8.4
Number of Reviews
11
Ranking in other categories
Secure Web Gateways (SWG) (25th), Cloud Access Security Brokers (CASB) (10th), Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) (17th)
 

Mindshare comparison

As of June 2024, in the Network Access Control (NAC) category, the mindshare of Cisco ISE (Identity Services Engine) is 26.7%, down from 31.5% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Forcepoint ONE is 0.4%, up from 0.1% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Network Access Control (NAC)
Unique Categories:
Cisco Security Portfolio
32.1%
Secure Web Gateways (SWG)
2.1%
Cloud Access Security Brokers (CASB)
3.0%
 

Featured Reviews

TA
Aug 3, 2023
We can view and control access, but there are a lot of bugs
One of the benefits of ISE for us in our organization is the fact that, because we're a very large entity with employees of over 10,000 people, we have over 2,000 pieces of equipment. So, rather than individual programming or managing everyone's credentials on each piece of equipment, using ISE to manage all of that and giving everybody just one Active Directory login simplifies that process for us. ISE as a platform has been able to free up time, even for me personally, in terms of having to constantly remember credentials, passwords, and all these password complexities. Using ISE to integrate into all of our core infrastructure, frees up so much time for me to do other things. Even down to the configuration, when we are building config for the scripts as well as for our switches and routers, being able to eliminate a lot of those redundant credentials within the configuration itself is a massive time saver for us. In terms of time savings with using ISE itself, we see the savings every day because we have to constantly interact or interface with tons of network equipment. So every single time I have to log into a switch, I am literally realizing I'm saving time in that moment. It's always a constant; I'll say at least three to five minutes for every login. ISE, we use it strictly for authentication and authorization. For consolidation, not so much, because it just serves one dedicated purpose, which is basically that access control. In terms of cybersecurity, I would say ISE helps in a way, but we do have other platforms and tools that are specifically designed for that purpose because we try to choose tools that are very specific in their functions. For us, because we are mostly a Cisco shop, all of our equipment is Cisco. So integrating Cisco ISE into our environment wasn't too complicated, because a lot of our equipment, again, are Cisco-related products. Thus, they were all able to integrate nicely within that ecosystem.
KimioTanaka - PeerSpot reviewer
May 25, 2022
Has valuable monitoring, DLP, and SIEM communication features
My company is a partner and reseller of Forcepoint ONE. I work with the solution, though I'm not as experienced with it. I had my training in the Forcepoint laboratory in Brazil because I just started working with the solution, but I know how Forcepoint ONE works, how to use it, and how to implement it. I'm using the latest version of the solution. The number of staff required to deploy and maintain Forcepoint ONE depends on the number of users because the solution can also be used individually or by a single user. My advice for people looking into implementing Forcepoint ONE is to take a course or go into training because the solution may seem easy, but it's not, particularly during implementation, because it would still depend on your tool. You need to understand your tool well and how you can adapt it to Forcepoint ONE. The solution is not easy if it doesn't have a direct integration with your tool. When you go direct to the cloud, there's no problem, but when you need it to be a hybrid solution, it could be a bit difficult in terms of integrating it well. The integration, though it's not very, very difficult, still requires attention and care for it to be successful. My rating for Forcepoint ONE is eight out of ten. For me to rate it a ten out of ten, the support, price, and functionality should first be improved. There would be a need to speak with the Forcepoint team about it, and the team is very, very dedicated in terms of explaining and helping you understand the solution.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"For device administration, all devices have multifactor authentication in collaboration with IT, so it secures access to all of our devices. For guest and wireless access, it's a matter of a lowly manager who we give access to the portal and he can assign access to the guests, so it's a very simple process now. It keeps the IT focusing on their work, and gives the business people the right access."
"We have seen ROI. It has done its job. It has protected us when we needed it to."
"So far, we have had no issues with the stability."
"For us and our clients, the most valuable features of Identity Services Engine are really around the rich contact sharing that ISE gives you."
"The biggest value of ISE is that it can get so granular with gaming systems, versus IoT and BYOD."
"It's keeping our company safe from rogue devices connecting to our network. From a security standpoint, there's peace of mind knowing that every device that connects is a good one."
"Not having to trust devices and being able to set those levels of trust and more finely control our network is a benefit."
"The interface is pretty easy to use."
"The core CASB solution is the most valuable part. It allows us to put policies in place around which devices can log into our cloud applications. We have a policy that states that only company devices can access these cloud applications."
"The solution’s AJAX-VM provides constant reverse proxy uptime. It has been very positive for our security operations. When people are trying to access the SaaS solution, it protects us from downloading any of that data and experiencing any type of attacks"
"The platform's feature that has been most beneficial for our web security is its capability to replicate rules."
"By default without a policy, Bitglass has the capability to notify the admin of multiple or simultaneous logins across a wide range of geographical regions."
"The most valuable features of Forcepoint include Zero Trust Network Access and remote user protection for private applications."
"We are able to verify what is getting saved out onto the cloud. It allows us to have some DLP rules, since we have to be HIPAA compliant. If some personal health information has been uploaded to Office 365, then we are able to detect that sort of thing and account for it. We have set up rules to prevent people from doing that."
"The initial setup was straightforward, which was a huge win. That mostly goes to the fact that they are agentless. We didn't have to sit there deploying thousands of agents and all the things that go along with that type of deployment. We were up and running very quickly."
"The biggest thing that I like about this product is that it's easy to use and teach. When we have somebody new starting to work with the product, it's easy to teach them. It's also easy to use the product as it does so much."
 

Cons

"The area where things could be improved is education. It's complicated to deploy initially because you have to know what you're getting into."
"The web UI should be made similar to the one in DNAC."
"I'd like to see an easier way to upgrade to larger versions, as well as more best practices that are easier to locate on their support page."
"We do tend to run into a lot of issues with ISE when it comes to bugs."
"The user interface could be more user-friendly."
"I believe that Cisco can improve the way its policies are built because it's a little complex."
"They should improve their licensing. Licensing is always trouble with Cisco, and Cisco Identity Services Engine is no different. The way the product is licensed could be improved."
"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."
"Initially, we had some challenges that Bitglass resolved quickly. The challenges were around communication. There didn't seem like there was the right level of communication within the Bitglass organization. Once we brought the issues up at a higher level, then they were resolved."
"One area for improvement in Forcepoint ONE is that you'll need more training to install the solution yourself. I practiced in a laboratory and I needed more technical information to do the installation."
"In our environment, when an Active Directory password changes, we tend to have some latency issues with access. It takes about 15 minutes before that password is accessible through Bitglass after the change. That would be the major thing I see as a negative."
"Bitglass integration with some IDP providers needs improvement."
"Their new SASE (secure access service edge) product would have been the one thing I would have requested. Now that they have that platform, I'd like to see it as integrated and seamless as possible with the core product. That's what they're working towards and that's where we're seeing the advancements."
"Integration into different multi-factor authentication tools. On their page, they tout Duo, but I don't use Duo. I use another vendor. Not that they don't interact, but it takes a little bit more doing. Any amount of efficiencies here would help."
"I wish they would advance more into the endpoint DLP solution. Currently they do not do anything around endpoint, they're still strictly cloud-based. The forward proxy is really the only thing they do. What I would like to see them do is to scan machines, workstations and servers, for information we might not want on those machines. That would be huge."
"We encounter challenges in determining whether certain features for blocking certain file types or preventing automatic downloads are functioning correctly."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"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."
"It is fair."
"The price for Cisco ISE itself is very low, however, Cisco professional services are quite expensive. Subscription amount is dependent on number of users."
"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."
"The price for Cisco ISE is high."
"There are three levels of pricing: basic, plus, and apex. Basic satisfied our needs."
"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."
"Pricing and licensing are not my expertise. As far as budgeting is concerned, we run an ELA with Cisco. It's a part of our ELA."
"Typically, the longer you price forward, the better off you're going to be. They have been very willing to work with us on pricing."
"When considering only the cost, the solution may appear to be costly; however, when evaluated in terms of commercial value, Bitglass is not expensive."
"We have our pricing by user. We do our pricing agreements annually. There are also additional costs for maintenance."
"The licensing cost for Forcepoint ONE would depend on the features, but the pricing is very competitive here in Brazil. The solution offers a good price, and I would rate it a three or a four in terms of pricing. I don't have information on whether there are additional costs apart from the standard licensing fees for Forcepoint ONE."
"There is training involved. If you're going to add more people to it, such as cross train more of your group, there's a cost. Other than that, that's it. We have paid exactly what the invoices have said. We signed a three-year contract and not gone above it."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Educational Organization
23%
Computer Software Company
16%
Government
8%
Financial Services Firm
7%
Computer Software Company
15%
Financial Services Firm
13%
Government
11%
Manufacturing Company
7%
 

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 Forcepoint ONE?
The platform's feature that has been most beneficial for our web security is its capability to replicate rules.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Forcepoint ONE?
When considering only the cost, the solution may appear to be costly; however, when evaluated in terms of commercial value, Bitglass is not expensive.
What needs improvement with Forcepoint ONE?
Areas for improvement for the platform include addressing scalability and architecture concerns, especially for large deployments involving more than 500 or 1,000 users. Additionally, integrating s...
 

Also Known As

Cisco ISE
Bitglass
 

Learn More

 

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
UNC-Charlotte
Find out what your peers are saying about Cisco, HPE Aruba Networking, Fortinet and others in Network Access Control (NAC). Updated: June 2024.
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