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Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) vs Forcepoint ONE comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive Summary

Review summaries and opinions

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

ROI

Sentiment score
7.1
Cisco Identity Services Engine enhances security, simplifies operations, and reduces costs while boosting productivity and ensuring regulatory compliance.
Sentiment score
6.2
Forcepoint ONE reduces HIPAA risks, enhances cybersecurity, and boosts efficiency, reducing costs and improving productivity with centralized management.
Direct comparisons with Forescout reveal up to 30% to 40% difference in cost savings.
Service Line Manager (Service Operations Expert) - Network Access Control at a pharma/biotech company with 10,001+ employees
We also save money because we increased security, stopped incidents, and reduced breaches and security breaches.
Cybersecurity Team Leader at EMAK For Integrated Solutions
We have seen a clear return on investment with Forcepoint ONE, including metrics such as a 40% reduction in accidental data leaks, over 95% of risky web access blocked, fewer overall security incidents, and improved compliance, resulting in lower remediation costs and improved operational efficiency.
Presales engineer at a tech services company with 11-50 employees
I have fewer employees because Forcepoint ONE does the work that I used to rely on a team of engineers to previously detect.
Presales engineer at a tech services company with 11-50 employees
Since I'm on the technical side, I don't handle ROI or financial metrics directly, but based on client feedback, many have seen improvements in operational efficiency mainly through centralized policy management and reduced manual investigation time, resulting in time savings and better visibility across their environments.
Security Engineer at a tech services company with 201-500 employees
 

Customer Service

Sentiment score
6.7
Cisco ISE support is highly rated for knowledge and responsiveness but struggles with response times and communication challenges.
Sentiment score
6.9
Forcepoint ONE's customer service is praised for its responsiveness, professionalism, and commitment to resolving complex issues swiftly.
I rate the technical support as one out of ten.
Service Line Manager (Service Operations Expert) - Network Access Control at a pharma/biotech company with 10,001+ employees
Cisco support has pretty good teams for support and every time we had good answers and we could somehow solve the issues we had.
Network and Technology Information Manager at Akkodis
TAC support from Cisco is a notable feature; it provides very professional support.
Cybersecurity Team Leader at EMAK For Integrated Solutions
Having a local principal support available also helps speed up communication and coordination, especially for urgent or region-specific cases.
Security Engineer at a tech services company with 201-500 employees
Providing timely guidance for deployment, troubleshooting, and policy configuration.
Presales engineer at a tech services company with 11-50 employees
An engineer comes to resolve the issue.
Project Manager at IT solution India private LinkedIn
 

Scalability Issues

Sentiment score
7.3
Cisco ISE supports smooth scalability for diverse enterprises, but virtualization and hardware challenges may require strategic solutions.
Sentiment score
7.2
Forcepoint ONE provides efficient scalability and seamless expansion with cloud-native architecture, integrating security and supporting large enterprises.
You can run an all-in-one deployment and switch to distributed mode as your company grows, relying on Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) to support your scalability needs.
Cybersecurity Team Leader at EMAK For Integrated Solutions
Factors like architecture, business nature, and legal limitations such as GDPR affect it.
Service Line Manager (Service Operations Expert) - Network Access Control at a pharma/biotech company with 10,001+ employees
However, you can have some latency issues depending on where your devices are.
Network and Technology Information Manager at Akkodis
It can easily scale to support thousands of users and devices without requiring major infrastructure changes.
Security Engineer at a tech services company with 201-500 employees
Forcepoint ONE's scalability is very good; its cloud-based architecture allows us to easily add users, endpoints, and cloud apps without impacting performance.
Presales engineer at a tech services company with 11-50 employees
Forcepoint ONE runs smoothly, and scaling is easy.
Project Manager at IT solution India private LinkedIn
 

Stability Issues

Sentiment score
7.7
Cisco ISE is stable and reliable, but large deployments may face challenges, requiring proper configuration and effective support.
Sentiment score
7.9
Forcepoint ONE offers 99.99% uptime, minimal latency, high stability, easy scalability, and operates seamlessly with few performance concerns.
Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) is considered very reliable and stable.
Solution Architect, Presales Engineer at a computer software company with 51-200 employees
The stability of Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) is poor for certain use cases, like authentication.
Service Line Manager (Service Operations Expert) - Network Access Control at a pharma/biotech company with 10,001+ employees
Sometimes when we have upgrades or failovers with Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE), we had some minor issues.
Network and Technology Information Manager at Akkodis
Forcepoint ONE is stable; it runs reliably across endpoints and cloud environments and is consistent with policy enforcement with minimal downtime.
Presales engineer at a tech services company with 11-50 employees
Forcepoint ONE is very stable.
Project Manager at IT solution India private LinkedIn
There have been some specific outcomes since switching to Forcepoint ONE.
Senior Network Security Engineer at a computer software company with 51-200 employees
 

Room For Improvement

Cisco ISE is hindered by complexity, compatibility issues, costly licensing, and needs improvements in usability, support, and performance.
Forcepoint ONE needs better integration, scalability, intuitive design, documentation, policy management, threat detection, and responsive enterprise support.
The whole setup works well with Cisco access points and Cisco switches, but when you have multiple vendors in the environment, such as HP switches or access points like Aruba, you'll find they will not work well with Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE).
Technical Services Lead at Telenet Solutions
Pricing can be more expensive compared to other vendors, and there is a significant price gap observed, which doesn't seem justified by some specific features.
Solution Architect, Presales Engineer at a computer software company with 51-200 employees
They are very poor in asset classification and should focus on improving the preauthentication profiling, especially for NAC use cases.
Service Line Manager (Service Operations Expert) - Network Access Control at a pharma/biotech company with 10,001+ employees
I need to control specific functionalities within certain applications, like preventing the transfer of certain file types.
Deputy Manager of Networks and Communications at a financial services firm with 1,001-5,000 employees
Having more flexible reporting and alert customization to tailor insights for different clients and compliance needs would be beneficial.
Security Engineer at a tech services company with 201-500 employees
There is room for improvement in making the reporting closer to real-time, ideally around five or ten minutes instead of half an hour.
Head of IT at a energy/utilities company with 10,001+ employees
 

Setup Cost

Cisco ISE pricing is complex and costly, with strong vendor partnerships needed for discounts, favoring large enterprises over smaller businesses.
Enterprise buyers appreciate Forcepoint ONE's competitive pricing and flexible licensing, with potential additional costs for maintenance and training.
Compared to other solutions like HPE ClearPass, Cisco is more costly, and the conversation suggests a possible forty percent price gap compared to competitors.
Solution Architect, Presales Engineer at a computer software company with 51-200 employees
The license costs can range between $50,000 to $100,000 per year for enterprises.
Technical Services Lead at Telenet Solutions
Cloud solutions are expensive, while on-prem setups with shared environments are cheaper but not effective.
Service Line Manager (Service Operations Expert) - Network Access Control at a pharma/biotech company with 10,001+ employees
The pricing is very good and cheaper than other solutions like Netskope and Forcepoint.
Deputy Manager of Networks and Communications at a financial services firm with 1,001-5,000 employees
the pricing is better than all
Security Engineer at a computer software company with 501-1,000 employees
The licensing and pricing were fine with no issues.
Head of IT at a energy/utilities company with 10,001+ employees
 

Valuable Features

Cisco ISE excels in security, network access control, and integration, offering adaptability, scalability, and centralized management for organizations.
Forcepoint ONE offers comprehensive security with data protection, compliance, and integration, enhancing efficiency and cost-effectiveness in cloud environments.
Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) offers authentication using RADIUS, enhancing network security by separating and segregating networks.
Technical Services Lead at Telenet Solutions
There is value because it helps us secure the network and prevents certain things from happening which could cause financial loss.
Ag Systems & Networks Head at UNBS
The adaptability of Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) policy enforcement can fit to the site we have depending on which kind of devices we have on site and then the needs for authentication, granting access and then assigning each device into its correct network for segmentation.
Network and Technology Information Manager at Akkodis
The most valuable feature was the website blocking capability, which allowed me to quickly block any dodgy websites.
Head of IT at a energy/utilities company with 10,001+ employees
It shortens response time for our clients, allowing their security team to view incidents in real-time, classify them easily, and focus on genuine risks instead of sorting through false positives, and it simplifies reporting and audit preparation since all the relevant data is consolidated in one place.
Security Engineer at a tech services company with 201-500 employees
The DLP feature stands out in Forcepoint ONE because it actively monitors and protects sensitive data across cloud apps, email, and web traffic.
Presales engineer at a tech services company with 11-50 employees
 

Categories and Ranking

Cisco Identity Services Eng...
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
6.6
Number of Reviews
145
Ranking in other categories
Network Access Control (NAC) (2nd), Cisco Security Portfolio (4th)
Forcepoint ONE
Average Rating
8.0
Reviews Sentiment
6.8
Number of Reviews
21
Ranking in other categories
Secure Web Gateways (SWG) (10th), Cloud Access Security Brokers (CASB) (10th), Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) (10th)
 

Mindshare comparison

Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) and Forcepoint ONE aren’t in the same category and serve different purposes. Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) is designed for Network Access Control (NAC) and holds a mindshare of 22.4%, down 28.3% compared to last year.
Forcepoint ONE, on the other hand, focuses on Secure Web Gateways (SWG), holds 1.5% mindshare, up 1.5% since last year.
Network Access Control (NAC) Market Share Distribution
ProductMarket Share (%)
Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE)22.4%
Aruba ClearPass21.6%
Fortinet FortiNAC16.1%
Other39.9%
Network Access Control (NAC)
Secure Web Gateways (SWG) Market Share Distribution
ProductMarket Share (%)
Forcepoint ONE1.5%
Cisco Umbrella15.1%
Zscaler Internet Access13.3%
Other70.1%
Secure Web Gateways (SWG)
 

Featured Reviews

NF
Network and Technology Information Manager at Akkodis
Has improved authentication management and simplified visitor network access
The log capacity in Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) could be enhanced because today natively on the ISE can only have a look at the logs from the day before. You cannot search into the oldest logs; you have to use another tool for that. This can be blocking if you don't have any log consolidation solution. To do a search for an issue or something that happened two days ago, you cannot search directly in there. The capacity of Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) could be enhanced. Something between one week and one month for the log capacity would be nice.
Ose Umunna - PeerSpot reviewer
Presales engineer at a tech services company with 11-50 employees
Strong data protection has secured remote work and now prevents risky web and cloud access
The best features that Forcepoint ONE offers include DLP, Zero Trust Network Access, Secure Web Gateway, CASB, Cloud Access Broker, and real-time threat protection. I really enjoy these features for enabling secure, policy-driven access to cloud and web resources anywhere. The DLP feature stands out in Forcepoint ONE because it actively monitors and protects sensitive data across cloud apps, email, and web traffic. It prevents accidental and intentional leaks, enforces policies consistently, and ensures compliance with regulations, all without disrupting user productivity. It is very important because it hardly interferes with user productivity due to its silent operation; even alerts to users are gentle reminders that a policy was breached, so overall, it does not impact productivity. Forcepoint ONE has positively impacted my organization by securing data, strengthening our security posture, preventing data leaks, blocking risky web activity, and controlling access to cloud apps. It has also reduced security incidents, ensured regulatory compliance, and allowed users to work safely from anywhere, both remote and on-premises.
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
12%
Manufacturing Company
11%
Financial Services Firm
9%
Government
9%
Computer Software Company
14%
Financial Services Firm
12%
Government
6%
Manufacturing Company
6%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business44
Midsize Enterprise32
Large Enterprise91
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business10
Midsize Enterprise3
Large Enterprise12
 

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?
My experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing is positive; the pricing is better than all, and the setup cost is very simple, making it very useful to deploy the solution and manage the use...
What needs improvement with Forcepoint ONE?
Forcepoint ONE could be improved in terms of scalability to better support hybrid environments, as many organizations still operate partially on-premises while gradually moving to the cloud. Enhanc...
 

Also Known As

Cisco ISE
Bitglass
 

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 Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Cisco, Fortinet and others in Network Access Control (NAC). Updated: December 2025.
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