F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager (APM) vs ForgeRock comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive Summary
 

Categories and Ranking

F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Man...
Ranking in Access Management
6th
Average Rating
8.2
Number of Reviews
13
Ranking in other categories
Secure Web Gateways (SWG) (16th), Network Access Control (NAC) (6th), SSL VPN (4th), Remote Access (10th)
ForgeRock
Ranking in Access Management
5th
Average Rating
8.0
Number of Reviews
27
Ranking in other categories
Identity Management (IM) (6th), Customer Identity and Access Management (CIAM) (2nd)
 

Mindshare comparison

As of June 2024, in the Access Management category, the mindshare of F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager (APM) is 3.0%, down from 3.7% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of ForgeRock is 5.8%, down from 6.0% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Access Management
Unique Categories:
Secure Web Gateways (SWG)
0.4%
Network Access Control (NAC)
1.2%
Identity Management (IM)
4.6%
Customer Identity and Access Management (CIAM)
16.4%
 

Featured Reviews

IS
Feb 12, 2024
Facilitates packet inspection, modification, and offloading and offers visibility and troubleshooting capabilities, allowing for pre-production server testing
From my perspective, the work I do benefits from good visibility before anything goes to production. We can generate traffic with F5's load generators to see how it behaves, exposing any packet errors and other issues. This is valuable for me, as it allows for troubleshooting without involving server personnel. Additionally, we can capture traffic directly on the F5, analyzing it using F5's traffic analytics feature. This independence from network engineers is good, eliminating the need to constantly ask them to check server issues. In essence, using F5 allows us to verify its health and traffic handling independently. Overall, this has been very helpful. Overall, I would rate the scalability a nine out of ten.
RAVI NELLUTLA - PeerSpot reviewer
Dec 29, 2022
Prompt support, reliable, and scalable
We are using ForgeRock for our CRM system In our company, we had some SQL legacy databases but with ForgeRock there is much more integration, including outside the system. The solution could improve by adding more advertising and marketing. I have been using ForgeRock for approximately one and…

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 stable and reliable."
"F5 BIG-IP APM is relatively easy to use."
"We have seen a return on investment from F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager. It provided access at a time when we didn't have it."
"The load balancing features are valuable."
"The performance of the solution is valuable."
"The product allows us to create customized portals for your users."
"The portal access was very good."
"The tool is reliable and easy to configure."
"We create and define the permissions and configurations for the users."
"Installation and configuration are pretty easy for ForgeRock OpenIDM."
"We used it to implement multi-factor authentication and to improve our security posture as well as reducing the potential for attacks."
"This is a stable solution. When you do experience any issues, you will see it in your DB logs or audit logs so you can easily reach a conclusion of might be causing it."
"ForgeRock has CIAM, which other products didn't have, and they have DevOps ready."
"Easy to customize and adaptable to any environment."
"ForgeRock is an extensive product with many functionalities and capabilities, much more than many other tools combined."
"The support is good and prompt."
 

Cons

"Cloud services are something that F5 Access Policy Manager could do better"
"F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager has room for improvement in integration with other products."
"Integrating identity providers and single sign-on solutions can simplify user authentication and access control."
"The price of this product can be improved."
"The initial setup was complex."
"The solution’s GUI looks very old."
"The solution is quite costly."
"We do not have knowledgeable support teams locally."
"We're worried about the scaling. We're told it will be okay and there won't be issues, however, I'm not 100% convinced."
"The solution requires more simplified customization. However, part of the problem is my clients determining their own preferences. Technology can help and do many things, but you have to define your own policies to ensure that the solution or service works within those parameters. Helping customers understand their business and different processes is another issue not relating to the functionality of this solution."
"In an upcoming release, the solution could improve by limiting the need to do customizations."
"The product's support services in the French language are not free."
"The user interface could be improved as it is cumbersome and outdated. It doesn't have a responsive UI."
"I think the upgrade process is sometimes a little complicated and there are failures that occur."
"The solution could improve by adding more advertising and marketing."
"ForgeRock is an open source solution and is available to everyone but it is not freeware. If you need support, you need a subscription for ForgeRock. Many of its functionalities need to be built up with the help of a consultant."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The tool is a little bit expensive."
"The product is very expensive."
"Recently, they have simplified the licensing"
"Its licensing is on a yearly basis, but it also depends on the contract that you have with the vendor. They have multiple types of contracts. There are additional costs to the standard licensing fees. If you need some of the features, you have to pay more."
"Its price is comparable to other products in the market."
"The license is purchased annually per user. However, you can negotiate if you are signing for a longer period of time. When comparing this solution to others on the market it is priced fair, it is not at the top of the price range or at the bottom end."
"ForgeRock's pricing is more competitive than other products."
"ForgeRock is an expensive solution."
"The pricing of the solution is fair but I do not have the full details."
"It's a bit pricey and could be more competitive."
"We have multiple clients we are looking at right now. We are at a very small number, however, the idea and the goal is to grow. We are looking at about $100,000 and $50,000 a minimum a month cost. That'd be minimum maybe in a couple of years."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Financial Services Firm
13%
Computer Software Company
11%
Government
11%
Manufacturing Company
8%
Financial Services Firm
22%
Computer Software Company
13%
Government
8%
Manufacturing Company
7%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
 

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager (APM)?
In my opinion, the GUI is perfect with the configuration options provided. F5 BIG-IP has given customization options and policy configuration tools in the GUI. It's good and good enough to work.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager (APM)?
The tool is a little bit expensive. I rate the pricing a six out of ten.
What needs improvement with F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager (APM)?
I'd suggest improved documentation integration directly within the GUI. Right now, finding comprehensive documentation often requires going to external websites like the community portal. In the AP...
What do you like most about ForgeRock?
The most valuable features of ForgeRock are social login and data protection.
What needs improvement with ForgeRock?
The solution's deployment should be made easier.
 

Also Known As

F5 Access Policy Manager
ForgeRock Identity Platform, ForgeRock OpenIDM
 

Learn More

 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

City Bank, Ricacorp Properties, Miele, American Systems, Bangladesh Post Office
Geico, Thomson Reuters, Salesforce, McKesson, Trinet, SKY, BNP Paribas, Deloitte, Capgemini, North Western University
Find out what your peers are saying about F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager (APM) vs. ForgeRock and other solutions. Updated: May 2024.
787,779 professionals have used our research since 2012.