Aruba ClearPass is used for managing and identifying users.
Network Engineer at a government with 10,001+ employees
Helpful support, stable, and user-friendly GUI.
Pros and Cons
- "The most valuable feature of Aruba ClearPass is its ease of use and the GUI is user-friendly."
- "We have had some issues with the installation of Aruba ClearPass."
What is our primary use case?
What is most valuable?
The most valuable feature of Aruba ClearPass is its ease of use and the GUI is user-friendly.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Aruba ClearPass for approximately three years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Aruba ClearPass is stable.
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Aruba ClearPass
January 2026
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What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The scalability of Aruba ClearPass is good. We can add more users if we want.
We have two technical staff members using the solution.
How are customer service and support?
We have used the support from Aruba ClearPass and they have helped us with our issues.
I rate the support from Aruba ClearPass a five out of five.
How was the initial setup?
We have had some issues with the installation of Aruba ClearPass.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
There is a license to use Aruba ClearPass.
What other advice do I have?
I recommend Aruba ClearPass to others.
I rate Aruba ClearPass a nine out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Private Cloud
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
Senior konsult at a tech consulting company with 51-200 employees
Easy to deploy, integrates well with network equipment, but complex rule building
Pros and Cons
- "The most valuable feature of Aruba ClearPass is the ease of deployment and integration with other equipment in the network."
- "Aruba ClearPass could improve the complexity of the initial usage. It takes some time to be good at it. It's not simple to build and connect the rules to the network you want to deploy them on."
What is our primary use case?
I have a few customers that are using Aruba ClearPass.
What is most valuable?
The most valuable feature of Aruba ClearPass is the ease of deployment and integration with other equipment in the network.
What needs improvement?
Aruba ClearPass could improve the complexity of the initial usage. It takes some time to be good at it. It's not simple to build and connect the rules to the network you want to deploy them on.
In a feature release of Aruba ClearPass, they should add a more graphical way to deploy the rules.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Aruba ClearPass for approximately two years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Aruba ClearPass is stable.
I rate the stability of Aruba ClearPass a nine out of ten.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The scalability of Aruba ClearPass could improve. It is easy to make room but some aspects are difficult.
We have approximately 2,000 to 3,000 users that use Aruba ClearPass.
How are customer service and support?
The response time and the knowledge of the support could improve from Aruba ClearPass.
I rate the support from Aruba ClearPass a three out of five.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Neutral
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup of Aruba ClearPass is straightforward. When you need to activate the rules it becomes difficult.
What about the implementation team?
We have one person that is needed to use to support Aruba ClearPass.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The price of Aruba ClearPass is expensive. However, Cisco ISE was as expensive when we were comparing.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
We compared Cisco ISE before choosing Aruba ClearPass. Aruba ClearPass is better to use, especially if you have a mixed environment from different deployers or different hardware, it scales better.
What other advice do I have?
I rate Aruba ClearPass a seven out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer. Partner
Buyer's Guide
Aruba ClearPass
January 2026
Learn what your peers think about Aruba ClearPass. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: January 2026.
879,889 professionals have used our research since 2012.
Senior Technical Engineer at a computer software company with 5,001-10,000 employees
Easy to use, multifeatured, and reliable policy management platform for identity authentication and new device onboarding
Pros and Cons
- "The most valuable thing about Aruba ClearPass is its ease of use. It has always been a very reliable and very stable policy management platform."
- "TLS authentication onboarding in Aruba ClearPass needs to be improved. The biggest problem we've seen in our environment is Huawei not being able to get onto Google Play. No Huawei device can be onboarded via Aruba ClearPass easily."
What is our primary use case?
Our clients use Aruba ClearPass for identity authentication on their local area network and their Wi-Fi. For one of our clients, we're using the OnGuard function for health checks, and we're also using the Guest Captive portal.
What is most valuable?
The most valuable thing about Aruba ClearPass is ease of use for security policies, as it has a much better granular configuration on policies for security. It also allows us to do certain functions which we would not be able to do without Aruba ClearPass, particularly with mobile devices and security. The platform has helped us in a lot of ways where there are aspects that we are limited to, and can't be done in our environment without the server.
What needs improvement?
The only area that really needs improvement in Aruba ClearPass is the onboarding for doing TLS authentication. The biggest problem we've seen in our environment is Huawei not being able to get onto Google Play. No Huawei device can be onboarded via Aruba ClearPass easily.
An additional feature we'd like to see in the next release of Aruba ClearPass is for its OnGuard function, its health check function. We'd like it to have the functionality for installing or copying files that are required for remediation on health checks. For example: if you're using Aruba ClearPass and you do a health check, if the client is missing a file or a particular product such as an antivirus product, we would like the opportunity to have the files copied or installed in the platform, because currently there are some limitations when you want to do remediation.
If the client is missing a file and you want them to install a specific application, we have to provide an HTTP download so they can download the file for the remediation to work. What I would like to see is a bigger storage area in Aruba ClearPass so we can upload those files in the platform, rather than having those files in an external server for downloading, because we've had huge problems with doing remediation to locations that require an HTTP download.
What we'd like is having the ability to put the applications on Aruba ClearPass directly, to make the remediation steps for clients when they're missing software, to get those directly from the platform, because currently, you can't put a big file onto Aruba ClearPass as there are size limitations.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've been using Aruba ClearPass continuously within the last 12 months.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Aruba ClearPass has always been very reliable. I've always been well-impressed with it as it's a very stable product. The only problems I've experienced with it was because of people doing something else and causing Aruba ClearPass to malfunction. For example: people deleted authentication sources out of the platform without letting us know that they've deleted those authentication sources, creating problems on Aruba ClearPass because they changed the configuration.
I've been working directly with Aruba ClearPass and I've not had any problems with it, it usually works properly. If no one changes anything, it works.
How are customer service and support?
Technical support from Aruba has always been fantastic, especially the support for Aruba ClearPass. I usually get responses from their technical team very quickly, especially for any T1 call. I've never experienced a problem with the technical support for Aruba ClearPass. They've always been exceptional.
How was the initial setup?
Setting up Aruba ClearPass is complex. It's a complex installation.
What other advice do I have?
I work with Aruba ClearPass and Aruba Wi-Fi, and we do have clients who use Aruba ClearPass with their Cisco equipment. I'm an ACPP professional on Aruba ClearPass, so I work with a few clients who use the platform.
I've been working with version 6.9.9 of the platform.
I'm scoring Aruba ClearPass a ten out of ten. If I can score it higher than ten, twelve for example, I would, because it's that good. It's an unbelievable system and it unlocks a lot of limitations on Wi-Fi and LAN, in terms of security.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer. Partner
Senior Manager Network Design at a computer software company with 51-200 employees
Beneficial protocol support, helpful technical assistance, and reliable
Pros and Cons
- "A lot of the issues in Forescout are mitigated in Aruba ClearPass, it supports all the expected protocols."
- "Aruba ClearPass has fewer deployment scenarios and flexibility than Forescout."
What is our primary use case?
Aruba ClearPass is used for enforcing certain security policies all around the organization, it covers certain security policies, which is in turn, is deducted from the business requirements. You start with a security policy, then you need technology to enforce it, this is where Aruba ClearPass is used.
What is most valuable?
A lot of the issues in Forescout are mitigated in Aruba ClearPass, it supports all the expected protocols.
What needs improvement?
Aruba ClearPass has fewer deployment scenarios and flexibility than Forescout.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Aruba ClearPass for five years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Aruba ClearPass is reliable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
I have found Aruba ClearPass to be scalable.
I have approximately two clients with 400 users each, giving a total of 800 users using the solution.
How are customer service and support?
Aruba ClearPass has a very good technical support team. Whenever we need the vendor to be involved, we find a good deal of technical support.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I have used Forescout and I would rate Aruba ClearPass second best.
How was the initial setup?
The initial installation is simple. The deployment could be better since it has fewer capabilities than other solutions, it could be more flexible.
What about the implementation team?
We have a dedicated engineer for Aruba ClearPass when it comes to deploying and support of the solution. One engineer is enough for my client's environment.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The licensing model is very straightforward. There are two types of licensing for Aruba ClearPass, a perpetual license, and a subscription. Both of them are straightforward. We don't need to read an ordering guide, it's very clear.
What other advice do I have?
I would recommend this solution to others if they have a certain use case. If there is a lot of Cisco environments that need to be implied under the security policy, then ClearPass is the right solution for them. It supports a wide range of Cisco technologies and Cisco protocols.
I rate Aruba ClearPass an eight out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer. Partner
Network Administrator at a government with 5,001-10,000 employees
Good stability and offers seamless integration with other systems
Pros and Cons
- "Authentication capabilities are one of the most valuable features."
- "One area for improvement would be the possibility of using social media providers for user authentication."
What is our primary use case?
We use ClearPass to authenticate users and have a product in development that will use NAC solutions. In addition to these, we also use ClearPass for network access control and guest management.
How has it helped my organization?
We have flexible and detailed options to implement our security policy using ClearPass Policy Manager engine.
What is most valuable?
The authentication capabilities are one of the most valuable features, including the ability to build rules within the system to anticipate users. We also have maximum or onboard margins, and a new product is coming soon that can be used onboard. Additionally, the integration with other systems is a great value and a standout feature of the product.
What needs improvement?
One area for improvement would be the possibility of using social media providers for user authentication. In Brazil, we have a government-sponsored service that indicates users who would like to see this feature supported. I have made a formal request for this feature, but I am unsure if it will be considered for the next release. However, it would be a valuable addition for us.
For how long have I used the solution?
We use ClearPass with Aruba controllers for our wireless LAN. We have the 7220 gateway/controller model and wireless APs, specifically the 510 series.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
It is a stable product. We've never experienced any downtime with ClearPass. We have a cluster of ClearPass servers, and we've never had any problems with stability or downtime.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The scalability is good. You can scale very well.
How are customer service and support?
I had to call customer support once because I needed to reset the license for an upgrade, and I needed guidance on how to use the new license model. That was the only time I had to call support. They responded to me quickly and it was a good experience.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Positive
How was the initial setup?
I would rate it an eight out of ten, where ten is the easiest and zero is the most difficult.
What about the implementation team?
It took a few months to deploy the solution. I was the main technician involved in the deployment.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The pricing is a little bit more expensive than other options, but it's worth the value.
What other advice do I have?
Overall, I would rate the solution a nine out of ten.
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
Network engineer / owner at a photography company with 11-50 employees
Offers ability to authenticate using not just certificates but also MAC addresses
Pros and Cons
- "I would rate the stability a nine out of ten."
- "There is room for improvement in terms of scalability."
What is our primary use case?
We mainly use it for 802.1X authentication.
What is most valuable?
Our customers like its ability to authenticate using not just certificates but also MAC addresses is very helpful in mitigating unauthenticated access on networks and switches.
What needs improvement?
There is room for improvement in terms of scalability.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have experience with Aruba ClearPass for five to six years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
I would rate the stability a nine out of ten.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
I would rate the scalability an eight out of ten. Our customers are mostly medium-sized businesses.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I have some years of experience with FortiGate, Fortinet Firewalls, and Fortinet switches. Mostly with FortiSwitch models 6450, 548, and 124F.
What about the implementation team?
I didn't set it up myself. I'm involved in operating the system.
What other advice do I have?
Overall, I would rate the solution an eight out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer. Implementer
Team leader technical support at a manufacturing company with 201-500 employees
Provides integration options with a multitude of other vendors and Aruba applications
Pros and Cons
- "I like the integration options with a multitude of other vendors and Aruba applications."
- "The user interface could be more polished and modern. It would be useful to have more options for automation."
What is our primary use case?
I use this solution for securing company-wide logs.
I'm using the latest version. It's deployed on the public cloud. Microsoft Azure is the cloud provider.
Everyone in our organization uses this solution. It's about 300 people. There are four people who specifically operate the solution, do daily checks, check for errors, and help users who are having trouble with their login sessions.
What is most valuable?
I like that it's usable in both an on-premise and hybrid and cloud native environment. I like the integration options with a multitude of other vendors and Aruba applications.
What needs improvement?
The user interface could be more polished and modern. It would be useful to have more options for automation.
I would like to have more collaboration between different security platforms. For instance, the Fortinet portfolio, which we also use extensively.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have used this solution for about one year.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
It's very stable. We did have some issues with under provisioning the underlying resources, so that needs to be taken into account. If you do, then it is very stable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The scalability is very high. You just need to add extra nodes. I would rate the scalability as eight out of ten.
How are customer service and support?
Technical support is only approached by our third party network service provider.
How was the initial setup?
Deployment took one day.
What about the implementation team?
Implementation was done through a third party. We outsourced the deployment to our network vendor.
Maintenance is also outsourced. For the application itself, maintenance takes about four hours a month. For the actual usage of the applications on a day-to-day basis, we do that ourselves.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
Compared to the functionality, the pricing is very favorable. It's affordable and provides good value for the money.
I would rate the pricing as three out of ten.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
We evaluated other on-premises solutions, but they aren't very comparable to Aruba.
What other advice do I have?
I would rate this solution as nine out of ten.
I would recommend Aruba ClearPass to others.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Public Cloud
If public cloud, private cloud, or hybrid cloud, which cloud provider do you use?
Microsoft Azure
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
CEO at a tech services company with 51-200 employees
The compatibility is a key valuable feature that sets it above other products
Pros and Cons
- "ClearPass is open to any operating system or mobile app."
- "Licensing cost is extremely high."
What is our primary use case?
The primary use case of ClearPass is for network access control, wireless access and policy enforcement. We use it for authentication, verification and authorization, and then patch it to our users. We are system integrators.
What is most valuable?
The advantage of Aruba is that it is open to any operating system or mobile app. The compatibility of Aruba ClearPass is a key valuable feature and makes it a stronger product than Cisco ISE in this area.
What needs improvement?
The cost of Aruba is very, very high. It's the biggest challenge we have with this product. It would be helpful if Aruba would integrate the SDN controller into the solution. Cisco is moving towards that in order to create one platform.
For how long have I used the solution?
We've been using this solution for 10 years.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Scalability depends on the design policy. One device has a scalability provision of 20,000 but you might only use 5,000 licenses initially so it really depends on your needs.
How are customer service and support?
The technical support is excellent.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is easy and there is no need to install anything whether you buy the virtual platform or the appliance. It's all very open and clear and a matter of configuring for policy enforcement.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
There are licensing options but this is a very expensive product.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
Forescout and ClearPass are both trying to build their system as an open platform for everyone which is why their reachability is very high. If you're using ClearPass or Forescout, you can use any open switches on the market. Cisco has a limited category that it has developed for its own products and infrastructure. If you use different switches and different Wi-Fi, it doesn't provide the pure solution inside.
What other advice do I have?
I rate this solution 10 out of 10.
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer. Integrator
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Updated: January 2026
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