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Aruba ClearPass vs ExtremeControl vs Forescout Platform 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
4.9
Aruba ClearPass offers strong ROI through enhanced security and management, but licensing needs and industry use affect results.
Sentiment score
6.4
ExtremeControl's ROI opinions varied, with mixed views on financial returns, Wi-Fi connectivity, security benefits, and cost concerns.
Sentiment score
6.4
Forescout Platform enhances security by automating risk remediation, identifying devices, and targeting vulnerabilities, leading to cost savings.
Using Aruba ClearPass has resulted in less engineering time compared to other products we've used.
Owner at Channelserve
The investment is huge for enterprise clients, but Aruba ClearPass makes processes easier.
Pre-Sales Consultant at a consultancy with 201-500 employees
Having good connectivity through Wi-Fi is essential for the entire business.
Manager, Service Delivery & Support at a consultancy with 51-200 employees
 

Customer Service

Sentiment score
7.3
Aruba ClearPass support is praised for expertise, though some note improvements needed in response time and escalation processes.
Sentiment score
6.6
ExtremeControl's support is praised for problem-solving but criticized for upgrade policies, varying satisfaction levels among users.
Sentiment score
6.8
Forescout Platform's customer service is responsive and knowledgeable but needs improvements in partner interactions and consistent service quality.
Portnox is one level up, as their customer support is outstanding.
Chief Digital Officer at Clarity AI
We have faced delays in the resolution of production issues after raising tickets, which impacts productivity.
Network Support Engineer at HDFC Life
If Aruba ClearPass is not working, then the organization is not working because this is the access control in the organization.
Presales Engineer, Solutions Architect
If we are out of upgrades or there is a new upgrade, they sometimes require us to upgrade to provide support.
Manager, Service Delivery & Support at a consultancy with 51-200 employees
For technical support of ExtremeControl, I have no doubts that they cope with problems effectively.
System Engineer at Poczta FM
We have had experience with their technical support and must pay additionally for maintenance, support, and regional service.
IT Head at a tech services company with 11-50 employees
 

Scalability Issues

Sentiment score
8.1
Aruba ClearPass is praised for its scalability, supporting diverse user numbers and environments with flexibility in licensing and virtualization.
Sentiment score
7.7
Opinions on ExtremeControl's scalability vary, with some praising its capacity while others find it limited across platforms.
Sentiment score
7.6
Forescout Platform is praised for scalability and adaptability, accommodating various environments and needs despite network issues.
I believe the scalability of ClearPass is rated as ten out of ten.
Senior Security & Infra Technology Systems Engineer at BARQ Systems
Everything will be handled when you add new users because all configurations are deployed from the beginning.
Network Product Manager/ Senior Presales engineer at a computer software company with 501-1,000 employees
In our environment, ClearPass handles up to 100,000 users, which is better than some other NAC solutions like Fortinox that scale up to 25,000.
Network Engineer at a outsourcing company with 11-50 employees
For scalability in larger environments, it can be rated a maximum of 10.
System Engineer at Poczta FM
Scalability can be costly since a physical box needs to be installed for every site.
Director, International IT Infrastructure Support & Information Security at a manufacturing company with 1,001-5,000 employees
 

Stability Issues

Sentiment score
7.9
Aruba ClearPass is highly stable, praised for reliability, with occasional upgrade issues often due to misconfigurations, not system flaws.
Sentiment score
8.7
ExtremeControl is highly stable, with users consistently rating it 8-9/10, indicating reliable performance meeting expectations.
Sentiment score
8.0
Forescout Platform is highly stable, with minor issues resolved quickly by effective support, earning user confidence in its performance.
I have experienced more than three years without zero downtime with Aruba ClearPass.
Senior Enterprise Customer Solutions Specialist at a comms service provider with 1,001-5,000 employees
There are issues with some versions, especially in integrating with AD and SSL configurations over port sixty-three.
Network Support Engineer at HDFC Life
However, there are disadvantages when it is not on-premises, as every NAC suffers from it if it is not on-premises.
Presales Engineer, Solutions Architect
I would rate its stability as 9.5 out of ten.
Director, International IT Infrastructure Support & Information Security at a manufacturing company with 1,001-5,000 employees
 

Room For Improvement

Aruba ClearPass needs simplified licensing, UI, better integration, enhanced features, and improved support and documentation resources.
ExtremeControl requires better user control, third-party integration, on-premise enhancements, and clarity on wireless component configuration for optimal performance.
Forescout users seek enhanced memory management, detection, integration, reporting, interfaces, AI features, affordability, and improved support.
The language and policy enforcement mechanisms are not clear, making it difficult to use the product effectively.
Project Manager at a tech consulting company with 51-200 employees
It is also better to improve threat intelligence for built-in threat detection and prevention.
Network Engineer at a outsourcing company with 11-50 employees
A more streamlined menu of licensing options would be helpful.
Owner at Channelserve
We rely more on the cloud for analytics rather than on-premise, and some customers prefer relying on an on-premise solution rather than a cloud solution.
Engineer at NewLogics
For their wired network, especially with third-party switching, this is where most of the features are lost.
Manager, Service Delivery & Support at a consultancy with 51-200 employees
There is also another product called UZTNA, which is said to have NAC in this solution, but it is not as advanced as our regular ExtremeControl.
System Engineer at Poczta FM
It would help if during integration, an admin user could check the password or credential used, as they currently cannot see the password after it is entered and saved.
Security Consultant at a tech vendor with 10,001+ employees
Forescout Platform could enhance its integration of AI to improve IoT and OT device security to better meet our needs.
IT Head at a tech services company with 11-50 employees
The console is a fat client, and a web interface would be preferable.
Director, International IT Infrastructure Support & Information Security at a manufacturing company with 1,001-5,000 employees
 

Setup Cost

Aruba ClearPass's complex licensing can be costly, with better affordability than Cisco, necessitating careful initial licensing understanding.
ExtremeControl offers competitive pricing for large enterprises, but may be costly for smaller ones due to minimum user requirements.
Forescout Platform is costly but offers scalable value, with flexible licensing based on devices and potential discounts available.
Achieving the best price requires careful selection from a menu of licensing options.
Owner at Channelserve
We cannot mix in prices, and of course, prices are going higher.
IT Network Operations Manager at KEDS
Aruba ClearPass is a premium product with higher pricing, which seems unnecessary given its complexity.
Project Manager at a tech consulting company with 51-200 employees
Compared to other competitors, they have the best pricing.
Manager, Service Delivery & Support at a consultancy with 51-200 employees
The pricing of ExtremeControl is considerable; I would rate it at eight or nine.
Engineer at NewLogics
For smaller ones, they need to consider that the price for less than 1,000 users is important, as this is the minimum number of users required for a license.
System Engineer at Poczta FM
Installing a physical box on each site can be expensive.
Director, International IT Infrastructure Support & Information Security at a manufacturing company with 1,001-5,000 employees
The overall pricing of Forescout Platform is reasonable for the functionality it provides.
IT Head at a tech services company with 11-50 employees
The price of Forescout Platform is reasonable and not overly costly.
Security Consultant at a tech vendor with 10,001+ employees
 

Valuable Features

Aruba ClearPass provides robust network access control with features like role-based management, third-party integration, and user-friendly configuration.
ExtremeControl provides robust security, seamless integration, and easy use with flexible policies and comprehensive network monitoring.
Forescout Platform offers agentless network access, endpoint visibility, and seamless integration for efficient security and compliance management.
In Aruba ClearPass, you can have control of all authentication in the company.
Senior Enterprise Customer Solutions Specialist at a comms service provider with 1,001-5,000 employees
The ClearPass solution has reduced the amount of engineering time compared to previous solutions, making it more efficient for our purposes.
Owner at Channelserve
The most effective feature for us is the OnGuard feature.
Senior Security & Infra Technology Systems Engineer at BARQ Systems
The biggest benefits for my customers from ExtremeControl include the ability to integrate third-party devices, integration with user databases like Microsoft Active Directory or other directory software, and it is easy to maintain by customers.
System Engineer at Poczta FM
Integrating ExtremeControl with ExtremeConnect provides an additional layer of security and control over what devices are onboarding to the network, granting full visibility.
Engineer at NewLogics
The most effective feature of ExtremeControl is that whenever any user is connected through the network, I can really dig down and check exactly what applications they have been using.
Manager, Service Delivery & Support at a consultancy with 51-200 employees
One of the most valuable features of Forescout Platform is its automation, particularly the ability to automate remediation of rogue devices on the network.
Director, International IT Infrastructure Support & Information Security at a manufacturing company with 1,001-5,000 employees
The most effective feature has been network access management, which has been crucial for our primary use cases in the organization.
IT Head at a tech services company with 11-50 employees
When it comes to the effectiveness of Forescout Platform's real-time visibility in reducing the overall attack surface, I give it a 9 out of 10.
Security Consultant at a tech vendor with 10,001+ employees
 

Mindshare comparison

As of April 2026, in the Network Access Control (NAC) category, the mindshare of Aruba ClearPass is 20.8%, down from 24.4% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of ExtremeControl is 2.1%, up from 1.9% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Forescout Platform is 10.3%, down from 13.4% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Network Access Control (NAC) Mindshare Distribution
ProductMindshare (%)
Aruba ClearPass20.8%
Forescout Platform10.3%
ExtremeControl2.1%
Other66.8%
Network Access Control (NAC)
 

Featured Reviews

Darko Skurla - PeerSpot reviewer
Senior Enterprise Customer Solutions Specialist at a comms service provider with 1,001-5,000 employees
Role-based policies have simplified secure access control for all users and smart devices
I do not know about the functionality of Aruba ClearPass integration with a third party. If you ask me if there is support for Zebra and for different IoT devices, they have it. However, I do not know how to describe integration with other products. Aruba ClearPass can act as a RADIUS server and it can connect to the domain RADIUS server, for example. The biggest problem is when a customer does not know what they want with Aruba ClearPass. I can recommend Aruba ClearPass to other users because it is very stable. My review rating for this product is ten out of ten.
JZ
System Engineer at Poczta FM
Features support flexible integration and high compatibility with third-party equipment
I have a little experience with reporting and analytics tools for network visibility in ExtremeControl, but I am not a specialist. I'm not a big fan of this analytics feature because it is an in-built component, and customers usually don't use it frequently since they often don't measure it. It is not very popular among my customers right now. I would definitely recommend ExtremeControl to customers because we can support many features as they need, and we can provide a demo license for even 80 days for testing all required features, which is not a problem for us. On a scale of 1-10, I rate ExtremeControl a 10.
AshishKumar Rai - PeerSpot reviewer
Security Consultant at a tech vendor with 10,001+ employees
Comprehensive visibility has strengthened endpoint control and automated threat response across networks
When it comes to improving Forescout Platform, I have faced some issues recently, particularly with the switch integration part. When integrating a switch, it asks for the vendor type, and often it does not match. For example, one series of HP switches may not be found in that vendor list. This leads to frustration because you have to check again with different HP models, and once you integrate a switch, you cannot edit the vendor list without removing it. Other issues are being worked on, particularly related to switch integration. I believe they will be fixed in the next upgrade or patch fix. There are no major issues, but the configuration changes needed for the switch model are necessary, and I think it would help if during integration, an admin user could check the password or credential used, as they currently cannot see the password after it is entered and saved.
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
8%
Government
8%
Manufacturing Company
8%
University
7%
Manufacturing Company
9%
University
9%
Government
8%
Performing Arts
8%
Manufacturing Company
12%
Financial Services Firm
11%
Computer Software Company
8%
Government
7%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business44
Midsize Enterprise25
Large Enterprise33
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business3
Midsize Enterprise3
Large Enterprise3
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business30
Midsize Enterprise10
Large Enterprise44
 

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...
What is the biggest difference between Aruba ClearPass and FortiNAC?
I've done quite a lot of work with ClearPass, and not a lot with FortiNAC/Bradford. ClearPass incorporates a number ...
What do you like most about Aruba ClearPass?
If you are looking at the base installation, then it was a very straightforward process, which I would rate an eight ...
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?
Regarding improvements for ExtremeControl, I think it is good as it is; however, some other products can support feat...
What is your primary use case for ExtremeControl?
The main use cases for ExtremeControl among my customers are to authenticate the users here for the end systems in th...
What advice do you have for others considering Forescout Platform?
Forescout is a very powerful NAC product that does not rely on port level configuration. It can detect and block unau...
What advice do you have for others considering Forescout Platform?
I would rate the Forescout Device and Visibility Control Platform at a six out of ten.
What advice do you have for others considering Forescout Platform?
I recommend doing a compression demo. If people use it, they will buy it. So they have to see the product in place. T...
 

Also Known As

Avenda eTIPS
Extreme Access Control, Enterasys NAC
Forescout Platform, CounterACT for Endpoint Compliance, ForeScout CounterACT
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Consulate Health Care, Los Angeles Unified School District, Science Applications International Corp (SAIC), San Diego State University, KFC, ACTS Retirement-Life Communities
Street Crane, Robert Bosch, Molex Chengdu, Weir Valves & Controls UK, Renault, AESSEAL, Ducati, Alexander Dennis, UK Ministry of Defence, Manz
NHS Sussex, SAP, SEGA, Vistaprint, Miami Children's Hospital, Pioneer Investments, New York Law School, OmnicomGroup, Meritrust
Find out what your peers are saying about Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Cisco, Fortinet and others in Network Access Control (NAC). Updated: March 2026.
885,728 professionals have used our research since 2012.