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Active Roles by One Identity vs Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) 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
6.8
Active Roles boosts efficiency by automating tasks, reducing errors, improving compliance, and enabling scalability without expanding IT teams.
Sentiment score
7.1
Cisco Identity Services Engine enhances security, simplifies operations, and reduces costs while boosting productivity and ensuring regulatory compliance.
One Identity Active Roles provides excellent reporting and auditing functionality, allowing administrators to track permissions, actions, and responsibilities effectively.
solution architect/ engineer at APEX.IT Sp. z o.o.
Automation has really reduced the time spent on user provisioning, access management, or access changes by around 40 to 60 percent, which has significantly improved team productivity.
Technical Specialist at VDA Infosolutions Pvt. Ltd.
User onboarding time reduced by around seventy to eighty percent, from thirty to forty-five minutes to under ten minutes.
Senior Business Development Associate at DigitalTrack Solutions ind pvt ltd
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
 

Customer Service

Sentiment score
6.8
Active Roles support is knowledgeable and responsive, but improvements needed for complex queries and escalation processes.
Sentiment score
6.7
Cisco ISE support is highly rated for knowledge and responsiveness but struggles with response times and communication challenges.
They are ready to provide support at any time.
Technical Specialist at VDA Infosolutions Pvt. Ltd.
The support team is knowledgeable about the product and AD environments.
Network Security Engineer at Digitaltrack
Support is usually responsive for critical issues and provides solid practical guidance for AD workflow problems.
Cyber Security Analyst at a tech vendor with 51-200 employees
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
Sometimes it's challenging to identify which support team is responsible for certain issues, which is a significant concern.
Solution Architect, Presales Engineer at a computer software company with 51-200 employees
 

Scalability Issues

Sentiment score
7.1
Active Roles by One Identity effectively manages enterprise environments, scaling to support growth with centralized management and adaptable architecture.
Sentiment score
7.3
Cisco ISE supports smooth scalability for diverse enterprises, but virtualization and hardware challenges may require strategic solutions.
One Identity Active Roles works well in hybrid environments, handling both on-premises and cloud identities from a single platform.
Senior Business Development Associate at DigitalTrack Solutions ind pvt ltd
It is commonly used in medium to large organizations managing complex Microsoft Active Directory and hybrid identity environments.
Professional Services Consultant at Check Point Software
The platform can scale without needing a complete redesign.
Senior Technical Support Executive at digital track
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
 

Stability Issues

Sentiment score
8.3
Active Roles offers reliable performance and stability in enterprise environments, with occasional slowdowns and ratings between seven and nine.
Sentiment score
7.7
Cisco ISE is stable and reliable, but large deployments may face challenges, requiring proper configuration and effective support.
Overall, One Identity Active Roles has proven to be a stable, reliable, and well-suited solution for managing Active Directory at scale.
Senior Business Development Executive at Digitaltrack
Overall, I consider One Identity Active Roles to be a stable solution, suitable for enterprise-grade environments.
Sr.Technical Support Executive at Digitaltrack Solution Private Limited
Consistently performing for daily operations like automation and user management without major downtime reported.
Desktop Support at DigitalTrack Solutions Private Limited
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
 

Room For Improvement

Active Roles by One Identity requires interface improvements, better integration, enhanced performance, and more comprehensive documentation and support.
Cisco ISE is hindered by complexity, compatibility issues, costly licensing, and needs improvements in usability, support, and performance.
The current REST API feels like an afterthought, and my developers want the ability to operate through CI/CD pipelines instead of logging into the GUI.
Identity and Access Management Specialist at a university with 10,001+ employees
Improving documentation and providing more guided implementation resources would help organizations accelerate deployment and reduce dependency on external support.
Sr.Technical Support Executive at Digitaltrack Solution Private Limited
Stronger, more seamless integration with cloud and hybrid environments like Azure AD, along with enhanced real-time reporting dashboards and easier troubleshooting tools, would help in faster issue resolution and a better overall administration experience.
Senior System Administrator at 3i Infotech
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
 

Setup Cost

Active Roles by One Identity offers cost-effective automation and compliance for medium to large enterprises, despite higher initial expenses.
Cisco ISE pricing is complex and costly, with strong vendor partnerships needed for discounts, favoring large enterprises over smaller businesses.
It is quite expensive, costing more than 50 euros per identity.
solution architect/ engineer at APEX.IT Sp. z o.o.
I think our total was in the seven-figure range for a couple of years of service.
Director, Identity & M365 Engineering at a healthcare company with 10,001+ employees
The initial investment includes licensing, infrastructure setup, and implementation effort, with licensing typically based on the number of managed users or accounts, which can increase costs in large environments.
Sr.Technical Support Executive at Digitaltrack Solution Private Limited
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
 

Valuable Features

Active Roles by One Identity automates Active Directory tasks, enhancing security, compliance, and efficiency through role-based controls and administration.
Cisco ISE excels in security, network access control, and integration, offering adaptability, scalability, and centralized management for organizations.
It's improved our security posture. It has limited access to our crown jewels, where all our identities lie within Active Directory.
IAM Specialist
It helps in removing custom Active Directory delegation, which enhances security by eliminating unnecessary privileges, addressing identity-based breaches by reducing the number of Active Directory delegations.
Head of Global Digital Identity Services at a hospitality company with 10,001+ employees
Dynamic groups are also one of the best features, eliminating the need to add or manage members manually.
Technical Specialist at LSEG
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
 

Categories and Ranking

Active Roles by One Identity
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
7.0
Number of Reviews
89
Ranking in other categories
User Provisioning Software (3rd), Active Directory Management (1st), Non-Human Identity Management (NHIM) (1st)
Cisco Identity Services Eng...
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
6.6
Number of Reviews
144
Ranking in other categories
Network Access Control (NAC) (2nd), Cisco Security Portfolio (4th)
 

Mindshare comparison

Active Roles by One Identity and Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) aren’t in the same category and serve different purposes. Active Roles by One Identity is designed for Active Directory Management and holds a mindshare of 12.6%, up 9.3% compared to last year.
Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE), on the other hand, focuses on Network Access Control (NAC), holds 18.4% mindshare, down 24.9% since last year.
Active Directory Management Mindshare Distribution
ProductMindshare (%)
Active Roles by One Identity12.6%
Netwrix Auditor10.5%
ManageEngine ADManager Plus9.5%
Other67.4%
Active Directory Management
Network Access Control (NAC) Mindshare Distribution
ProductMindshare (%)
Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE)18.4%
Aruba ClearPass17.5%
Fortinet FortiNAC12.6%
Other51.5%
Network Access Control (NAC)
 

Featured Reviews

Puru Solanki ( ITIL. CISM , CCSP ) - PeerSpot reviewer
Regional Manager & CISO at Citadel
Automation has streamlined onboarding and governance and delivers faster, more secure access
Overall, we are very satisfied with Active Roles by One Identity, but there are a few areas that could be improved. The user interface could be more modern and intuitive, especially for new administrators. Some advanced configuration and policy settings have a steep learning curve and could be simplified. We would also like to see more built-in integrations with cloud platforms and SaaS applications, along with additional out-of-the-box reporting templates. These improvements would make the product even easier and more flexible for organizations managing hybrid environments. One thing that would make our daily work even smoother is having more ready-to-use templates for common administrative tasks and reports. This would reduce the need for customization and help teams get up and running more quickly. Additionally, faster and simpler synchronization for hybrid and cloud environments would be beneficial, especially for organizations managing both on-premises and cloud identities. More detailed documentation and guided setup for advanced features would help new administrators learn the platform faster and more easily. One additional improvement I would like to see for Active Roles by One Identity is a better built-in dashboard with more real-time insights into identity and access activities. It would be helpful if upgrades and migrations were simpler and required less planning. Finally, expanding native integrations with more cloud services and third-party applications would make the platform even more versatile and reliable. These enhancements would improve the overall user experience while keeping the product's strong security and automation capabilities.
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.
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Outsourcing Company
25%
Financial Services Firm
8%
Computer Software Company
7%
Manufacturing Company
6%
Manufacturing Company
10%
Financial Services Firm
10%
Outsourcing Company
7%
Government
7%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business96
Midsize Enterprise16
Large Enterprise45
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business45
Midsize Enterprise32
Large Enterprise91
 

Questions from the Community

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for One Identity Active Roles?
Our experience with the pricing, setup cost, and licensing of Active Roles by One Identity has been very positive. Although Active Roles by One Identity is not the lowest-priced solution, we believ...
What needs improvement with One Identity Active Roles?
Overall, we are very satisfied with Active Roles by One Identity, but there are a few areas that could be improved. The user interface could be more modern and intuitive, especially for new adminis...
What is your primary use case for One Identity Active Roles?
Active Roles by One Identity is our main solution for simplifying and automating user account management in our Active Directory environment. We use it for tasks like user provisioning, deprovision...
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...
 

Also Known As

Quest Active Roles
Cisco ISE
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

City of Frankfurt, Moore Public Schools, George Washington University, Transavia Airlines, Howard County, MD. See all stories at OneIdentity.com/casestudies
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
Find out what your peers are saying about One Identity, Microsoft, Netwrix and others in Active Directory Management. Updated: July 2026.
910,005 professionals have used our research since 2012.