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Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) vs Microsoft Enterprise Mobility + Security comparison

The compared Cisco and Microsoft solutions aren't in the same category. Cisco is ranked #2 in NAC , with an average rating of 7.9, and holds a 21.7% mindshare in the category. Microsoft is ranked #15 in EMM , with an average rating of 8.0, and holds a 1.3% mindshare. Additionally, 87% of Cisco users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 100% of Microsoft users who would recommend it.
Cisco Identity Services Eng...
Read 145 Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) reviews
  • 15,137 Views
  • 9,839 Comparison Views
87% willing to recommend
Microsoft Enterprise Mobili...
Read 13 Microsoft Enterprise Mobility + Security reviews
  • 1,134 Views
  • 567 Comparison Views
100% willing to recommend
 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive Summary
We performed a comparison between Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) and Microsoft Enterprise Mobility + Security based on real PeerSpot user reviews.

Find out what your peers are saying about Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Cisco, Fortinet and others in Network Access Control (NAC).

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Network Access Control (NAC)
January 2026
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Review summaries and opinions

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

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)
Microsoft Enterprise Mobili...
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
6.4
Number of Reviews
13
Ranking in other categories
Enterprise Mobility Management (EMM) (15th)
 

Mindshare comparison

Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) and Microsoft Enterprise Mobility + Security 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 21.7%, down 27.9% compared to last year.
Microsoft Enterprise Mobility + Security, on the other hand, focuses on Enterprise Mobility Management (EMM), holds 1.3% mindshare, up 0.8% since last year.
Network Access Control (NAC) Market Share Distribution
ProductMarket Share (%)
Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE)21.7%
Aruba ClearPass21.2%
Fortinet FortiNAC15.5%
Other41.6%
Network Access Control (NAC)
Enterprise Mobility Management (EMM) Market Share Distribution
ProductMarket Share (%)
Microsoft Enterprise Mobility + Security1.3%
Microsoft Intune28.3%
Workspace ONE UEM11.3%
Other59.099999999999994%
Enterprise Mobility Management (EMM)
 

Featured Reviews

NF
NicolasFigaro
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.
Read full review
AD
Abhijit-Deshpande
Manager IT at Konverge.AI
User experience improves efficiency while awaiting improved application performance
The solution is meeting my requirements. I don't have any direct inputs here, except that stability of the application can be improved. Sometimes it gets hung or restarts multiple times in the background, which consumes battery life. If stability can be improved, it will generally help everyone. These solutions are usually a little expensive. If costs can come down, that will generally help the masses. A reduction of around 30-35% would make it more prompting for people to take that extra jump. Due to budget constraints, I have seen people not going for Microsoft Enterprise Mobility + Security because even if the commercials get discounted for the first year, subsequent years see significant price increases.
Read full review

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"We have multiple metal devices from different places that use management, so we need to know who would be accessing all those devices and what changes are being done to those metal devices. With Cisco ISE we have visibility of all the changes happening on those devices."
"When we use ISE, one of the helpful things is that I can go through the dashboard and get every step along the way of how a device was authenticated. If it's failing, why did it fail? Why is it unauthorized? If there's an error, what is the error and how can I fix that error? If it's something that, if they should be passing, why are they failing?"
"Using this solution gives us the ability to allow proper access to the network."
"The way we can trust this solution is the most valuable. We have no issue with this product. It is a competitive product. You need to have a very good and deep knowledge of the product to take the full benefits of all the features, but it is a good product."
"The most valuable feature is the provisioning of the device so as to ensure that they are compliant with the security policy that we need to have."
"It is stable and easy to use."
"It provides client provisions and profiling as well as guest access."
"One of the most important features is the authentication security for the individual connection to the network through their computer or laptop."
More Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) pros
"The best advantage of the product is that it provides an all-in-one solution."
"Integration between our departments has been the most valuable."
"The product is a unified solution and you don't require to purchase tools from different vendors. The system analyzes behavior and activity and takes steps for protection."
"The solution is scalable."
"The solution offers excellent documentation that is easily available online."
"You can scale the solution up or down by department."
"The solution is very good at securing files. For example, if I forward a secure document, it's blocked from others, as I can send it with restrictions in relation to who can open it."
"Microsoft Enterprise Mobility + Security is a basic part of all of our projects because it's a very important basis for any customer wanting to set up Microsoft technology, as they need to manage all users and devices on a security basis."
More Microsoft Enterprise Mobility + Security pros
 

Cons

"Since we have started, we struggled a lot to implement this solution into our network, and we opened a case a couple of times. Up until this point, nothing else needs to be improved with this product."
"The primary issue is the slowness of the application and the web interface. We have multiple admin nodes and app nodes. So when I need to get some information about a particular user, the GUI would take ten to fifteen seconds in loading when we need to know right away."
"Cisco ISE could be simplified somewhat. I would also prefer certificate-based authentication over confirmation-based authentication for all the processes. It's possible for us to do a workaround, but the process needs to be simplified."
"I would like to see them simplify the dashboard. It's very configurable, but, at the same time, it's not easy to maneuver through it. They should "Merakify" it."
"The Guest Network verification needs to add a QR code option."
"Cisco ISE integration with Cisco ACI is something that can be done in a less complex way. And the simplification in that area may help us do better."
"The compliance and posture don't always work. They should make it more stable. With each upgrade, we lose some functionality. We have to wait for another upgrade."
"The initial setup was a little bit complex. It's not that simple because it requires a lot of prerequisites for the solution to get a hold on."
More Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) cons
"We did the deployment with the help of Microsoft's consultants. But sometimes, we found it difficult to educate the application developers to integrate."
"The licensing can be messy at times."
"Its performance needs enhancement."
"The auditing and reporting could be updated and upgraded. I would like to see light applications because they consume a lot of the device's memory at present."
"Technical support could be improved. Sometimes they use a third party that's not so knowledgeable in the product and that can slow down things a bit."
"The MDM part of the engine could be better."
"The technical support from Microsoft could be better."
"Sometimes the application gets hung or restarts multiple times in the background, consuming battery life."
More Microsoft Enterprise Mobility + Security cons
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"I don't know too much about the actual pricing on it. The licensing part is pretty straightforward. It's a lot more simple than some of the other Cisco licensing models. In that aspect, it's great."
"I have complaints. I don't enjoy the licensing model. Once we moved from 2.7 to 3.1, switching from Base, Plus, and Apex to Essential and Advantage in Premier, we went from a perpetual, with our base licenses, to now a subscription-base. So, we will have to renew those licenses every year, and I'm not a fan of that for our base licenses. Apex/Premier, we already expected, which is fine, but for basic connectivity, I am not a fan of that."
"I am not aware of the current price for Cisco ISE, but considering it is a Cisco product, it is likely to be quite high."
"Licensing has got much simpler since Cisco moved to the DNA model because we just have the three tiers, but it could always stand to be improved upon."
"Standard licensing gives backup access and very few features, and then there's VM licensing - each VM we use needs to be licensed."
"Pricing and licensing are not my expertise. As far as budgeting is concerned, we run an ELA with Cisco. It's a part of our ELA."
"Over the years, licensing has been confusing and complicated because there are so many different licenses for each different product and each different iteration of the product."
"There are other cheaper options available."
More Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) pricing and cost advice
"We have to pay 10 dollars per user. I would rate the tool's pricing a six out of ten."
"The increase in the prices of the product might not be the actual problem, but things become complex with some new plans that were introduced by Microsoft recently."
"I would rate pricing at eight out of ten. It is a bit higher because of the security features that Microsoft provides."
"The solution is cost-effective."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Manufacturing Company
11%
Computer Software Company
10%
Financial Services Firm
9%
Government
8%
Pharma/Biotech Company
13%
Manufacturing Company
12%
Computer Software Company
11%
Comms Service Provider
8%
 

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 Business6
Midsize Enterprise1
Large Enterprise5
 

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 ...
See all answers
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, ...
See all answers
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...
See all answers
What do you like most about Microsoft Enterprise Mobility + Security?
It is a stable solution...It is a scalable solution.
See all answers
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Microsoft Enterprise Mobility + Security?
The increase in the prices of the product might not be the actual problem, but things become complex with some new plans that were introduced by Microsoft recently. Initially, my company used to ha...
See all answers
What needs improvement with Microsoft Enterprise Mobility + Security?
The technical support from Microsoft could be better. Because there are many changes in Microsoft, and most support centers or representatives moved to India, I can share that my experience with su...
See all answers
 

Comparisons

Aruba ClearPass vs Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) Logo
Aruba ClearPass vs Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE)
Compared 25% of the time
Fortinet FortiNAC vs Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) Logo
Fortinet FortiNAC vs Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE)
Compared 19% of the time
Forescout Platform vs Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) Logo
Forescout Platform vs Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE)
Compared 7% of the time
CyberArk Privileged Access Manager vs Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) Logo
CyberArk Privileged Access Manager vs Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE)
Compared 3% of the time
Cisco Duo vs Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) Logo
Cisco Duo vs Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE)
Compared 2% of the time
More Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) Competitors
Microsoft Intune vs Microsoft Enterprise Mobility + Security Logo
Microsoft Intune vs Microsoft Enterprise Mobility + Security
Compared 20% of the time
Jamf Pro vs Microsoft Enterprise Mobility + Security Logo
Jamf Pro vs Microsoft Enterprise Mobility + Security
Compared 16% of the time
CyberArk Privileged Access Manager vs Microsoft Enterprise Mobility + Security Logo
CyberArk Privileged Access Manager vs Microsoft Enterprise Mobility + Security
Compared 11% of the time
Workspace ONE UEM vs Microsoft Enterprise Mobility + Security Logo
Workspace ONE UEM vs Microsoft Enterprise Mobility + Security
Compared 9% of the time
ManageEngine Endpoint Central vs Microsoft Enterprise Mobility + Security Logo
ManageEngine Endpoint Central vs Microsoft Enterprise Mobility + Security
Compared 6% of the time
More Microsoft Enterprise Mobility + Security Competitors
 

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide
Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE)
January 2026
Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) reportDownload Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) product report
Buyer's Guide
Microsoft Enterprise Mobility + Security
January 2026
Microsoft Enterprise Mobility + Security reportDownload Microsoft Enterprise Mobility + Security product report
 

Also Known As

Cisco ISE
Enterprise Mobility + Security E3, Enterprise Mobility + Security E5, MS Enterprise Mobility + Security
 

Overview

Cisco Identity Services Engine offers robust authentication, posture profiling, guest and secure access, and dynamic policy management. Known for its seamless integration with Cisco tools and network access control features, it ensures secure device and user authentication across networks.

Cisco Identity Services Engine is renowned for its capabilities in managing authentication, guest access, and policy management through segmentation. Its TrustSec functionality, alongside RADIUS and TACACS+ support, provides enhanced security, further augmented by its ability to operate in diverse environments. Its scalability and integration with Cisco solutions aid in maintaining network visibility and access control. Challenges include the complexity of initial deployments, somewhat cumbersome documentation, and limited integration in multi-vendor environments. While encountering issues in stability and updates, the demand for better analytics and straightforward troubleshooting alongside cost-effective licensing is notable.

What are the key features of Cisco Identity Services Engine?
  • Authentication: Secures user and device access to networks using robust authentication protocols.
  • Posture Profiling: Provides in-depth analysis of device compliance with security policies.
  • Guest Access Management: Allows controlled network access for guest users through streamlined processes.
  • Dynamic Policy Management: Enables automatic adjustment of security policies based on real-time data.
  • Segmentation via TrustSec: Enhances security levels by segmenting network traffic based on identity.
What benefits or ROI should users expect from Cisco Identity Services Engine?
  • Comprehensive Security: Ensures enforceable security policies across network access points.
  • Enhanced Integration: Facilitates seamless collaboration with existing Cisco infrastructures.
  • Improved Compliance: Helps meet industry security standards for network access and user rights.
  • Increased Visibility: Provides detailed insights into network traffic and user activities.
  • Device Management Efficiency: Streamlines the process of managing diverse devices within a single framework.

Industries implement Cisco Identity Services Engine primarily for network access control, ensuring secure authentication and segmentation in both wired and wireless environments. Supporting policies like bring-your-own-device and compliance standards, ISE manages identity-based access control, especially beneficial for entities that require detailed user rights management and integration within enterprise networks.

Cisco

Microsoft Enterprise Mobility + Security (EMS) is the only comprehensive solution designed to help manage and protect users, devices, apps, and data in a mobile-first, cloud-first world.

Microsoft
 

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
Mars, Whole Foods, Land O'Lakes, Dow
Buyer's Guide
Network Access Control (NAC)
January 2026
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