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 7.6, and holds a 21.7% mindshare in the category. Microsoft is ranked #16 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 144 Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) reviews

15,070 Views
9,796 Comparison Views

87% willing to recommend

Microsoft Enterprise Mobili...

Read 13 Microsoft Enterprise Mobility + Security reviews

1,158 Views
591 Comparison Views

100% willing to recommend

Cisco Identity Services Eng...

Microsoft Enterprise Mobili...

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Download the report

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).

To learn more, read our detailed Network Access Control (NAC) Report (Updated: February 2026).

Buyer's Guide

Network Access Control (NAC)

February 2026

Download the complete report

Helped 884,192 peers since 2012

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

144

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

Ranking in other categories

Enterprise Mobility Management (EMM) (16th)

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 27.1% 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) Mindshare Distribution
Product	Mindshare (%)
Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE)	21.7%
Aruba ClearPass	20.8%
Fortinet FortiNAC	15.0%
Other	42.5%

Network Access Control (NAC)

Enterprise Mobility Management (EMM) Mindshare Distribution
Product	Mindshare (%)
Microsoft Enterprise Mobility + Security	1.3%
Microsoft Intune	27.5%
Workspace ONE UEM	11.4%
Other	59.8%

Enterprise Mobility Management (EMM)

Featured Reviews

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

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

"My team has gained a lot from Cisco ISE as it does also provide automation, which is a big asset in the eighth hour. After setting it up, it took a lot of the weight off in many ways. We have a co-worker, who we call the ISE Master because he's in charge of the ISE configurations. He's able to save a lot of time by being able to monitor everything from there. So it did take off a lot of time that we would waste by going individually to that different device and trying to figure out what was wrong."

"Improves switch account management."

"I have found that all of the features are valuable. It is very easy to deploy because we are able to port users directly from Active Directory (AD) and LDAP."

"ISE's most valuable feature is integration between IT and OTs."

"Not having to trust devices and being able to set those levels of trust and more finely control our network is a benefit."

"The most valuable feature is the integration with StealthWatch and DNA as one fabric."

"After the product was installed, no one could access the secure connection network. In order for any laptop or any endpoint device to attach to my network, it needs to be authorized or be certified to be connected."

"In terms of scalability, you need to factor in your licenses. With a virtual platform, the scalability is more than sufficient. We have over one thousand users."

More Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) pros

"A good feature that is present is MAM or Mobile Application Management. We can deploy this feature on the device, which is not managed by the organization. If I apply some security configuration on a personal device, the user would be really disappointed. What we do instead is that we give all access to the applications related to corporate and ask the users to use the application. We secure the application by putting the security features on the applications and not on the users' devices. This way, the users are happy, and we also meet our company's compliance standards. Then, everyone is happy."

"The solution offers excellent documentation that is easily available online."

"Microsoft Mobility and EMS include Intune for Mobility, which provides mobile device management and mobile application management. With mobile device management, you can control the entire device in an organization."

"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 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."

"It is a stable solution...It is a scalable solution."

"The solution is scalable."

"You can scale the solution up or down by department."

More Microsoft Enterprise Mobility + Security pros

Cons

"The price here in Brazil is very expensive."

"The Cisco wireless controller needs to add more than one physical port."

"The web UI should be made similar to the one in DNAC."

"The product is expensive. It would also be a good add-on to have some machine learning."

"The support could be faster and the pricing could be reduced."

"Some of ISE's features need to be more agile. For example, we couldn't integrate our data because Cisco needs your data to be in its own format."

"It would be nice if it could be configured easily by default."

"The learning curve is steep and the initial setup is complex."

More Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) cons

"The technical support from Microsoft could be better."

"There are certain shortcomings in the licensing model of the product where improvements are required."

"Its performance needs enhancement."

"Microsoft's feature management is based on licenses. Microsoft follows ethical licensing and hence do not restrict the use of it."

"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."

"Microsoft Enterprise Mobility + Security is expensive."

"The licensing is quite expensive."

"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

"The price of the solution is price fair for the features you receive."

"It is fairly expensive and that's part of why we have implemented it in the type of 'hack' that we did, to service multiple clients."

"Cisco is moving towards a subscription service, which would mean additional costs."

"It's damn expensive and the licensing is terrible... If you have perpetual licenses on 2.7 and you upgrade to 3, you are forced to go with Essentials. That is one of the issues that I'm seeing with my clients now."

"Hardware appliances are expensive...Now moving to DNA-styled licensing, we have subscription-based licensing for everything. I hope it will continue to be fair, but we will have to wait and see."

"It would be beneficial to have a single license that included all of the features."

"The pricing is good. The last time we purchased four new appliances the price was doable for any organization of our size."

"If you go directly with Cisco for the implementation it's very, very expensive."

More Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) pricing and cost advice

"I would rate pricing at eight out of ten. It is a bit higher because of the security features that Microsoft provides."

"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."

"The solution is cost-effective."

"We have to pay 10 dollars per user. I would rate the tool's pricing a six out of ten."

See which vendors are best for you

Use our free recommendation engine to learn which Network Access Control (NAC) solutions are best for your needs.

See recommendations

884,192 professionals have used our research since 2012.

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Manufacturing Company

11%

Computer Software Company

10%

Financial Services Firm

Government

Pharma/Biotech Company

14%

Manufacturing Company

12%

Computer Software Company

10%

Comms Service Provider

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	44
Midsize Enterprise	32
Large Enterprise	91

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	6
Midsize Enterprise	1
Large Enterprise	5

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 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

What is your primary use case for Microsoft Enterprise Mobility + Security?

I have been selling Microsoft Enterprise Mobility + Security for more than 10 years.

See all answers

What advice do you have for others considering Microsoft Enterprise Mobility + Security?

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 a...

See all answers

Comparisons

Aruba ClearPass vs Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE)

Compared 26% of the time

Fortinet FortiNAC vs Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE)

Compared 18% of the time

Forescout Platform vs Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE)

Compared 7% of the time

CyberArk Privileged Access Manager vs Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE)

Compared 3% of the time

Cisco Duo vs Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE)

Compared 2% of the time

More Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) Competitors

Jamf Pro vs Microsoft Enterprise Mobility + Security

Compared 19% of the time

Microsoft Intune vs Microsoft Enterprise Mobility + Security

Compared 17% of the time

CyberArk Privileged Access Manager vs Microsoft Enterprise Mobility + Security

Compared 10% of the time

Workspace ONE UEM vs Microsoft Enterprise Mobility + Security

Compared 9% of the time

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)

March 2026

Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) report

Download Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) product report

Buyer's Guide

Microsoft Enterprise Mobility + Security

February 2026

Microsoft Enterprise Mobility + Security report

Download 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)

February 2026

Download Free Report

Find out what your peers are saying about Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Cisco, Fortinet and others in Network Access Control (NAC). Updated: February 2026.

DOWNLOAD NOW

884,192 professionals have used our research since 2012.

We monitor all Network Access Control (NAC) reviews to prevent fraudulent reviews and keep review quality high. We do not post reviews by company employees or direct competitors. We validate each review for authenticity via cross-reference with LinkedIn, and personal follow-up with the reviewer when necessary.