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Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) vs One Identity Safeguard 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
7.1
Cisco Identity Services Engine enhances security, simplifies operations, and reduces costs while boosting productivity and ensuring regulatory compliance.
Sentiment score
7.0
One Identity Safeguard enhances security and efficiency, reducing costs and manual tasks while centralizing operations and minimizing risks.
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
It has also reduced the time spent on password management, saving our team time in managing privileged accounts, and is helping with automation that reduces manual efforts.
Technical Specialist at VDA Infosolutions Pvt Ltd
Instead of manually reconstructing activity, everything is already logged and searchable, which has improved response time during internal reviews.
Business Development Executive at Digitaltrack solutions
It has reduced inside and external threats, which is essential for preventing privileged user damage, and decreased privileged account incidents by 40%.
Senior Frontend Developer at HCl
 

Customer Service

Sentiment score
6.7
Cisco ISE support is highly rated for knowledge and responsiveness but struggles with response times and communication challenges.
Sentiment score
6.7
One Identity Safeguard's support is responsive and efficient, but response times and complex issue handling can vary.
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
Documentation and knowledge base resources are also useful for resolving common issues and understanding product features, making customer support reliable and meeting enterprise expectations.
Technical Support Engineer at Digitaltrack
The customer team is knowledgeable and technically strong, especially when dealing with configuration issues, session monitoring, or password-related queries.
Business development executive at Digitaltrack solution Pvt Ltd
I sometimes need escalations to reach expertise.
Consultant at a tech vendor with 11-50 employees
 

Scalability Issues

Sentiment score
7.3
Cisco ISE supports smooth scalability for diverse enterprises, but virtualization and hardware challenges may require strategic solutions.
Sentiment score
7.3
One Identity Safeguard scales efficiently for diverse needs with effective clustering, though occasional structural evaluation may be required.
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
The scalability of One Identity Safeguard is perfect, scoring ten out of ten.
Business Line Manager - IGA & PAM at a tech services company with 201-500 employees
The system can distribute tasks across nodes, improving performance as demand grows.
Senior business development executive at DigitalTrack solution ind pvt ltd
The platform is designed to support horizontal scaling, so adding capacity is relatively straightforward without redesigning the entire architecture.
Business Development Executive at Digitaltrack solutions
 

Stability Issues

Sentiment score
7.7
Cisco ISE is stable and reliable, but large deployments may face challenges, requiring proper configuration and effective support.
Sentiment score
8.0
One Identity Safeguard is reliable and stable, supporting high workloads with quick resolutions for occasional bugs, enhancing user trust.
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
With proper sizing and high availability configuration, the system handles multiple concurrent sessions efficiently, making it a dependable and stable platform suitable for enterprise environments.
Technical Support Engineer at Digitaltrack
I would rate it a nine out of ten for stability.
Consultant at a outsourcing company with 5,001-10,000 employees
In terms of stability, I rate One Identity Safeguard nine to ten out of ten.
Business Line Manager - IGA & PAM at a tech services company with 201-500 employees
 

Room For Improvement

Cisco ISE is hindered by complexity, compatibility issues, costly licensing, and needs improvements in usability, support, and performance.
One Identity Safeguard needs improvements in interface, integration, scalability, and documentation while enhancing features for better user experience.
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
While it integrates well with standard environments like Active Directory, expanding smoother integration across a wider range of tools would make it even more versatile.
Senior Business Development Executive at Digitaltrack Solutions Private Limited
For some configurations on the SPS side, if I need to make changes, such as for DNS servers, I must redeploy the machine.
Consultant at a tech vendor with 11-50 employees
There are many steps. We are still in the onboarding phase, and it seems very manual.
Systems Administrator at a university with 10,001+ employees
 

Setup Cost

Cisco ISE pricing is complex and costly, with strong vendor partnerships needed for discounts, favoring large enterprises over smaller businesses.
One Identity Safeguard offers flexible pricing and licensing for enterprises, with initial high costs justified by robust security features.
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
It is one of those where the more you buy, the cheaper it is.
Systems Administrator at a university with 10,001+ employees
It is cheaper than CyberArk.
Consultant at a outsourcing company with 5,001-10,000 employees
Regarding pricing, it may appear slightly on the higher side initially compared to some alternatives, but when we evaluate it against the security benefits, compliance support, and risk reduction, it proves to be cost-effective in the long run.
Senior business development executive at DigitalTrack solution ind pvt ltd
 

Valuable Features

Cisco ISE excels in security, network access control, and integration, offering adaptability, scalability, and centralized management for organizations.
One Identity Safeguard provides enhanced security with session monitoring, privileged password management, ease of use, and comprehensive audit capabilities.
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
The auditing and approval mechanisms are features we did not have before and are greatly appreciated.
Systems Administrator at a university with 10,001+ employees
Automatic credential rotation helps our team by removing the need for manual changes to privileged passwords, reducing the risk of stale or shared credentials and ensuring that every access is controlled and compliant.
Technical Consultant at ProTechmanize Solutions (P) Ltd.
The password vault has been a game changer because it provides a secure and controlled way to store, manage, and rotate sensitive credentials without exposing them to users.
Developer Intern at Stealth
 

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)
One Identity Safeguard
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
6.9
Number of Reviews
70
Ranking in other categories
User Entity Behavior Analytics (UEBA) (4th), Privileged Access Management (PAM) (2nd), Non-Human Identity Management (NHIM) (1st)
 

Mindshare comparison

Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) and One Identity Safeguard 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 20.5%, down 26.3% compared to last year.
One Identity Safeguard, on the other hand, focuses on Privileged Access Management (PAM), holds 4.4% mindshare, up 4.3% since last year.
Network Access Control (NAC) Mindshare Distribution
ProductMindshare (%)
Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE)20.5%
Aruba ClearPass19.5%
Fortinet FortiNAC14.6%
Other45.4%
Network Access Control (NAC)
Privileged Access Management (PAM) Mindshare Distribution
ProductMindshare (%)
One Identity Safeguard4.4%
CyberArk Privileged Access Manager10.5%
Delinea Secret Server4.5%
Other80.6%
Privileged Access Management (PAM)
 

Featured Reviews

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.
Mahesh Malve - PeerSpot reviewer
Senior business development executive at DigitalTrack solution ind pvt ltd
Centralized control has strengthened privileged security and simplified audit investigations
While One Identity Safeguard is a strong and reliable PAM solution, there are a few areas where it can be further improved to enhance user experience and scalability. Regarding the user interface and experience, the UI, while functional, can be a bit complex for new users. A more intuitive and modern dashboard with simplified navigation would improve adoption, especially for non-technical stakeholders. Regarding integration flexibility, although it supports major integrations, expanding out-of-the-box connectors for more cloud-native apps, DevOps tools, and SaaS platforms would be beneficial. Faster and simpler API-based integrations could reduce deployment efforts. Regarding scalability and performance in large enterprise environments, performance tuning and scaling can require additional efforts. Enhancing seamless scalability and high availability configuration would improve enterprise readiness.
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Manufacturing Company
10%
Financial Services Firm
10%
Government
8%
Computer Software Company
7%
University
11%
Computer Software Company
9%
Outsourcing Company
8%
Financial Services Firm
7%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business45
Midsize Enterprise32
Large Enterprise91
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business53
Midsize Enterprise26
Large Enterprise25
 

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 ...
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...
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for One Identity Safeguard?
I did not face any challenges with pricing, setup costs, and licensing, but for improved features, I need to address licensing.
What needs improvement with One Identity Safeguard?
The user interface can be improved for better searching of user accounts, and if One Identity enhances its support in that area, it would be very helpful. If One Identity improves integration durin...
What is your primary use case for One Identity Safeguard?
My main use case for One Identity Safeguard in day-to-day work is to provide identity across all user accounts and domains, and it improves security across the enterprise by providing enhanced feat...
 

Also Known As

Cisco ISE
No data available
 

Overview

 

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
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887,041 professionals have used our research since 2012.