Try our new research platform with insights from 80,000+ expert users

Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) vs Ruckus Cloudpath comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Nov 5, 2024

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...
Ranking in Network Access Control (NAC)
1st
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
6.5
Number of Reviews
144
Ranking in other categories
Cisco Security Portfolio (1st)
Ruckus Cloudpath
Ranking in Network Access Control (NAC)
9th
Average Rating
7.6
Reviews Sentiment
5.8
Number of Reviews
12
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of November 2025, in the Network Access Control (NAC) category, the mindshare of Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) is 23.8%, down from 29.1% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Ruckus Cloudpath is 2.0%, up from 1.8% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Network Access Control (NAC) Market Share Distribution
ProductMarket Share (%)
Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE)23.8%
Ruckus Cloudpath2.0%
Other74.2%
Network Access Control (NAC)
 

Featured Reviews

SunilkumarNaganuri - PeerSpot reviewer
Enhanced device administration hindered by complex deployment and security limitations
Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) needs to improve the profiling preauthentication. They are very poor in asset classification and should focus on improving the preauthentication profiling, especially for NAC use cases. This will give them a roadmap for software-defined access (SDA) use cases and network segmentation. Threat detection capabilities are very weak. Additionally, the product is vulnerable and has many bugs.
Gary Koh - PeerSpot reviewer
Has improved network monitoring through intelligent features and simplified onboarding
I am using the certificate-based security feature in the product. The certificate-based security feature helps clients understand what Ruckus Cloudpath can do. Whether cloud or on-premises is used is defined by the clients. They are knowledgeable about the products, so minimal explanation is required. Policy management tools in Ruckus Cloudpath are performing adequately. The integration of Ruckus Cloudpath with our infrastructure is very user-friendly, as the software is becoming more intelligent. It is becoming more intelligent because it is easier to install and implement. Managing IoT devices within a network environment has improved compared to previous versions. The software is more intelligent now, with AI features integrated into their management system. The MMS portion is the best feature in Ruckus Cloudpath, as they can monitor the entire network intelligently with AI features that simplify the troubleshooting processes.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"The most valuable feature is 801.1x and another very good feature is the TACACS."
"One of the most important features is the authentication security for the individual connection to the network through their computer or laptop."
"Since migrating towards doing wired ports over ISE with 802.1X and MAB authentication, our organization's security risk has been better. We have been able to establish better layouts, so devices can move and we don't have to worry about where they need to go."
"The features that do work, work well, and we use it on a daily basis."
"We have seen ROI. It has done its job. It has protected us when we needed it to."
"ISE's most valuable feature is integration between IT and OTs."
"The most valuable features are the ability to retrieve information about Active Directory user names, viewing the log files to see which MAC address tried to connect with the created SSIDs, portal designing for your company, hotspot tools, and creating network rules for WiFi access."
"[One of the most valuable features] is just the ease of use. It's pretty simple to set up certs that we can add to our clients to make sure that they connect properly, [as is] whitelisting Mac addresses."
"The ease of use is great, and the automation wizards can do a lot."
"Ruckus Cloudpath is very stable."
"The solution is easy to use, well designed, robust, and has good traffic capacity."
"I have found it easy to use with no significant issues once the small initial problems were resolved."
"I find the solution to be very rich in features."
"The solution has good features for authentication, policies, and allowing users to self-provision devices for network access via their logins."
"The tool's most valuable features include the phenomenal functionality of DPSK. The ease of use, particularly when it is correctly set up, is remarkably simple. Tracking users is straightforward and dynamic. This allows us to identify where a user might encounter issues within the process."
"Ruckus Cloudpath is effective for network security since it points out errors, especially when working with APIs."
 

Cons

"There is room for improvement in CLI. Most things are done through the GUI, and there aren't many commands or troubleshooting options available compared to other Cisco products like switches and routers."
"The licensing scheme is complex and could use enhancement to provide more options."
"Cisco ISE does not recognize devices and that is an issue we faced during its integration with our existing devices."
"In an upcoming release, the solution needs to be more agentless and more independent. Additionally, there could be improved integration with other next-generation solutions, such as Palo Alto, Fortinet, or Check Point."
"The learning curve is steep and the initial setup is complex."
"The price could be better. I would like to see more integration with third-party solutions in the next release. This is because many of my clients don't have Cisco."
"One of the issues that we used to have was with profiling because we're working with a service provider that uses a lot of bring your own devices."
"If Cisco could grant more control, the features could be more focused on network and security administration, reducing the need for integration with other components."
"The tool needs to support multi-vendor environments. Currently, my experience with it has been primarily within Ruckus environments. However, I haven't explored it for multi-vendor scenarios. It would be great to see newer builds that are multi-vendor capable of full integration."
"There is room for improvement in deployment. I would like to see more effort put into troubleshooting."
"I believe the solution is missing some great features which are present in other solutions like Aruba, UiPath, and Cisco ISE."
"The solution could improve by adding more detailed information that customers have available on the dashboards."
"The hardest part we've had to deal with is trying to find some physical product recently as everything is going like hotcakes."
"The setup process is a bit complex."
"The setup had a few initial small problems, however, everything was resolved and it is very good now."
"The scalability could be better."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"Licensing is a disaster. It's a mess and I hope they fix it soon."
"The technology is good, but to use some of the other features, and capabilities, they request that we purchase the Cisco DNA Center. As a result, the bundled price is a little high."
"I believe I have paid around $1,000 in licensing fees. The license is annual."
"The licensing can be confusing, but it is still pretty good."
"It's an expensive solution when compared to other vendors."
"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."
"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."
"It is difficult to measure security breaches, but since we have not been attacked so far, it has paid for itself over the years."
"The licensing of the solution is user-based and the price is good."
"The cost was somewhere around $700 for the access points, however, there was a discount."
"The pricing is a little bit high."
"I would rate the tool's pricing as a seven on a scale of one to ten. Compared to others, it's not overly expensive, but it does come with a cost. Since it's a licensed-based product, it can become expensive, especially if there is a need for additional licenses."
report
Use our free recommendation engine to learn which Network Access Control (NAC) solutions are best for your needs.
873,085 professionals have used our research since 2012.
 

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
13%
Manufacturing Company
10%
Financial Services Firm
9%
Government
9%
Comms Service Provider
16%
Financial Services Firm
10%
Computer Software Company
8%
Manufacturing Company
6%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business44
Midsize Enterprise31
Large Enterprise91
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business7
Midsize Enterprise3
Large Enterprise2
 

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 do you like most about Ruckus Cloudpath?
The tool's most valuable features include the phenomenal functionality of DPSK. The ease of use, particularly when it is correctly set up, is remarkably simple. Tracking users is straightforward an...
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Ruckus Cloudpath?
The pricing of Ruckus Cloudpath is on the expensive side. I would rate the pricing as an eight out of ten, with ten being very expensive.
What needs improvement with Ruckus Cloudpath?
The main disadvantage is the price, as it is primarily a cost issue. The new version coming out, R1, is yet to be seen, though currently, it is running very efficiently. The biggest challenges are ...
 

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
Information Not Available
Find out what your peers are saying about Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) vs. Ruckus Cloudpath and other solutions. Updated: November 2025.
873,085 professionals have used our research since 2012.