

Portnox and Tailscale are competing in the network management solutions category. Portnox seems to have the upper hand in terms of integration and security controls, whereas Tailscale excels in ease of use and setup.
Features: Portnox offers network visibility, access control, and robust agentless features. Tailscale is known for its quick setup, secure remote access, and peer-to-peer connectivity.
Room for Improvement: Portnox needs enhancements in integration with third-party systems, pricing structure adjustments, and interface optimization. Tailscale could improve its Linux support, user interface, and performance for better customization of access control lists.
Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Portnox provides various deployment options, including on-premises, cloud, and hybrid environments, but faces integration challenges. Tailscale offers flexible deployment with a focus on simplicity for cross-platform use. Both have responsive customer service, though Tailscale's support lacks experience in complex issues.
Pricing and ROI: Portnox's pricing, while not the cheapest, is seen as reasonable with beneficial ROI in reducing system monitoring time. Tailscale's free tier is appreciated for easy scaling but can become costly with increasing user numbers. Both offer valuable returns in security and operational efficiency.
If I compare this to an on-premises environment using Cisco ISE or Aruba ClearPass, it would require phenomenally large teams for infrastructure management.
If you were moving from a traditional on-premise NAC that was 100% managed by the IT department, there would be great savings in going to a cloud-based NAC with Portnox.
Most customers feel value immediately upon deployment.
We have seen clear return on investment since implementing Tailscale by eliminating VPN server infrastructure costs.
With Tailscale, I set it up and forget it because it just works, allowing me to avoid worrying about the whole VPN aspect of my home network architecture.
It provides time savings instead of maintaining a VPN.
The main area needing improvement is the technical knowledge of support staff.
For very high severity issues where the entire office is non-functional, response time is within 30 minutes.
They respond very immediately and provide detailed, amazing support.
Tailscale is that reliable, and their documentation answers any questions I have.
The user interface, documentation, and support for Tailscale are fabulous.
I would give it a ten out of ten.
We have never had any challenge based on a customer who has 1,000 devices versus a customer who has 30,000 devices; the feel is the same.
They ensure the backend can support it and do the provisioning while maintaining headroom and elasticity.
I rate scalability a ten; you simply pay and you get more.
As a free-tier user, I have tested my limits, connecting the maximum amount of devices, and everything performed great.
We have over 300 to 400 devices that use Tailscale that we connect with and utilize on a daily basis.
Tailscale's scalability is actually so good; I have not faced any downtime or issues.
The product itself is available and its uptime is 100%.
In the four years that I used Portnox, if it crashed or the server crashed, that would not have been more than once.
If there is a version one and another version, the communication between the organization using it and Portnox should be firm so they can coordinate effectively.
Tailscale is a SaaS platform, so Tailscale scales it themselves.
Tailscale has been very stable in my experience, with no issues so far.
Ideally, we should be able to search for any MAC address in the database, regardless of its authentication status, to see all its associated groups and potential conflicts.
When I reach the technical support, they give solutions that do not help me much, so I try to search the internet for other users' experiences to find solutions.
When I'm doing filtering at times, it doesn't filter the items properly.
Tailscale could be improved with more advanced network visibility and monitoring tools, cleaner pricing tiers for scaling teams, and enhanced built-in reporting for device posture and controls for enterprise environments.
At my apartment, I can do 2-gig networking, but when I connect via the exit node, and I'm wired in somewhere else, and that place also has 2-gig networking, I'm at max getting half of my speed.
I would like Tailscale to provide more censorship-resistant options, such as Shadowsocks or VLESS, as fallback protocols.
If you compare Portnox with all other well-known standard products, it is the cheapest.
The pricing is a bit high, possibly due to the cloud features and running instances across regions like the US, Asia, and Europe.
You are charged according to the number of users.
The setup has been straightforward and predictable with the per-user subscription model and no infrastructure or hardware setup cost, making the initial deployment inexpensive.
I never used a license. I never purchased or bought anything more than the basic free license.
It's notable how Portnox has improved operational efficiency.
It is a very robust application because three teams use that part: the network team, the security team, and the support people.
It is possible to find the MAC address in the switch, but in Portnox, it is very useful to see the status of those ports, and that increases our security.
The security is valuable, as there are many providers available, but Tailscale fulfills the requirements that we had, allowing us to access and expose internal apps without exposing them to the general internet.
The most valuable features are the Zero Trust architecture, peer-to-peer connectivity using WireGuard, easy deployment and setup, access control for granular permissions, single sign-on, subnet and routing, exit nodes, and cross-platform support.
Tailscale's security is fabulous, especially the access control features and the ability to use existing OAuth accounts for access.
| Product | Mindshare (%) |
|---|---|
| Tailscale | 8.7% |
| Portnox | 3.3% |
| Other | 88.0% |


| Company Size | Count |
|---|---|
| Small Business | 15 |
| Midsize Enterprise | 5 |
| Large Enterprise | 9 |
| Company Size | Count |
|---|---|
| Small Business | 8 |
| Midsize Enterprise | 2 |
| Large Enterprise | 1 |
Portnox provides advanced network visibility and proactive security without complexity, ensuring easy setup and scalability. Its agentless nature and intuitive design enable seamless device management and system integration, promoting efficient network operations and endpoint security.
Portnox is known for offering comprehensive network access control, providing firms with vital tools for managing authentication and securing endpoint devices. It's praised for ease of use in integrating with systems such as RADIUS servers and offering detailed analytical capabilities to ensure compliance and control unauthorized access. While users appreciate the intuitive interface and device management, improvements have been suggested in the areas of better GUI, integration with firewalls, and enhanced configuration methods. Portnox aids in handling dynamic VLAN assignments and securing access in both wired and wireless networks, proving particularly valuable for on-premises and remote environments.
What are the key features of Portnox?In industries where network security is paramount, such as finance and healthcare, Portnox is implemented to fortify access control and manage endpoint connections effectively. Its ability to secure both on-premises and remote environments makes it a versatile choice across sectors that require stringent access management, particularly where unauthorized device connections pose significant risks.
Tailscale is a modern VPN alternative that provides secure and easy access to resources across multiple networks and devices. Its primary use case is to allow remote teams to securely connect and collaborate as if they were in the same office. With its user-friendly interface and automatic network discovery, Tailscale simplifies setting up and managing a secure network, making it an ideal solution for small businesses and organizations.
Tailscale's most valuable functionality is its ability to create secure tunnels between devices without complex configuration or setup. This allows organizations to securely and seamlessly connect remote workers, offices, and devices, increasing productivity and collaboration while reducing the risk of security breaches.
By eliminating the need for traditional VPNs and reducing the risk of accidental exposure of sensitive information, Tailscale helps organizations improve their security posture while enabling their workforce to work more efficiently and effectively.
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