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

Aruba ClearPass vs ExtremeCloud IQ 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:
 

ROI

Sentiment score
5.5
Aruba ClearPass enhances security and management ease but faces challenges with licensing, high add-on costs, and pricing concerns.
Sentiment score
6.8
ExtremeCloud IQ enhances productivity by simplifying management, stabilizing Wi-Fi, reducing costs, and offering quick deployment for business growth.
The investment is huge for enterprise clients, but Aruba ClearPass makes processes easier.
Using Aruba ClearPass has resulted in less engineering time compared to other products we've used.
I managed to support and deploy ExtremeCloud IQ and handle network management without requiring external staffing, thus saving on external hiring costs.
 

Customer Service

Sentiment score
7.0
Aruba ClearPass customer service is highly rated for efficiency, though some desire more thorough, in-depth technical assistance.
Sentiment score
7.8
ExtremeCloud IQ offers efficient, responsive customer service with knowledgeable support, though some find documentation and resources lacking compared to competitors.
Portnox is one level up, as their customer support is outstanding.
We have faced delays in the resolution of production issues after raising tickets, which impacts productivity.
We have local support, so it's much easier.
I experienced effective help mainly remotely, though for some issues, a technical person had to assist on-site.
 

Scalability Issues

Sentiment score
8.2
Aruba ClearPass is praised for scalable flexibility, handling extensive users effectively but some find it average compared to alternatives.
Sentiment score
8.0
ExtremeCloud IQ offers scalable, seamless network expansion with cloud-based architecture, supporting high-density and smaller-scale applications efficiently.
I believe the scalability of ClearPass is rated as ten out of ten.
Everything will be handled when you add new users because all configurations are deployed from the beginning.
Once the policy is defined, scaling works automatically and is fast.
 

Stability Issues

Sentiment score
7.8
Aruba ClearPass is stable and reliable, with minor issues usually due to configuration, rated highly by users.
Sentiment score
7.6
ExtremeCloud IQ is stable, with minor firmware issues; updates improve reliability, with newer bands performing well and occasional reboots needed.
There are issues with some versions, especially in integrating with AD and SSL configurations over port sixty-three.
There aren't many stability issues, but sometimes the guest management function occasionally throws errors.
It requires some time to update, which affects real-time management.
 

Room For Improvement

Aruba ClearPass needs improvements in user interface, setup, integration, documentation, reporting, certificate handling, and licensing.
ExtremeCloud IQ needs improvements in UI, stability, performance, security, support, and pricing to meet user and market expectations.
The language and policy enforcement mechanisms are not clear, making it difficult to use the product effectively.
It would also be beneficial to integrate more AI capabilities, as certain use cases can benefit from quicker setup and implementation.
A more streamlined menu of licensing options would be helpful.
I needed deep details and more thorough resources.
 

Setup Cost

Aruba ClearPass pricing is considered competitive but complex, varying by licensing model and requirements, with potential long-term benefits.
ExtremeCloud IQ is competitively priced, offering flexible licensing and reasonable support costs, especially advantageous for educational institutions.
We cannot mix in prices, and of course, prices are going higher.
Compared to Cisco and others, the pricing is reasonable.
Aruba ClearPass is a premium product with higher pricing, which seems unnecessary given its complexity.
The licensing was a challenge due to budget constraints, and I used ExtremeCloud IQ without a license for a period.
 

Valuable Features

Aruba ClearPass offers strong network security with seamless integration, advanced authentication, centralized control, and flexible deployment options.
ExtremeCloud IQ excels with centralized management, AI analytics, seamless scalability, and integration with planning tools for efficient networking.
The most effective feature for us is the OnGuard feature.
Aruba ClearPass is easy to manage and less complicated compared to other NAC solutions, which makes it valuable.
The ClearPass solution has reduced the amount of engineering time compared to previous solutions, making it more efficient for our purposes.
The automation and information provided by ExtremeCloud IQ, such as connection status and logs, were very beneficial.
 

Categories and Ranking

Aruba ClearPass
Ranking in Network Access Control (NAC)
2nd
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
6.6
Number of Reviews
88
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
ExtremeCloud IQ
Ranking in Network Access Control (NAC)
12th
Average Rating
8.8
Reviews Sentiment
7.3
Number of Reviews
76
Ranking in other categories
Network Management Applications (11th), Intrusion Detection and Prevention Software (IDPS) (21st)
 

Mindshare comparison

As of August 2025, in the Network Access Control (NAC) category, the mindshare of Aruba ClearPass is 24.3%, down from 24.9% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of ExtremeCloud IQ is 0.9%, up from 0.3% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Network Access Control (NAC)
 

Featured Reviews

Abdelhamid Saber - PeerSpot reviewer
Secures the network with flexible controls and excellent support
We use Aruba ClearPass as a network access control solution. It prevents unauthorized access and allows access for users in the internal environment, performing checks and onboarding We use ClearPass to secure our environment. Before ClearPass, our environment wasn't as secure. The most…
KristianLarsen - PeerSpot reviewer
Helps resolve network-related issues quickly and is reasonably priced
The tool has both advantages and weaknesses because it has several pieces of software on which it has been working because of buyouts. The tool has several branches of software versions, and you can consolidate it into ExtremeCloud, but it also has the disadvantage that sometimes people can get issues because the software on the hardware is different than they expected, especially if it is not converted to the tool used. The tool has simplified things, but it also adds a complexity that sometimes stumps some users. In the future, I think the tool’s onboarding setup of a new tenant could be smoother or faster. I also think that they could provide a simpler setup for first-level support so that it can be easier for them to have a support dashboard that would help them. I am talking about customer support organizations, so you usually have a high turnaround, but you need to have something that is easier to use and where you don't need so much training.
report
Use our free recommendation engine to learn which Network Access Control (NAC) solutions are best for your needs.
865,384 professionals have used our research since 2012.
 

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
14%
Government
9%
Manufacturing Company
8%
University
6%
Computer Software Company
12%
Comms Service Provider
11%
Educational Organization
9%
Manufacturing Company
9%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
 

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 is the biggest difference between Aruba ClearPass and FortiNAC?
I've done quite a lot of work with ClearPass, and not a lot with FortiNAC/Bradford. ClearPass incorporates a number of different functions including ClearPass Guest for creating complex wireless g...
What do you like most about Aruba ClearPass?
If you are looking at the base installation, then it was a very straightforward process, which I would rate an eight or nine out of ten.
What are pros and cons of Aruba 515 Series AP vs. Cisco Meraki or Extreme Networks?
Depends. I have personally used both Cisco and Aruba so I am familiar with them. Extreme I am not, so unless they have some feature that I need or want, I wouldn't consider them. Do you have expe...
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for ExtremeCloud IQ?
The licensing was a challenge due to budget constraints, and I used ExtremeCloud IQ without a license for a period. The documentation and training courses were also costly, impacting how easily I c...
What advice do you have for others considering ExtremeCloud IQ?
I rate the overall solution nine out of ten only due to the poor documentation. Despite this, I was very happy with ExtremeCloud IQ as it greatly eased my workload, allowing me to manage the networ...
 

Also Known As

Avenda eTIPS
Aerohive Networks, Aerohive HiveManager, HiveManager, ExtremeCloud , ExtremeSecurity
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Consulate Health Care, Los Angeles Unified School District, Science Applications International Corp (SAIC), San Diego State University, KFC, ACTS Retirement-Life Communities
Henry Ford Health System, Baltimore Ravens, Brandili, Federal University of Alagoas, CEDAE, Caxias do Sul, UNISC Concurrency, CenturyLink Field, Louisiana College, Cricket Tasmania Stadium, Moscow Internet Exchange
Find out what your peers are saying about Aruba ClearPass vs. ExtremeCloud IQ and other solutions. Updated: July 2025.
865,384 professionals have used our research since 2012.