

Portnox and Aruba ClearPass are competing in the network security and access control solutions category. Based on the comparison, Aruba ClearPass seems to have an upper hand due to its broader integration capabilities and extensive policy management functions.
Features: Portnox offers agentless network visibility, scalability, and automated security features, which are appreciated for ease of use. It allows for proactive monitoring and minimizes the need for dedicated manpower. Aruba ClearPass is recognized for its comprehensive network access control with advanced policy enforcement, robust guest management capabilities, and integration across multi-vendor environments.
Room for Improvement: Portnox could improve by enhancing integration with third-party devices and cloud services. Users also indicate that reporting features and false positives need addressing, and that pricing based on a per-port basis could be bettered. For Aruba ClearPass, better documentation, a more intuitive user interface, and simplified integration are seen as areas needing enhancement. The complex licensing model and customer support also require improvements to reduce costs and deployment time.
Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Portnox supports diverse deployment models such as cloud and on-premises and is noted for its easy installation and excellent customer support. Its support team is responsive, contributing to high customer satisfaction. In contrast, Aruba ClearPass is commonly deployed on-premises with less deployment flexibility. While its customer service is satisfactory, technical support processes are often complex with slower response times.
Pricing and ROI: Portnox is viewed as cost-effective with reasonable pricing and flexible licensing, delivering quick ROI by reducing operational workload. Despite a higher initial cost, Aruba ClearPass offers robust functionality with long-term cost-effectiveness, especially in perpetual licensing models. However, its pricing model is complex, making Portnox's clear pricing more attractive for smaller organizations, whereas Aruba ClearPass is preferred by those needing extensive security features.
Using Aruba ClearPass has resulted in less engineering time compared to other products we've used.
The investment is huge for enterprise clients, but Aruba ClearPass makes processes easier.
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.
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.
If Aruba ClearPass is not working, then the organization is not working because this is the access control in the organization.
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.
In terms of support, it is usually quite impressive. I usually get support in a matter of minutes or seconds, depending on the priority of the ticket.
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.
In our environment, ClearPass handles up to 100,000 users, which is better than some other NAC solutions like Fortinox that scale up to 25,000.
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.
I have experienced more than three years without zero downtime with Aruba ClearPass.
There are issues with some versions, especially in integrating with AD and SSL configurations over port sixty-three.
However, there are disadvantages when it is not on-premises, as every NAC suffers from it if it is not on-premises.
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.
The language and policy enforcement mechanisms are not clear, making it difficult to use the product effectively.
It is also better to improve threat intelligence for built-in threat detection and prevention.
A more streamlined menu of licensing options would be helpful.
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.
Achieving the best price requires careful selection from a menu of licensing options.
We cannot mix in prices, and of course, prices are going higher.
Aruba ClearPass is a premium product with higher pricing, which seems unnecessary given its complexity.
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.
In Aruba ClearPass, you can have control of all authentication in the company.
The ClearPass solution has reduced the amount of engineering time compared to previous solutions, making it more efficient for our purposes.
The most effective feature for us is the OnGuard feature.
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.
| Product | Mindshare (%) |
|---|---|
| Aruba ClearPass | 18.5% |
| Portnox | 6.4% |
| Other | 75.1% |


| Company Size | Count |
|---|---|
| Small Business | 44 |
| Midsize Enterprise | 25 |
| Large Enterprise | 34 |
| Company Size | Count |
|---|---|
| Small Business | 17 |
| Midsize Enterprise | 5 |
| Large Enterprise | 10 |
Aruba ClearPass provides robust authentication and policy enforcement with seamless integration capabilities, enhancing security for corporate networks. It handles guest access, BYOD management, and offers dynamic segmentation and extensive network visibility.
Aruba ClearPass supports diverse environments through integrated device profiling, enhancing network and user security. Its intuitive GUI simplifies management while dynamic segmentation offers tailored user experiences. Though highly functional, users seek improvements in interface intuitiveness and simplified configurations. Streamlined integration, better support, and clarity in licensing are also desired to enhance user experience. Deployed primarily for network access control and wireless management, Aruba ClearPass ensures secure corporate network access with identity authentication, policy enforcement, and detailed visibility.
What are the core features?In healthcare, Aruba ClearPass manages secure access for medical devices and personnel, ensuring compliance and confidentiality. Schools utilize it for managing student and guest network access, while enterprises integrate it for consistent security across corporate environments.
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.
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