Aruba ClearPass vs Sophos Network Access Control comparison

Aruba ClearPass vs. Sophos Network Access Control

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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

Aruba ClearPass

Ranking in Network Access Control (NAC)

2nd

Average Rating

8.6

Reviews Sentiment

6.7

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Sophos Network Access Control

Ranking in Network Access Control (NAC)

8th

Average Rating

8.4

Reviews Sentiment

7.0

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Mindshare comparison

As of July 2025, in the Network Access Control (NAC) category, the mindshare of Aruba ClearPass is 24.5%, down from 24.9% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Sophos Network Access Control is 1.7%, up from 1.4% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Network Access Control (NAC)

Featured Reviews

Abdelhamid Saber

Senior Security & Infra Technology Systems Engineer at BARQ Systems

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…

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Vishal Deshwal

technical associate at seamlessinfotech.com

Technical support excels but hardware enhancements are needed for faster processing

The best features in Sophos Network Access Control are fewer than FortiNAC and Cisco ISE, but when discussing budget and customer support, different vendors have different perspectives. Cisco is better in support, FortiNAC is better in security, and different vendors maintain different perspectives. I utilized the device quarantine feature around eight months ago. It is specifically for when any malicious or harmful file comes to the system. Through NAC, we can put it in quarantine, and if anything comes or goes from this system, it will be monitored continuously. We can define these parameters as needed. The role-based access controls feature of Sophos Network Access Control allows persons at different positions in an organization to have different types of roles. We can give them full access as an administrator, provide some network access, or give users only read-only access. This depends on the user's requirements and the position they hold within the organization, allowing us to grant roles according to their post. The integration capabilities of Sophos Network Access Control are good, as it can easily integrate with other solutions and vendors.

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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 features of Aruba ClearPass are the GUI and its ease-to-do configuration. Additionally, we can troubleshoot many things in one window."

"Document authentications allows us to decide which users can connect to an office VLAN and this has been the most valuable feature."

"The most valuable feature of Aruba ClearPass is the ease of deployment and integration with other equipment in the network."

"It has an easy to learn web GUI and command lines."

"It makes it easy to require robust user authentication for both wired and wireless endpoints, including BYODs."

"The visibility and security features are most valuable. We get a clear view. It is a very secure product for educational institutions."

"ClearPass's best feature is its comprehensiveness."

"I like the integration options with a multitude of other vendors and Aruba applications."

More Aruba ClearPass pros

"Sophos has helped us to save time and money and to better manage web activities. It has also helped us to reduce misuse of the network and restrict hacking attempts."

"Web protection, URL filtering, and application filtering are the most valuable features of Sophos Network Access Control."

"The pricing is very reasonable and you can negotiate on the price."

"The most valuable features of Sophos Network Access Control are the quick response times to threats and reliable security."

"Sophos Network Access Control saves our clients time and money."

"I found all Sophos Network Access Control features valuable, but IP blocking is the most useful."

"The platform's most valuable features include robust reporting and analytics capabilities, which provide deep insights into our sales performance and customer behavior."

"The user interface makes it easy to configure and use."

More Sophos Network Access Control pros

Cons

"An issue with Aruba ClearPass is the lack of information and poor community support. You can't find the material easily on the internet for any issues. For example, if you're looking for any configuration or exploring any issue, it's not easy to find information, and this is the problem with Aruba ClearPass. Access to helpful information and poor community support could be improved. Another area for improvement in Aruba ClearPass is that some of its advanced features aren't easy to find. For example, my team needed to apply Google single sign-on, but it wasn't easy to find. Aruba ClearPass is a big solution with a lot of capabilities, and it's a very advanced solution, so you need to either have some experience with it or undergo some training. Aruba ClearPass is a very good solution from the network perspective, but the issue is the poor support you get from the community. When you try using the solution, some areas aren't easy. When you search on YouTube, you'll find very few materials about Aruba ClearPass. It isn't like Cisco where you can find information from hundreds of websites, on YouTube, etc. This is bad for Aruba, so this area should be improved. Aruba has a training center, but the usual training offered is only for Aruba Wireless and Aruba Switches. If you have another solution, it's not easy to integrate it with Aruba ClearPass, so this is an area for improvement. You need to do some research to successfully integrate your solution with Aruba ClearPass. We integrated Aruba ClearPass with Ubiquiti WiFi, and it's working fine with no issues. My next project is to start integrating Aruba ClearPass with Cisco Switches. The solution is good, but on the website, there's no book and no video, and you can't find the material on Aruba ClearPass easily. This is one of the issues with Aruba."

"The user interface could be more polished and modern. It would be useful to have more options for automation."

"ClearPass' GUI could be more user-friendly."

"I would like to see is “AAS”. Not only Aruba APs with central, but NAC/ClearPass, AirWave, and everything licensed as a Service. This way, like AWS, they can spin up what they need when they need it and vice versa."

"Because some users use OS 10, it would be good if the solution could group its functions better."

"After HP, their support is the worst."

"Aruba needs to improve and the processes must be clear."

"ClearPass from Aruba is easier to understand compared to Cisco, which has more features yet is more complicated."

More Aruba ClearPass cons

"Sophos Network Access Control needs improvement regarding its slow interface, loading time, and reporting."

"An area that could be improved is the information about licensing, which is fairly confusing at present."

"What needs to be improved on is the fact that Sophos consumes a lot of processor resources and, once it starts scanning, the RAM utilization is very high."

"Sophos Network Access Control could be improved by having an ASIC chip similar to FortiNAC, as this would provide better processing for big organizations."

"The solution could increase the integration with other platforms or other systems. This would be very useful."

"It would be beneficial to consider some improvements regarding the dashboard."

"I would like more details on the incoming connection, like what is the download speed and how it fluctuates. If Sophos can give that information, it would be really good."

"The solution can improve the for applying policies. They can be complex depending don't the group they are applied to."

More Sophos Network Access Control cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"Aruba ClearPass has permanent licenses. You purchase it one time and this license is yours. You don't need to refresh it for five years, et cetera. They have a couple of licenses for enabled features with not only one license."

"The solution is costly."

"Run a 90 day free Proof of Concept (POC) for each product by implementing and using it fully in your environment. This way you will be educated on its features, functionality, and manageability."

"We pay an annual licensing fee for Aruba and there are no additional costs."

"The product is very costly."

"The price of Aruba ClearPass is expensive. When you want to build redundant systems it can be seen as necessary, so the enterprise will manage all of those costs."

"The solution has a licensing model."

"I can't give the exact cost of Aruba ClearPass because that's handled by the purchasing team, but it's on the cheaper side, and on a scale of one to five, I'm rating the cost a four. Initially, the pricing for the solution is expensive in terms of deployment, but in the long term, for example, after more than five to ten years, the operational cost incurred by the company is quite affordable because you don't have to renew the license. It's a one-time purchase. My company only uses the standard license for Aruba ClearPass."

More Aruba ClearPass pricing and cost advice

"I rate the price of Sophos Network Access Control a five out of ten."

"Sophos Network Access Control is costly but has a similar price range as CrowdStrike and Check Point. The product can get more market share if Sophos can play around with Sophos Network Access Control pricing and improve it."

"It provides a moderate pricing option for all of its features and benefits."

"It is quite expensive."

"Sophos Network Access Control is very cheap compared to other solutions like Cisco, Barracuda, and Palo Alto."

"Sophos Network Access Control is an expensive solution."

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Computer Software Company

14%

Government

Manufacturing Company

Educational Organization

Computer Software Company

14%

Government

Construction Company

Comms Service Provider

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 do you like most about Sophos Network Access Control?

Sophos Network Access Control has a useful interface, and I like its dashboard, which is very useful for us to check everything.

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Sophos Network Access Control?

I am not able to say much on the financial specifics as it pertains to the sales unit.

What needs improvement with Sophos Network Access Control?

Sophos Network Access Control could be improved by having an ASIC chip similar to FortiNAC, as this would provide better processing for big organizations. In larger organizations, we need higher sp...

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Compared 26% of the time

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Compared 20% of the time

Twingate vs Sophos Network Access Control

Compared 11% of the time

Forescout Platform vs Sophos Network Access Control

Compared 9% of the time

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Product Reports

Aruba ClearPass

Download Aruba ClearPass product report

Sophos Network Access Control

Download Sophos Network Access Control product report

Also Known As

Avenda eTIPS

No data available

Overview

Aruba ClearPass is a network access control (NAC) solution that provides a range of security and access management capabilities for wired, wireless, and VPN networks. ClearPass enables organizations to secure their networks and devices, enforce security policies, and provide secure access to network resources.

Aruba ClearPass Features

Aruba ClearPass has many valuable key features. Some of the most useful ones include:

Device profiling: Aruba ClearPass automatically profiles and classifies network devices based on type, manufacturer, operating system, and more, to help organizations secure their networks.

Guest management: The solution provides a secure and easy-to-use guest management system for organizations to provide guest access to their networks.

User-friendly interface: The Aruba ClearPass includes a user-friendly interface, enabling administrators to easily manage and enforce security policies, monitor network activity, and respond to security threats.

Policy enforcement: Users can enforce security policies based on device type, user role, and other factors, to help secure their networks and devices.

Threat detection and response: With its real-time monitoring and threat detection capabilities, organizations are able to quickly identify and respond to security threats.

Authentication and authorization: Aruba ClearPass offers a range of authentication and authorization methods, including certificate-based authentication and 802.1X, to provide secure access to network resources.

Reporting and analytics: The solution Includes real-time reporting and analytics capabilities, enabling administrators to monitor network activity, track security incidents, and improve security over time.

Aruba ClearPass Benefits

There are many benefits to implementing Aruba ClearPass. Some of the biggest advantages the solution offers include:

Comprehensive solution: Aruba ClearPass integrates with a range of network security technologies, including firewalls, intrusion detection and prevention systems, and VPN gateways, to provide a comprehensive security solution.

Scalability: Designed to scale from small to large organizations, ClearPass provides a solution that can grow with an organization's needs.

Increased visibility: By implementing Aruba ClearPass, administrators can monitor network activity, track security incidents, and improve security over time.

Improved user productivity: The solution’s secure and seamless access to network resources helps users be more productive and access the resources they need, when they need them.

Better business agility: With the solution, organizations can quickly respond to security threats and enforce security policies, improving overall business agility.

Reviews from Real Users

Aruba ClearPass is a solution that stands out when compared to many of its competitors. Some of its major advantages are that it’s easy to use, has a valuable Guest Captive Portal and virtual security enforcement, and has a good web dashboard and policy manager.

“It is easy to use and more integrated with the Aruba wireless networks,” says Muhammad N., Network & Information Security Engineer at a healthcare company.

Ammar F., Head of IT at Hubtech, explains, “What I like most about Aruba ClearPass is that it has the best enforcement feature for the network. I also like its Guest Captive Portal and virtual security enforcement features, but the virtual security enforcement feature is still under testing by my company. Aruba ClearPass also has a wonderful UI which I find valuable."

Another PeerSpot reviewer mentions, "The web dashboard and the policy manager are very intuitive and very easy for the engineers to use."

Hewlett Packard Enterprise

Sophos NAC Provides comprehensive, easy-to-deploy network access control that protects enterprise networks from the threats posed by non-compliant, compromised, or misconfigured endpoint computers. The software solution is vendor-neutral and works with existing network infrastructure and security applications. Computers are permitted or denied access to the network, based on a centrally defined, policy-driven assessment - and isolated, quarantined for remediation, automatically remediated, or sent alerts. Administrators can define and manage policies uniquely for managed and guest computers, including checking their security status and ensuring that no unwanted applications are run.

Sophos

Sample Customers

Consulate Health Care, Los Angeles Unified School District, Science Applications International Corp (SAIC), San Diego State University, KFC, ACTS Retirement-Life Communities

Rushmoor Borough Council

Aruba ClearPass vs. Sophos Network Access Control