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BeyondTrust Endpoint Privilege Management vs Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive Summary

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
7.9
Organizations benefit from BeyondTrust by enhancing security, achieving compliance, reducing costs, and integrating zero-trust for increased ROI.
Sentiment score
8.4
Cisco Identity Services Engine enhances security and efficiency, providing cost savings and IT consolidation, making it vital for network management.
Money saving is the main part because every organization tries to reduce their costs.
Direct comparisons with Forescout reveal up to 30% to 40% difference in cost savings.
 

Customer Service

Sentiment score
7.1
BeyondTrust support is efficient and knowledgeable, yet experiences delay issues, especially in Asia-Pacific, affecting user satisfaction.
Sentiment score
5.9
Cisco Identity Services Engine customer service is praised for commitment, but technical support feedback varies due to delays and complexities.
Support is critical, especially when challenges arise related to PAM.
They offer support around the clock, and responses are generally quick.
BeyondTrust support is reliable.
I rate the technical support as one out of ten.
Sometimes it's challenging to identify which support team is responsible for certain issues, which is a significant concern.
 

Scalability Issues

Sentiment score
7.5
BeyondTrust Endpoint Privilege Management offers seamless scalability and reliability for organizations of any size, ensuring efficient user asset management.
Sentiment score
7.3
Cisco ISE excels in scalable environments, efficiently supporting deployments with flexibility for thousands of endpoints across various sizes.
The initial understanding of the environment is crucial, followed by a simple deployment process.
Factors like architecture, business nature, and legal limitations such as GDPR affect it.
 

Stability Issues

Sentiment score
7.6
Users commend BeyondTrust for stability and reliability, despite initial setup challenges and minor UI and integration issues.
Sentiment score
7.7
Cisco ISE is reliable with high user satisfaction, though some report stability issues, especially during upgrades and high capacity.
The appliances are stable, and there are no significant issues with backups or recovery.
Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) is considered very reliable and stable.
The stability of Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) is poor for certain use cases, like authentication.
 

Room For Improvement

BeyondTrust Endpoint Privilege Management requires enhancements in security, integration, support, deployment, error management, pricing, and responsive customer service.
Cisco ISE struggles with setup complexity, non-intuitive UI, integration challenges, upgrade issues, and demands for better features.
The ability to view recorded live sessions of specific users is a crucial benefit.
There is a need for better MQ integration with DevOps and improvements in architecture.
This product is highly ranked on Gartner, Peers, and other review sites.
The whole setup works well with Cisco access points and Cisco switches, but when you have multiple vendors in the environment, such as HP switches or access points like Aruba, you'll find they will not work well with Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE).
Pricing can be more expensive compared to other vendors, and there is a significant price gap observed, which doesn't seem justified by some specific features.
They are very poor in asset classification and should focus on improving the preauthentication profiling, especially for NAC use cases.
 

Setup Cost

BeyondTrust Endpoint Privilege Management is seen as expensive due to licensing complexities and additional costs, especially for Mac clients.
Cisco ISE offers strong features with complex, expensive pricing, but discounts through partnerships can help alleviate costs.
If a solution fits a customer's budget, considerations must be made that it may not have all the features of more expensive solutions.
Compared to other solutions like HPE ClearPass, Cisco is more costly, and the conversation suggests a possible forty percent price gap compared to competitors.
The license costs can range between $50,000 to $100,000 per year for enterprises.
Cloud solutions are expensive, while on-prem setups with shared environments are cheaper but not effective.
 

Valuable Features

BeyondTrust enhances security with privilege management, integration, session recording, and is valued for ease of use and scalability.
Cisco ISE provides comprehensive access control, seamless integration, and enhanced security with intuitive management for versatile network operations.
Another important aspect is the ability to move the solution to the cloud or install it on-premises, offering my customers flexibility.
When any unauthorized user makes an attempt, it notifies the administrators.
Administrators need a tool that provides visibility and clarity about endpoint management within the organization.
Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) offers authentication using RADIUS, enhancing network security by separating and segregating networks.
There is value because it helps us secure the network and prevents certain things from happening which could cause financial loss.
The solution is integrated with other Cisco devices and can offer automation for an organization, making deployments more dynamic and providing real-time visibility.
 

Categories and Ranking

BeyondTrust Endpoint Privil...
Average Rating
8.0
Reviews Sentiment
6.9
Number of Reviews
31
Ranking in other categories
Privileged Access Management (PAM) (6th), Anti-Malware Tools (13th)
Cisco Identity Services Eng...
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
6.7
Number of Reviews
143
Ranking in other categories
Network Access Control (NAC) (1st), Cisco Security Portfolio (1st)
 

Mindshare comparison

BeyondTrust Endpoint Privilege Management and Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) aren’t in the same category and serve different purposes. BeyondTrust Endpoint Privilege Management is designed for Privileged Access Management (PAM) and holds a mindshare of 3.8%, down 5.0% compared to last year.
Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE), on the other hand, focuses on Network Access Control (NAC), holds 25.1% mindshare, down 30.7% since last year.
Privileged Access Management (PAM)
Network Access Control (NAC)
 

Featured Reviews

Md Abdul Hakim - PeerSpot reviewer
Offers solid performance and user adaptability but needs better pricing options and local support
BeyondTrust is a strong, compliance-driven solution with excellent market recognition (Gartner, Peers, etc.), making it appealing for Bangladeshi enterprises. However, some key improvements could accelerate adoption: Areas for Improvement: Pricing & Local Affordability While the product’s capabilities justify its value, cost remains a barrier for many Bangladeshi organizations. Competitive pricing or regional discounts would make it more accessible. Local Support & Partnerships Currently, lack of local partners or trainers creates delays in support, implementation, and pricing negotiations. Establishing a Bangladesh-based support team or authorized resellers would improve responsiveness and trust. Enhanced Onboarding & Training Offering localized training programs (in Bengali/English) and documentation would help IT teams deploy and manage the solution more efficiently. Recommendations for Next Release: Introduce tiered pricing for emerging markets like Bangladesh. Develop a partner network in Bangladesh for faster service and sales. Add simplified dashboards for easier monitoring by non-technical staff. Final Note: BeyondTrust is already a top-tier PAM solution, but addressing these gaps would solidify its leadership in Bangladesh’s growing cybersecurity market.
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.
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Financial Services Firm
19%
Computer Software Company
14%
Manufacturing Company
10%
Government
7%
Computer Software Company
15%
Educational Organization
15%
Financial Services Firm
9%
Government
8%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
 

Questions from the Community

Looking for recommendations and a pros/cons template for software to detect insider threats
This is an inside-out --- outside-in --- inside-in question, as an insider can be an outsider as well. There is no short answer other than a blend of a PAM tool with Behavioral Analytics and Endpo...
What do you like most about BeyondTrust Endpoint Privilege Management?
The solution's least privilege enforcement has helped us ensure access is given to only the required people.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for BeyondTrust Endpoint Privilege Management?
BeyondTrust's pricing is premium but negotiable for Bangladesh. Expect 20-30% extra costs from currency/import factors. Start with modular licensing (EPM first), demand emerging market discounts, a...
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...
 

Also Known As

BeyondTrust PowerBroker, BeyondTrust Endpoint Privilege Management for Windows, BeyondTrust Endpoint Privilege Management for Mac, BeyondTrust Endpoint Privilege Management for Linux, BeyondTrust Endpoint Privilege Management for Unix, Avecto Defendpoint
Cisco ISE
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Aera Energy LLC, Care New England, James Madison University
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
Find out what your peers are saying about CyberArk, Delinea, One Identity and others in Privileged Access Management (PAM). Updated: June 2025.
860,592 professionals have used our research since 2012.