Cisco ISE (Identity Services Engine) Review

• I'ts compatibility with 802.1X
• Posture
• Profiling
• Guest Portal

As an integrator, I can tell that this product is mostly used for implementing wireless 802.1X with Active Directory and guest portals. It can be integrated with Active Directory and an external SMS gateway, can be used to track user authentications with Cisco WLC, can be therefore used to completely implement BYOD (considering the tight integration with leading MDM vendors). The product can be bought as a physical appliance as well a virtual appliance.

We are waiting for TACACS integration to completely replace the Cisco ACS line of products.

I've used it for about four years.

Being a product relatively young the product seems incredibly stable and not prone to system outages.

Having a Cisco consolidated experience with this type of products, the product encounters very little of no scalability problem.

Cisco has implemented a special ATC partner program to help partners and customers to have a smooth deployment. As far as I know there is also a dedicated TAC area for this product, Cisco commitment on the ISE line of product is really at a top level. I can say this with an high degree of certainty being a Cisco Gold Partner.

We use this product because we mainly sell this as a premier class NAC solution, compared to other similar products.

The initial setup is very straightforwardly done by following the product’s document guides.

I work for a vendor/system integrator.

The main advice is to seek for an accredited ATC system integrator with a large ISE portfolio.