Cisco NAC Appliance vs PacketFence

Struggling to choose between Cisco NAC Appliance and PacketFence? Both products offer unique advantages, making it a tough decision.

Cisco NAC Appliance is a Network & Admin solution with tags like access-control, endpoint-security, policy-enforcement.

It boasts features such as Endpoint security posture enforcement, Network access control and policy enforcement, Integration with infrastructure for distributed environments, Threat response and remediation capabilities, Centralized management and reporting and pros including Comprehensive network access control and security, Seamless integration with Cisco infrastructure, Centralized policy management and enforcement, Improved visibility and control over endpoint compliance.

On the other hand, PacketFence is a Network & Admin product tagged with access-control, policy-enforcement, network-security.

Its standout features include User registration and onboarding, Device profiling and fingerprinting, Policy enforcement and access control, Guest management, BYOD support, Remediation and quarantine, Reporting and analytics, and it shines with pros like Open source and free, Supports wide range of network hardware, Granular access control policies, Scalable for large networks, Active community support.

Feature	Cisco NAC Appliance	PacketFence
Overall Score	N/A	N/A
Primary Category	Network & Admin	Network & Admin

Product Overview

Cisco NAC Appliance

Description: Cisco NAC Appliance is a network access control (NAC) solution that enhances endpoint security posture enforcement and limits network access to compliant devices. It integrates with infrastructure to enable policy enforcement and threat response across distributed environments.

PacketFence

Description: PacketFence is an open source network access control (NAC) system that provides registration, isolation, and remediation services for wired and wireless networks. It helps secure networks by enforcing access policies and isolating unauthorized devices.

Key Features Comparison

Cisco NAC Appliance Features

• Endpoint security posture enforcement
• Network access control and policy enforcement
• Integration with infrastructure for distributed environments
• Threat response and remediation capabilities
• Centralized management and reporting

PacketFence Features

• User registration and onboarding
• Device profiling and fingerprinting
• Policy enforcement and access control
• Guest management
• BYOD support
• Remediation and quarantine
• Reporting and analytics

Pros & Cons Analysis

Cisco NAC Appliance

Pros

• Comprehensive network access control and security
• Seamless integration with Cisco infrastructure
• Centralized policy management and enforcement
• Improved visibility and control over endpoint compliance

Cons

• Complexity of deployment and configuration
• Limited support for non-Cisco network devices
• High cost of ownership, particularly for small to medium-sized organizations

PacketFence

Pros

• Open source and free
• Supports wide range of network hardware
• Granular access control policies
• Scalable for large networks
• Active community support

Cons

• Complex installation and configuration
• Limited support options
• Less intuitive web UI
• Lacks cloud management capabilities

Pricing Comparison

Cisco NAC Appliance

• Subscription-Based

PacketFence

• Open Source