Auconet BICS vs NACIO
Auconet BICS
auconet.com
NACIO
nac-io.comSide by side
| Figure | Auconet BICS | NACIO |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | — | — |
| Free plan | — | — |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Windows | — | Yes |
| macOS | — | Yes |
| API | Yes | — |
| Self-hosted | Yes | Yes |
| Plans published | 1 | 0 |
| Spec score · Network Access Control Software | 8.1 (#4) | 7.1 (#17) |
| Deployment | BICS is available on-premises, as a virtual appliance, or as cloud or SaaS, including multi-tenant deployments. | NACIO can be self-hosted on the customer’s infrastructure or used as a cloud-hosted service. |
| Device discovery | BICS discovers network devices and endpoints in real time, including non-traditional devices such as ATMs, POS terminals, pumps, cameras, and sensors. | The product describes active and passive scanning that maps IP ranges, resolves hostnames, fingerprints ports and services, and flags rogue or unmanaged devices. |
| Intended users | Auconet describes BICS as designed for Global 1000-grade IT operations and complex enterprise networks. | The site describes use for enterprise campuses, BYOD, hospitality and venues, OT/IoT, healthcare, and managed service providers. |
| Security | BICS supports MAC-based authentication and IEEE 802.1X separately or together, with real-time access policies for wired and wireless endpoints. | The site says remote agents connect over encrypted tunnels and remote probes need no VPN or open firewall ports. |
| Support | Auconet provides contact by email, phone, or an information request form; a banking case study says two part-time staff handled support requests for hundreds of tenant banks. | Early access includes dedicated onboarding support and a direct line to the engineering team. |
| What it does | BICS provides IT operations management, systems management, network access control, and service management for large and multi-tenant networks. | NACIO provides network access control, including 802.1X RADIUS, device profiling, compliance enforcement, and captive portals. |
Plans
In their own words
Auconet BICS
Auconet BICS is an IT operations, systems management, network access control, and service management platform for large and multi-tenant networks. It provides real-time discovery, monitoring, management, and control for mixed device environments, including servers, desktops, ATMs, kiosks, retail POS systems, mobile devices, cameras, pumps, and sensors. BICS consolidates device and endpoint information into a real-time configuration management database and supports shared commands and workflows across vendors. One central console can manage hundreds of thousands of network elements. Access security includes MAC Layer-2 authentication and IEEE 802.1X, separately or together, with policies for wired and wireless endpoints. BICS can discover and monitor SCADA infrastructure, while Data Centers and Security variants add data-center automation and IT or industrial access controls. Deployment options include cloud, on-premises appliance, virtual on-premises, and multi-tenant implementations. Agentless discovery is available through Auconet ESF, and open APIs can connect visibility data with security systems such as SIEMs, vulnerability tools, and firewalls. Auconet says implementation can take hours, with discovery and visualization beginning immediately.
NACIO
NACIO is network access control software for 802.1X RADIUS authentication, device profiling, compliance enforcement, and captive portals. It supports wired, wireless, and VPN access control and is currently in pre-release, with early access available by request. NACIO can be self-hosted on customer infrastructure or used as a cloud-hosted service. Its built-in RADIUS supports EAP-TLS, PEAP-MSCHAPv2, EAP-TTLS, EAP-FAST, and CHAP. Identity sources include Active Directory, Azure AD/Entra ID, Okta, Google Workspace, SAML 2.0, LDAP/LDAPS, RADIUS proxy, and a local user database. Windows and macOS agents check patch level, antivirus, disk encryption, firewall status, and custom rules before access. NACIO also provides an internal certificate authority, endpoint profiling from DHCP, HTTP user-agent data and network behavior, and guest portals with sponsor approval, verification, social login, and time limits. Licensing uses perpetual per-device licenses tied to a major version, with optional upgrades. Pricing is available on request.