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SPECIFICTION
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Cisco Catalyst Center vs Portnox NAC

Cisco Catalyst Center

cisco.com

Portnox NAC

portnox.com

Side by side

FigureCisco Catalyst CenterPortnox NAC
Price from——
Free plan——
Free trial—Yes
Open source——
WebYesYes
WindowsYesYes
macOSYesYes
LinuxYesYes
iOS—Yes
Android—Yes
APIYesYes
Self-hostedYes—
Plans published21
Spec score · Network Provisioning Software7.8 (#6)7.5 (#8)
Spec score · Network Access Control Software7.8 (#10)7.4 (#15)
Founded19842007
HeadquartersSan Jose, California, United StatesAustin, Texas, United States
IntegrationsCisco documents integrations with ISE, ThousandEyes, Webex, Microsoft Teams, ServiceNow, Infoblox, and BlueCat, plus generic APIs for other ITSM and IPAM systems.The integrations page lists Active Directory, Entra ID, Intune, Jamf, CrowdStrike, SentinelOne, Okta, and a REST API among supported integrations.
PurposeCisco Catalyst Center is a centralized network controller and management dashboard for enterprise network operations.Portnox NAC is a cloud delivered network access control service for hybrid and distributed networks, with real time device visibility, risk based access controls, and automated compliance enforcement.
SecurityCatalyst Center supports FIPS 140-2-compliant cryptography modules, and Cisco recommends deploying it behind a firewall on a private internal network.Portnox states that its data centers have completed a SOC 2 Type II audit and are SSAE16 accredited.
SupportCisco says Catalyst and Cisco DNA software subscriptions include embedded software support and downloads; opening a support case requires a Cisco Service Contract.Portnox advertises global support availability 24x7x365, with regional network professional coverage during local business hours.

Plans

Cisco Catalyst Center

  • Cisco DNA AdvantagePriced on request
  • Cisco DNA EssentialsPriced on request

Cisco Catalyst Center pricing →

Portnox NAC

  • Network Access Control (NAC)Priced on request

Portnox NAC pricing →

In their own words

Cisco Catalyst Center

Cisco Catalyst Center has no write-up on Specifiction yet; its figures are above.

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Portnox NAC

Portnox NAC is a cloud-delivered network access control service for hybrid and distributed networks. It provides device visibility, risk-based access controls, and automated compliance enforcement across wired, wireless, and VPN connections. Administrators can define policies by role, location, device type, and network layer. Authentication options include 802.1X, MAC Authentication Bypass, and passwordless certificates; Portnox can act as a certificate authority or integrate with a third party. The service continuously assesses endpoint risk and can use agentless assessment integrations such as Microsoft Intune. Noncompliant devices can be quarantined or moved to a remediation VLAN, with automated policies able to return endpoints to compliance. Portnox lists integrations including Active Directory, Entra ID, Intune, Jamf, CrowdStrike, SentinelOne, Okta, and a REST API. The service supports RDP, SSH, VNC, and Telnet, along with SIEM log export and session recording. Portnox says its controls can help organizations address HIPAA, GLBA, PCI DSS, and GDPR. A 30-day trial is advertised, but no plan price is listed; subscription terms are 12, 24, or 36 months.

Visit portnox.com