Cisco Identity Services Engine Plus - 1000 Endpoint - 3 Year Subscription License

Elevate your network security with Cisco Identity Services Engine Plus, a comprehensive identity-based access control solution designed for modern enterprises. This 3-year subscription license covers up to 1,000 endpoints, enabling centralized policy management, real-time visibility, and automated enforcement across wired, wireless, and VPN connections. Built to scale with your organization, ISE Plus seamlessly integrates with your existing Cisco security stack, delivering a unified approach to access control, posture assessment, and guest management. With this license, IT and security teams gain the agility to define, enforce, and audit who can connect, from where, and under what conditions — dramatically reducing risk while simplifying operations.

ISE Plus combines advanced profiling, contextual authentication, and dynamic authorization to enforce the principle of least privilege. The solution blends robust security with a user-friendly administration experience, ensuring consistent policy application across campus networks, branch offices, and remote locations. By turning identity into the primary control plane, organizations can rapidly adapt to evolving threats, remote work scenarios, and regulatory requirements without sacrificing performance or user experience. This 1000-endpoint license is ideal for mid-market to large enterprises seeking a scalable NAC platform that evolves with their security strategy.

What makes Cisco Identity Services Engine Plus essential for your security strategy

• Centralized, policy-driven access control: ISE Plus acts as a single source of truth for authentication and authorization. It supports 802.1X, MAC Authentication Bypass (MAB), and web-based captive portal options, enabling precise control over who and what can access your network. With policy workflows that adjust in real time based on user role, device type, and posture, you can enforce least-privilege access without slowing down legitimate operations.
• Comprehensive device profiling and visibility: The platform automatically identifies devices on your network, classifies them by type and trust level, and maintains an up-to-date inventory. Device profiling enhances threat detection and simplifies risk assessment by providing context for each endpoint, from corporate laptops to BYOD smartphones. This visibility forms a strong foundation for automated responses and policy decisions.
• Secure guest access and BYOD experiences: ISE Plus streamlines guest provisioning with self-service and sponsor-driven workflows, preserving security while delivering a smooth user experience. BYOD adoption is supported through device posture checks and controlled access, helping your guests and employees connect securely without compromising corporate data.
• Policy-based segmentation and enforcement across wired and wireless networks: Enforce granular access control policies that span campus switches, Wi-Fi controllers, and VPN endpoints. Dynamic ACLs and VLAN assignment ensure devices are segmented according to identity and posture, reducing lateral movement opportunities for potential attackers while maintaining seamless connectivity for compliant endpoints.
• Lifecycle management, analytics, and integration: The Plus license includes analytics-driven insights, reporting, and integration with your security ecosystem via APIs and standard protocols. Licensing and policy lifecycle management simplify ongoing maintenance, renewals, and upgrades, providing a predictable path for security investment and compliance.

Technical Details of Cisco Identity Services Engine Plus - 1000 Endpoint - 3 Year

• License type: Subscription
• Endpoints covered: 1,000
• Contract duration: 3 years
• Deployment model: On-premises or virtual appliance, with centralized management
• Platform compatibility: Cisco Identity Services Engine family; integrates with Cisco switches, wireless LAN controllers, and VPN solutions; supports directory services such as Active Directory/LDAP
• Core capabilities included: Identity-based authentication and authorization, device profiling, posture assessment, guest services, BYOD support, and policy enforcement
• Security and compliance features: Real-time posture evaluation, dynamic access control, and auditable policy actions to support regulatory requirements
• Support for ecosystems: API access for automation, integration with Cisco SecureX and other security platforms
• Updates and renewals: Software updates and security patches included for the term of the license

How to install Cisco Identity Services Engine Plus

Installing Cisco Identity Services Engine Plus involves planning, deployment, and ongoing policy tuning to ensure optimal protection with minimal disruption. Below is a high-level guide to help you prepare and implement the solution effectively.

• Plan and prerequisites: Confirm your deployment model (on-premises or virtual), verify hardware or virtual resources meet ISE requirements, and establish network routes to capture authentication events. Prepare your identity stores (Active Directory/LDAP), DNS and certificate infrastructure, and ensure time synchronization across devices for accurate logging and policy enforcement.
• Acquire and apply the license: Obtain the 1000-endpoint, 3-year ISE Plus subscription license from your Cisco procurement channel and apply it within the ISE management console. Validate that the license is recognized and available for endpoint enrollment. This ensures you can begin provisioning devices and applying policies immediately.
• Deploy the ISE appliance or virtual instance: Install the ISE platform on your chosen hardware or virtual environment. Configure network interfaces, management access, and high-availability settings if required. Prepare a dedicated management subnet with proper security controls to isolate administrative traffic from user data.
• Establish identity stores and certificates: Integrate ISE with directory services (such as Active Directory) to enable user authentication and group-based policies. Import trusted certificates for APs, switches, VPN gateways, and other network devices to enable secure communications and mutual authentication.
• Create and tune access policies: Build identity-based policies that determine who can access which network resources under what conditions. Include authentication methods (802.1X, MAB, captive portal), device posture checks, and posture remediation flows. Test policies in a controlled environment before full rollout to minimize impact on end users.
• Enforce policy on devices and networks: Onboard switches, wireless controllers, and VPN endpoints to enforce ISE policies. Apply dynamic VLANs, ACLs, or security group tags as appropriate, and configure guest portals, sponsor approvals, and BYOD workflows where needed.
• Monitor, tune, and optimize: Use ISE dashboards and reports to monitor authentication attempts, posture results, and policy outcomes. Continuously refine policies based on observed behavior, evolving threat intelligence, and changes in the network or user base.
• Plan for renewal and expansion: As organizational needs grow, consider licensing upgrades or additional endpoints. Maintain compliance with the 3-year term and schedule renewals before expiration to ensure uninterrupted protection and policy continuity.

Frequently asked questions

• Q: What does the Cisco Identity Services Engine Plus license cover?
  A: It covers up to 1,000 endpoints for a 3-year term, providing centralized identity-based access control, device profiling, posture assessment, guest services, BYOD support, and policy enforcement across wired, wireless, and VPN connections.
• Q: Can I deploy ISE Plus on-premises, in a virtual environment, or both?
  A: ISE Plus is designed for flexible deployment, including on-premises hardware appliances or virtual instances, to fit your data center strategy and scalability needs.
• Q: What networks and devices does ISE Plus protect?
  A: ISE Plus protects wired switches, wireless access points, VPN gateways, and other network devices by enforcing identity-based access policies, device posture, and segmentation across the enterprise.
• Q: How do I renew or upgrade the license after 3 years?
  A: Renewal and potential upgrades are managed through Cisco's licensing channels. Plan ahead by coordinating with your Cisco channel partner to renew the subscription and, if needed, scale to a larger endpoint count or feature set as your organization evolves.
• Q: What are the key benefits of using ISE Plus for enterprise security?
  A: The primary benefits include centralized policy management, improved visibility into devices and users, stronger access control, reduced attack surface through segmentation, streamlined guest and BYOD experiences, and the ability to automate compliance and reporting at scale.