Aruba ClearPass
Aruba ClearPass is a comprehensive network access control solution providing secure visibility, policy enforcement, and automated device profiling across wired, wireless, and virtual private network infrastructures for your organization.
Tailscale
Tailscale is a zero-config VPN software that creates secure mesh networks between your devices and cloud resources using the WireGuard protocol to simplify remote access and internal connectivity.
Quick Comparison
| Feature | Aruba ClearPass | Tailscale |
|---|---|---|
| Website | arubanetworks.com | tailscale.com |
| Pricing Model | Custom | Freemium |
| Starting Price | Custom Pricing | Free |
| FREE Trial | ✘ No free trial | ✓ 0 days free trial |
| Free Plan | ✘ No free plan | ✓ Has free plan |
| Product Demo | ✓ Request demo here | ✓ Request demo here |
| Deployment | ||
| Integrations | ||
| Target Users | ||
| Target Industries | ||
| Customer Count | 0 | 0 |
| Founded Year | 2002 | 2019 |
| Headquarters | Santa Clara, USA | Toronto, Canada |
Overview
Aruba ClearPass
Aruba ClearPass gives you complete control over who and what connects to your network. You can automatically identify every device—from smartphones and laptops to specialized IoT hardware—and apply precise security policies based on user roles or device types. This ensures that only authorized users access sensitive data while guest users remain safely isolated.
You can simplify your security operations by replacing manual configuration with automated workflows. The platform works across any vendor's networking hardware, allowing you to maintain consistent security standards without being locked into specific brands. Whether you are managing a single office or a global enterprise, you can monitor connection health and remediate non-compliant devices in real-time to prevent potential breaches.
Tailscale
Tailscale makes creating a secure network between your computers, servers, and cloud instances as easy as installing an app. It builds a private mesh network—called a tailnet—that connects your devices directly to each other using the WireGuard protocol. This means you can access your home office computer from a coffee shop or connect to a private database in the cloud without managing complex firewall rules or centralized VPN gateways.
You can manage identity and access through your existing providers like Google, Microsoft 365, or GitHub, ensuring that only authorized users can reach your sensitive resources. It handles the difficult parts of networking, like NAT traversal and key rotation, automatically in the background. Whether you are a developer connecting to a local test environment or an enterprise securing thousands of endpoints, it provides a stable, encrypted connection that works across any provider or location.
Overview
Aruba ClearPass Features
- Device Profiling Identify and categorize every device on your network automatically so you can see exactly what is connecting in real-time.
- Guest Access Management Create secure portals for visitors and contractors to access the internet without compromising your internal corporate data or systems.
- Role-Based Access Control Assign specific permissions to users based on their job function to ensure they only access the resources they actually need.
- Automated Remediation Quarantine unhealthy or non-compliant devices automatically and provide clear instructions to users on how to fix security issues.
- Onboard Configuration Enable your employees to securely configure their own personal devices for network use through a simple, automated self-service portal.
- Security Exchange Share contextual data with your firewalls and endpoint security tools to create a coordinated defense across your entire infrastructure.
Tailscale Features
- Zero-Config Mesh VPN. Connect your devices directly to one another without manual port forwarding or complex firewall rules.
- Single Sign-On Integration. Use your existing identity providers like Google, Microsoft 365, or Okta to authenticate users and devices.
- MagicDNS. Access your devices using short, easy-to-remember names instead of tracking changing IP addresses across your network.
- Tailscale SSH. Manage SSH access to your servers using your tailnet identity instead of distributing and rotating static SSH keys.
- Split DNS. Configure specific DNS servers for different domains so your internal queries stay private while public traffic flows normally.
- Exit Nodes. Route all your internet traffic through a specific trusted device on your network to stay secure on public Wi-Fi.
- Subnet Routers. Expose entire existing networks to your tailnet so you can access legacy devices that cannot run the software.
- Access Control Lists. Define granular security policies in code to restrict which users can access specific devices or ports.
Pricing Comparison
Aruba ClearPass Pricing
Tailscale Pricing
- Up to 3 users
- Up to 100 devices
- MagicDNS
- Tailscale SSH
- Community support
- Admin console access
- Everything in Personal, plus:
- Up to 10 users included
- User & group management
- Basic access control lists
- Email support
- 1 identity provider
Pros & Cons
Aruba ClearPass
Pros
- Unmatched visibility into IoT and unmanaged devices
- Works seamlessly across multi-vendor networking hardware
- Highly granular policy creation for complex environments
- Reliable performance in high-density enterprise deployments
Cons
- Initial setup and configuration require specialized expertise
- Interface can feel overwhelming for novice administrators
- Licensing structure is complex and difficult to track
Tailscale
Pros
- Extremely simple setup process for all devices
- Reliable connectivity even behind strict firewalls
- Generous free tier for personal projects
- Minimal impact on system performance and battery
- Seamless integration with existing identity providers
Cons
- Requires a third-party identity provider login
- Limited advanced routing features for complex setups
- Mobile app can occasionally drain battery
- Admin console lacks some deep auditing logs