Best Network Segmentation Tools 2026

Updated November 2026.

Five network segmentation tools scored on network visibility, risk prioritization, zone and policy design, testing and rollout, and NAC and firewall enforcement.

Introduction

Network segmentation divides a network into zones and controls which assets can reach each other across them, so an attacker who compromises one device cannot move freely to the rest. NIST’s OT security guide, SP 800-82 Rev. 3, recommends this zoned approach for operational networks. It’s one of two major families of segmentation: host-based and network-based. A network segmentation tool maps assets and traffic, proposes zones and policy, and applies that policy through VLANs, access control lists (ACLs), network access control (NAC) platforms, firewalls, or switches.

Network segmentation tools require visibility that goes beyond an IP and MAC address; they must deeply understand the nuances of thousands of device types, including their function, family, manufacturer, and firmware.

Many organizations have a segmentation policy plan, some even written. But many are afraid to enforce it for fear of blocking legitimate functions and creating an operational failure. Further, VLANs multiply, ACLs grow until nobody dares edit them, and the NAC that could enforce a policy sits in authentication-only mode. Cisco’s 2025 Segmentation Report found that 79% of organizations call segmentation a priority and only 33% have fully implemented it.

Quick Answer: The Best Network Segmentation Tools in 2026

The best network segmentation tools in 2026 are Asimily (2.8), Ordr (2.2), Forescout (2.0), and Claroty and Elisity (tied at 1.7), scored 1.0 to 3.0 on network visibility, risk prioritization, zone and policy design, testing and rollout, and NAC and firewall enforcement. Asimily publishes this ranking and ranks itself first based on this methodology. Validate any tool in your own environment based on your own needs, preferences, and criteria.

• Asimily (2.8): Best for teams that want segmentation policy built from an exploitability-ranked inventory, tested on real traffic, and pushed through the NACs and firewalls already in place.
• Ordr (2.2): Best for segmentation-centric converged networks that want AI-generated policy applied through existing firewalls, NACs, switches, and wireless controllers, for teams that prioritize segmentation over other mitigations such as patching.
• Forescout (2.0): Best for organizations that want discovery and enforcement from one vendor, with Forescout’s own NAC assigning VLANs and ACLs at the switch, and are not using their switch fabric vendor’s NAC.
• Claroty (1.7, tie): Best for cyber-physical environments that want macro segmentation policy tied to deep industrial protocol visibility.
• Elisity (1.7, tie): Best for campus and facility networks that want identity-based policy enforced directly on supported switches.

How We Ranked Network Segmentation Tools

Ratings draw on Asimily’s competitive research and discussions with prospects and customers, plus public vendor documentation and dated news coverage. Where no public source addresses a checklist item for a vendor rated from public documents, the item is left out of that vendor’s coverage rather than counted against it. Competitor details reflect public information as of November 2026.

Testing and rollout (25%) and NAC and firewall enforcement (25%) carry half the weight because segmentation projects typically stall when a policy cannot be shown safe or cannot be deployed through the enforcement points a network already has.

1. Network Visibility (15%): Passive monitoring and safe active querying, deep packet inspection and network flow analysis, detailed classification of IoT and OT devices, native data gathering vs. hidden cost of importing and operating another visibility platform, and ecosystem integrations.
2. Risk Prioritization (15%): MITRE ATT&CK-based classification, ATT&CK analysis for each vulnerability, vulnerability and threat prioritization, and targeted segmentation recommendations for legacy assets.
3. Zone and Policy Design (20%): Asset grouping, AI-based grouping and policy creation, policy compression, and policies that adapt as devices change instead of static ACLs.
4. Testing and Rollout (25%): Simulation of policy effects before segments change, a view of security groups with simulation or active status, an enforcement plan preview before commit, and segmentation without re-addressing devices.
5. NAC and Firewall Enforcement (25%): A view of every policy applied at NACs and firewalls, switch-level enforcement, integration with existing NACs and firewalls, and anomaly policies that notify or quarantine.

Each criterion maps to a fixed checklist of capabilities, and a tool’s level comes from how much of that checklist it covers natively. Advanced (3 pts) means 80% or more, Strong (2 pts) means 50% to 79%, and Moderate (1 pt) means below 50%. The score is the weighted average of points, from 1.0 to 3.0. The ranking does not score price, host-agent enforcement, or cloud workload controls.

2026 Network Segmentation Tool Rankings

Asimily ranks first at 2.8, leading the next-ranked tool by one tier on Risk Prioritization, Zone and Policy Design, and Testing and Rollout, followed by Ordr (2.2), Forescout (2.0), and Claroty and Elisity (tied at 1.7). Asimily rates Strong rather than Advanced on NAC and Firewall Enforcement because it has no switch-level enforcement of its own.

Rank	Tool	Score	Visibility	Risk Prioritization	Zone and Policy Design	Testing and Rollout	NAC and Firewall Enforcement
1	Asimily	2.8	Advanced	Advanced	Advanced	Advanced	Strong
2	Ordr	2.2	Advanced	Strong	Strong	Strong	Strong
3	Forescout	2.0	Advanced	Moderate	Strong	Strong	Strong
4 (tie)	Claroty	1.7	Advanced	Strong	Moderate	Moderate	Strong
4 (tie)	Elisity	1.7	Moderate	Moderate	Advanced	Strong	Moderate

How Each Tool Enforces Network Segmentation Policy

The tools differ most in where policy is enforced, whether each device needs an agent, and how policy is tested first.

Tool	Enforcement Point	Agent on Each Device	Testing Before Enforcement
Asimily	Existing NACs and firewalls, such as Cisco ISE and FortiGate	No	Policy Simulation on real traffic, then an Enforcement Plan
Claroty	Existing NACs and firewalls	No	No policy simulation found in public sources
Elisity	Supported switches through Virtual Edge	No	Policies saved as simulations
Forescout	Its own NAC at the switch, plus firewall modules	No	eyeSegment validation against live traffic
Ordr	Firewalls, NACs, switches, and wireless controllers	No	Connection matrix with built-in simulation

Vendor Profiles

Asimily

Asimily is an asset protection platform for assets including IoT, OT, middleware, AI agents, servers, endpoints, and more, and it treats network segmentation as one of many asset security features. The inventory comes first, built with deep packet inspection, machine learning classification against well over 10,000,000 observed devices and profiles, and over 150 correlated sources. VLAN View shows which device families share each VLAN, and ATT&CK Analysis ranks assets by exploitability, so teams can segment the riskiest groups first. Segmentation Orchestration generates policy from observed traffic as DACLs, SGACLs on Cisco ISE, or as firewall rules for platforms such as FortiGate. Policy Simulation records what a policy would block on real traffic, and an Enforcement Plan lists each deployment step for review. Asimily has no switch-level enforcement of its own. Rated 4.9 out of 5 on Gartner Peer Insights (55 reviews, October 2026).*

*Gartner Peer Insights content consists of the opinions of individual end users based on their own experiences, and should not be construed as statements of fact, nor do they represent the views of Gartner or its affiliates. Gartner does not endorse any vendor, product or service depicted in this content nor makes any warranties, expressed or implied, with respect to this content, about its accuracy or completeness, including any warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose.

Claroty

Claroty xDome is a SaaS platform for cyber-physical systems security, and Claroty also offers separate on-premises software. Discovery combines passive monitoring with deep industrial protocol coverage, and Visibility Orchestration, added in April 2026 (SecurityBrief), shows where asset data is incomplete. xDome creates macro segmentation policy and applies it to existing NACs and firewalls (Claroty), and xDome Secure Access controls third-party and vendor connections to cyber-physical assets. Team82 research informs exposure management and threat detection, which includes signature-based alerts and a MITRE ATT&CK matrix view.

Elisity

Elisity is a cloud-managed, identity-based microsegmentation platform that enforces policy on the switches a network already runs. Virtual Edge components run on supported Cisco, Juniper, Arista, HPE Aruba, and Hirschmann switches, so devices are grouped and restricted by identity attributes rather than by VLAN or IP address. Policies can be saved as simulations before enforcement, and Elisity states that its approach needs no endpoint agents. IonQ announced an agreement to acquire Elisity on October 12, 2026, with closing expected in the fourth quarter.

Forescout

Forescout Vistaro, renamed from the Forescout 4D Platform in June 2026, combines network access control, segmentation, and exposure management across IoT, OT, and IT. eyeSegment maps traffic flows into zones and validates policies against live traffic before activation. Forescout’s own NAC then enforces policy by assigning devices to VLANs or applying ACLs at the switch (Forescout), rather than through a NAC a team already runs. Its multifactor risk score weighs configuration, function, and behavior, and the platform deploys as appliances, virtual machines, or containers.

Ordr

Ordr AI Protect for Segmentation generates least-privilege policy from observed device behavior and groups devices by function, role, and risk. A connection matrix with built-in simulation shows the impact of each policy before an analyst approves it. Policies are applied through existing firewalls, NACs such as Cisco ISE and Aruba ClearPass, switches, and wireless controllers, so enforcement does not depend on a single NAC. Ordr describes its discovery as passive and agentless, and Ordr IQ, announced in March 2026, generates and validates segmentation policy.

Best Network Segmentation Tools for Teams With an Existing NAC and Firewalls

For teams that have already deployed a NAC and internal firewalls and need segmentation policy to run through them, these tools fit best:

1. Asimily: Generates policy in the native format of the NAC or firewall, including DACLs and Cisco SGACLs, and deploys it through the existing integration after review.
2. Ordr: Applies AI-generated policy through existing firewalls, NACs such as Cisco ISE and Aruba ClearPass, and switches.
3. Claroty: Creates macro segmentation policy in xDome and applies it to existing NACs and firewalls.

Asimily has no switch-level enforcement of its own, so it fits teams where a NAC or firewall already sits at the enforcement point.

Best Network Segmentation Tools for Organizations Without a NAC

For teams that have not deployed a NAC, or want enforcement from the same platform that maps the network, these tools fit best:

1. Forescout: Brings its own NAC, which assigns devices to VLANs or applies ACLs at the switch.
2. Elisity: Enforces on supported switches through Virtual Edge components, without a NAC or endpoint agents.
3. Ordr: Applies policy through firewalls, switches, and wireless controllers, so enforcement does not depend on a NAC.

Asimily enforces through an existing NAC or firewall, so it fits teams that already run one or plan to deploy one.

Best Network Segmentation Tools for Moving Beyond VLANs and Static ACLs

For teams whose VLAN and ACL projects have stopped scaling or need more security overlaid on VLANs that were set up for management ease only, these tools fit best:

1. Asimily: VLAN View shows VLANs that mix device families, and policy generated from observed traffic applies to each device through the NAC instead of through a port or subnet.
2. Elisity: Builds policy groups from identity attributes rather than VLANs or IP addresses.
3. Forescout: eyeSegment maps traffic flows into zones before rules are written, and its NAC assigns VLANs or applies ACLs for each device.

Asimily keeps VLANs for broad boundaries and adds device-level policy on top, so existing VLAN design does not have to be redone.

Also Evaluated

The following tools were also evaluated as part of this research without receiving numerical scores:

• Akamai Guardicore Segmentation: Best for process-level microsegmentation of data center and cloud workloads (SiliconANGLE).
• Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) and Cisco Secure Workload: Best for Cisco networks that want ISE to authenticate devices and apply access policy, and Secure Workload to segment servers and workloads.
• Zscaler: Best for Zscaler customers extending Zero Trust to branch and facility devices (SecurityWeek).

Bottom Line

Choose a network segmentation tool by where enforcement will happen. Teams that already run a NAC or internal firewalls need a tool that builds and tests policy for those enforcement points, while teams without one can enforce through a vendor’s own NAC or through supported switches. Whichever path fits, test each policy against real traffic long enough to catch monthly and seasonal flows before it blocks anything. Asimily fits teams that want policy built from an exploitability-ranked inventory and pushed through the NACs and firewalls they already run.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What Is the Best Network Segmentation Tool in 2026?

Asimily ranks first among the five network segmentation tools scored here, at 2.8 out of 3.0, followed by Ordr (2.2), Forescout (2.0), and Claroty and Elisity (tied at 1.7). The right choice depends on the enforcement point: Forescout brings its own NAC, Elisity enforces on supported switches, and Ordr spans firewalls, NACs, and switches. Asimily works through the NACs and firewalls a team already runs. Asimily publishes this ranking.

What Is a Network Segmentation Tool?

A network segmentation tool divides a network into zones and controls which assets can reach each other across them, then applies that policy through VLANs, ACLs, firewalls, NACs, or switches. For example, building cameras might reach only their video server. Limiting traffic this way helps keep one compromised device from becoming a path to the rest of the network. Asimily builds segmentation policy from its inventory of IoT, OT, and IT assets.

What Is the Difference Between Network Segmentation and Microsegmentation?

Network segmentation divides a network into zones, such as one VLAN for building systems and another for corporate laptops, and controls traffic between them. Microsegmentation goes further and limits each asset, or a small group of assets, to the connections its function requires, even inside a zone. Many programs start with broad zones and add device-level policy where risk is highest. Asimily keeps existing VLANs and adds device-level policy through the NAC.

How Do VLANs, ACLs, and NAC-Based Segmentation Differ?

VLANs separate devices into broadcast domains, ACLs allow or block traffic by address and port, and NAC-based segmentation assigns policy to a device when it authenticates. VLANs do not necessarily provide the security of segmentation, depending on how they were set up. VLANs and static ACLs are tied to ports and subnets, so they multiply as networks change, while NAC policy follows the device wherever it connects. Asimily generates policy for the NAC or firewall already in place.

What Are DACLs, SGACLs, and Group Based ACLs?

Downloadable ACLs (DACLs) are access lists a NAC sends to a switch when a device authenticates. On Cisco ISE, Security Group ACLs (SGACLs) filter traffic between Security Groups, and TrustSec is part of ISE rather than a separate product. Other NACs call the same idea Group Based ACLs. Asimily can generate DACLs, Security Groups, and Group Based ACLs, and SGACLs on Cisco ISE, from observed device traffic.

Do You Need a NAC for Network Segmentation?

No, but a NAC is a common enforcement point for device-level segmentation and ease of management. Firewalls enforce between zones, and some tools enforce on supported switches or through wireless controllers instead. The choice usually follows what the network already runs, and teams without a NAC should weigh the cost of deploying one against enforcing through firewalls. Asimily works through existing NACs and firewalls.

Where Do NAC Platforms Fit in Network Segmentation?

NAC platforms such as Cisco ISE, Aruba ClearPass, and FortiNAC are enforcement points rather than segmentation planners, so they are not ranked here. They authenticate devices and can often apply the access policy assigned to them, and segmentation tools supply that policy. On Cisco ISE, Asimily can push DACLs and SGACLs. With Aruba ClearPass, it can quarantine devices and share device context, and with FortiNAC it can quarantine devices. Licensing may affect how much of a NAC’s features are accessible.

Why Does Network Segmentation Stall?

Network segmentation usually stalls at enforcement, often because the NAC was deployed for authentication and never used for policy. Other common causes are an incomplete asset inventory, VLANs and ACLs that grow faster than anyone can review, and policy that cannot be tested before it blocks traffic. Asimily’s Policy Simulation shows what a policy would block on real traffic before it takes effect.

See how Asimily turns network segmentation policy into tested rules for your existing NAC and firewalls

[Related: Network Segmentation FAQ: Building, Deploying, and Maintaining Segmentation Policy]

[Related: Best Microsegmentation Tools 2026]

[Related: Best Zero Trust Security Platforms 2026 Rankings]

[Related: Forescout vs Asimily: 2026 Comparison]

[Related: Elisity vs Asimily: 2026 Comparison]

Sources

• Cisco 2025 Segmentation Report: 79% priority, 33% fully implemented
• Asimily on Gartner Peer Insights (4.9, 55 reviews, October 2026)
• Forescout eyeSegment (accessed October 29, 2026); Forescout NAC page (accessed October 29, 2026)
• Forescout Vistaro rename, June 24, 2026
• Elisity integrations overview; Elisity Policy Simulation
• IonQ to acquire Elisity, SEC 8-K Ex. 99.1 (October 12, 2026)
• Ordr AI Protect for Segmentation; Ordr IQ, Newsfile release, March 24, 2026
• Claroty policy enforcement through partners; Claroty Visibility Orchestration (April 2026)
• Also Evaluated: Akamai Guardicore AI (SiliconANGLE, March 24, 2026); Cisco Secure Workload and Zscaler