Unlock the Full Potential of Cisco ISE with the Asimily Integration

NAC solutions offer robust network segmentation, microsegmentation, and policy enforcement that can dramatically reduce security risks. Despite this potential, many organizations find themselves stuck in a frustrating pattern: they plan for SDA but never fully use TrustSec, postpone microsegmentation indefinitely, and struggle to implement even basic segmentation policies.

Cisco ISE isn’t the problem – many organizations are missing pieces needed to implement network segmentation successfully.

The Missing Pieces

Cisco DACLs, SDA, and TrustSec are powerful enforcement tools, but they require correct policies that safely reduce risk in order to be effective. Unfortunately, these tools don’t generate policies themselves. This creates several critical roadblocks:

Device Classification Challenges: Organizations struggle to accurately classify devices, especially IoT, OT, and medical devices (IoMT). Without proper device classification, it’s nearly impossible to prioritize vulnerabilities or apply appropriate policies.

Risk Prioritization: Without understanding where to focus efforts on, organizations are stuck in analysis paralysis as they don’t know where to begin or how to prioritize.  

Policy Uncertainty: Network teams often don’t know which policies to apply or how to assign Security Group Tags (SGTs) correctly. The fear of applying overly restrictive rules that could disrupt operations leads to a “we’d rather allow too much than too little” approach.

Assumption-Based Decisions: Communication policies are created on assumptions rather than actual traffic data, resulting in broad, generic DACL policies or SGT permissions that don’t provide meaningful security.

Lack of Measurement: Without clear visibility into what is on the network and what it’s communicating with, organizations can’t determine whether their segmentation efforts are actually achieving their security objectives. 

These crucial gaps result in underutilized TrustSec features, improperly implemented segmentation, and security teams face high coordination effort with uncertain outcomes.

A Better Approach: Asimily + Cisco ISE/SDA

Asimily acts as the policy engine that feeds ISE to bridge the gap between Cisco’s powerful enforcement capabilities and the intelligence needed to use them effectively. We translate raw network behavior into actionable Security Group Tags (SGTs) and DACLs. This integration transforms segmentation from a daunting, risky project into a predictable, explainable process that is crucial to operationalizing ISE.

What Asimily Brings to Intelligent Segmentation

Deep Device Intelligence: Asimily provides comprehensive visibility and accurate classification of all devices in your environment, including device type, IP/MAC address, operating system, manufacturer, device model, device type, firmware level, location, and more. This includes the challenging IoT, OT, and IoMT assets that traditional tools miss.

Risk-Based Prioritization: Not all vulnerable devices pose equal risk. Asimily helps you prioritize which devices need segmentation policies, such as targeted segmentation, precision port blocking, and prioritized business impact, etc., allowing for safe, incremental implementation rather than risky big-bang deployments.

Data-Driven Policies: Instead of guessing at communication patterns, Asimily observes actual traffic between devices and prescribes specific, minimal policies based on real behavior. In addition, Asimily researches data about the devices and attack vectors present in the network. This includes DACL scope, SGACL enforcement, protocol directionality, and distinctions between east-west and north-south traffic.

Clear Status Visibility: Get the current status of your SGACLs and DACLs to understand exactly where you stand and what still needs attention.

Targeted Segmentation: Asimily provides specific policies designed to minimize attack vectors while maintaining operational continuity.

The Combined Value

When Asimily and Cisco ISE/SDA work together, organizations achieve functional and intelligent segmentation:

• DACL policies implemented correctly, with confidence.
• SGTs based on real device types rather than guesswork.
• Communication policies grounded in observed traffic patterns.
• Selective protocol allowances and blocks that balance security with functionality.
• Predictable, explainable microsegmentation that security teams can defend, and business units can understand.

Most importantly, there’s a direct, measurable correlation between segmentation efforts and risk reduction—something that security teams require from a safety and compliance perspective.

Real-World Benefits to Intelligent Segmentation with Asimily and Cisco ISE

One of the core challenges in operationalizing segmentation is that segmentation projects typically involve the coordination of multiple teams, each with unique goals and processes.  Asimily’s integration delivers tangible value across your organization in complex segmentation projects by supporting each unique team’s goals:

For Security Teams: Asimily enables faster segmentation projects, lower risk during design and implementation, less rework after go-live, and stronger, fact-based arguments for critical security decisions.

For Network Administrators: Asimily provides clear guidance on DACL and SGT assignment, confidence in policy implementation, and visibility into the real impact of their work.

For the Broader Business: Through Asimily, organizations realize faster SDA and TrustSec adoption, reduced operational disruption, and measurable security improvements that justify the investment.

For Cisco Partners: Clear differentiation through added value without deviating from Cisco design principles, making it easier to help customers realize the full potential of their ISE investment.

Become SDA Ready with Asimily

If you’re considering or struggling with SDA and TrustSec implementation, it’s time to ask yourself these questions:

• Where are the facts missing today for your segmentation and microsegmentation efforts?
• Do you lack an understanding of the devices or device types that are blocking your ability to apply policies and implement TrustSec?
• How can you prepare and implement policies with minimal risk to operations?

If you don’t have clear, confident answers to these questions, you’re not alone—and you don’t have to figure it out through trial and error.

The combination of Cisco ISE/SDA’s enforcement capabilities and Asimily’s intelligence and insight creates a powerful solution for organizations serious about network security. Instead of allowing too much because you fear allowing too little, you can implement precise, effective segmentation based on real data and measurable outcomes.

Asimily helps you finally connect the dots between risk and how strictly each device should be segmented. By leveraging DACL and TrustSec correctly, you transform segmentation from a theoretical goal into an operational reality.

See the integration in action and learn how Asimily supports segmentation. Request a custom demo today.