The Extreme CloudIQ solution made it possible to centrally manage an asset composed of switches and access points distributed over several sites. It was possible to deploy configurations quickly and easily, thanks to a very intuitive interface. The platform is very easy to use and has a large set of features.
Pros
Configuration deployment
Asset management
Analytics
Cons
Price
License requirement for upgrade
support
Likelihood to Recommend
It is definitely a suitable platform for medium to large enterprises that need to manage a significant number of devices. In this context, it is useful for deployment, management, analytics and for troublesooting. In a small environment for managing few devices it is an extra cost and may not be necessary.
VU
Verified User
Engineer in Information Technology (201-500 employees)
We utilize ExtremeCloud IQ to enroll, manage and deploy our wireless access points district-wide. Being able to utilize a cloud-based management system removes the need for locally-managed controllers within each building, and also makes pushing out updated configuration changes a breeze! Checking out the hardware and configuration health of each individual AP is also incredibly simplistic, and takes no time at all.
Pros
Rapidly deploying new access points with existing configurations
Viewing device health for access point hardware as well as configuration compliance
Spectrum-Analysis can be performed on each individual access point - which can show you what other SSIDs may be causing wireless conflicts in/near a building you manage
Next-Day RMA replacement for dead/failed devices
Online or phone support with GTAC team for any/all issues you may experience with their products
Cons
Licensing as a whole is a nightmare. If you have a device RMA'd - you have to email their licensing team to have the device license transferred to your new hardware. Licensing renewals are also a pain, as oftentimes they don't have the licenses correctly tied to each device you own. Definitely the biggest issue I have with ExtremeCloud IQ Networks
Hardware is tied to you once you purchase it, so there is no resale market/secondary market for the devices you purchase - should you try to sell them when they're end of life within your organization
Likelihood to Recommend
ExtremeCloud IQ is definitely best suited for a mid/large-scale business. The tools provided for what you pay for would be mostly unnecessary for a small business - the pricing also would not condone the purchase for a small business. That said, we are more of a mid-sized district, and being able to manage this system with 120 APs deployed across 10 locations has been great. I'm the only person that purchases, configures, deploys and manages everything with ExtremeCloud IQ - and it doesn't take too much time to be able to do so. I'm certainly a fan of the product!
VU
Verified User
Administrator in Information Technology (201-500 employees)
We love the cloud capability, ease of upgrades, and private PSK capability for managing our IOT. Our area has spotty cell reception, and using Wi-Fi for calling has allowed us to keep communication open.
Pros
Private PSK makes security easier to implement.
XIQ Companion Mobile App, allows easy onboarding and control of wireless from anywhere.
Great Auditing capability and easy resolution of problems.
Air Defense Essentials provides a strong security framework other providers just don't have.
Real-Time Heat Maps allow for easy reconfiguration of a room and allow optimization of the wireless for a better experience.
Cons
XIQ Refreshes could be enhanced for closer to on-prem experience.
Client Data polling interval needs to be quicker, 10 minutes.
Full feature parity of switch management in XIQ.
Likelihood to Recommend
Well-suited for High-density environments. Less Appropriate in Extreme Switch-only environments.
VU
Verified User
C-Level Executive in Information Technology (11-50 employees)
Extreme Cloud IQ manages switches and a wide range of APs. Notably, the flexibility of the PPSK feature allows for the isolation of various user profiles as required. This provides the security of 802.1x, which is not available to us. Some offices have a high number of clients connected, so the SDR feature, which provides a second 5GHz radio channel, is extremely valuable, effectively doubling the capacity when in most situations, the 2.4GHz radio would be disabled.
Pros
GTAC support is excellent; they understand the issue and do not hesitate to help in detail.
The layout is very intuitive and easy to use, especially the templating of switch port types. It makes it simple to use context-based names so the purpose of the port can be understood.
The auto channel selection now works very well, including the SDR dual 5GHz mode.
Cons
The XIQ cloud updates occasionally resulted in a small outage for some customers, but Extreme has been able to roll back the change each time.
The near WiFi-6E APs will include dual 5GHz radios. Currently, these allow 1x5 and 1x6 GHz but not 2x5GHz.
On Quick onboarding devices, go back to the more straightforward option, which did not require the location to be set as a default requirement. When location is needed to be specified, it prevents the area from being assigned via a subnet under auto-provisioning.
Likelihood to Recommend
In complex environments where redundancy is required or a high density of client devices is in use. It is helpful to small enterprises with limited IT staff, as once the auto-provisioning is set up with AP templates, it means APs can be installed by non-IT staff. Licensing can be complex due to all the models, but the ability for co-term licenses to end on the same expiry is essential.
