BeyondTrust vs Hewlett Packard Enterprise: A Comprehensive Security Solution Comparison

In today’s rapidly evolving cybersecurity landscape, organizations face increasingly sophisticated threats that target vulnerabilities across their IT infrastructure. The proliferation of remote work, cloud adoption, and expanding attack surfaces has made robust security solutions more critical than ever. Two major players in this space—BeyondTrust and Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE)—offer comprehensive security portfolios aimed at addressing these challenges. This in-depth analysis compares their approaches to endpoint security, privileged access management, and vulnerability protection to help security leaders make informed decisions for their organizations.

Understanding the Security Landscape: Why Privileged Access and Endpoint Protection Matter

Before diving into the specific offerings from BeyondTrust and HPE, it’s crucial to understand why privileged access management (PAM) and endpoint security have become fundamental components of modern cybersecurity strategies. According to Verizon’s 2022 Data Breach Investigations Report, compromised credentials remain one of the primary vectors for data breaches, with privileged accounts being particularly attractive targets for attackers.

Privileged accounts provide elevated access to critical systems, applications, and data. When these accounts are compromised, attackers can move laterally across networks, escalate privileges, and exfiltrate sensitive information while avoiding detection. Similarly, endpoints (laptops, desktops, mobile devices, servers) represent the expanded perimeter of modern networks and are frequently targeted in initial attack stages.

Both BeyondTrust and HPE have developed comprehensive solutions to address these critical security domains, albeit with different approaches, strengths, and specializations.

Company Overview: Background and Market Positioning

BeyondTrust: The Privileged Access Management Specialist

BeyondTrust is an American cybersecurity company that has established itself as a leader in the privileged access management and vulnerability management space. Founded in 1985 as Symark International, the company has evolved through various acquisitions and rebranding to become one of the most recognized names in the PAM market.

BeyondTrust’s core philosophy centers on the principle of least privilege—ensuring users and systems operate with the minimum level of access necessary to perform their functions. Their solutions span several key security domains:

• Privileged Access Management: Controlling, monitoring, and securing privileged accounts
• Endpoint Privilege Management: Removing excessive end-user privileges while maintaining productivity
• Remote Access Management: Securing remote support and access for employees and vendors
• Vulnerability Management: Identifying, prioritizing, and remediating security vulnerabilities

BeyondTrust’s Platform approach integrates these capabilities to provide visibility and control across an organization’s entire privileged account landscape. The company serves over 20,000 customers globally, including more than half of the Fortune 100 companies.

Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE): The Tech Conglomerate Approach

Hewlett Packard Enterprise emerged in 2015 when the original Hewlett-Packard Company split into two separate entities—HP Inc. (focused on personal computers and printers) and HPE (focused on enterprise hardware, software, and services). As a broader technology provider, HPE offers security solutions as part of its comprehensive portfolio of IT infrastructure, services, and networking products.

HPE’s security offerings come primarily through its Aruba Networks division (acquired in 2015) and various security technologies developed internally or through acquisitions. Unlike BeyondTrust, which specializes almost exclusively in privileged access and vulnerability management, HPE’s security solutions are components of a broader enterprise technology strategy.

Key security offerings from HPE include:

• Aruba ClearPass: Network access control and policy management
• HP Wolf Security: Endpoint security solutions
• HP Anyware: Remote access and collaboration tools
• HPE Security Services: Professional and managed security services

HPE positions its security solutions as integral components of an organization’s broader digital transformation initiatives rather than as standalone security products.

Product Comparison: Core Offerings and Capabilities

Endpoint Security: BeyondTrust Endpoint Privilege Management vs. HP Wolf Security

Endpoint security represents one of the most direct points of comparison between BeyondTrust and HPE, with both companies offering solutions designed to protect devices from modern threats.

BeyondTrust Endpoint Privilege Management (EPM)

BeyondTrust EPM focuses specifically on managing privileges at the endpoint level. Its core functionality revolves around implementing least privilege policies while balancing security with user productivity. The solution includes:

• Application Control: Whitelist/blacklist applications and control which can run with elevated privileges
• Privilege Management: Remove admin rights from end users while allowing specific applications to run with elevated permissions
• Just-in-Time Access: Provide temporary elevated privileges for specific tasks
• Vulnerability-Based Application Management: Integrate vulnerability data to make risk-based decisions about application privileges

A key differentiator for BeyondTrust EPM is its granularity in privilege management. Rather than using a binary approach (admin vs. non-admin), the solution allows for fine-grained control over which applications receive elevated privileges and under what circumstances.

Let’s examine a code example of how BeyondTrust EPM’s policy might be implemented:

<Policy Name="Standard User Policy">
    <Rule ApplicationPattern="C:\Windows\System32\cmd.exe" Action="Elevate" JustificationRequired="True">
        <Authentication Type="UserCredentials" TimeLimit="1h"/>
        <Auditing RecordKeystrokes="True" RecordApplicationOutput="True"/>
    </Rule>
    <Rule ApplicationPattern="*.msi" Action="AllowWithApproval">
        <ApprovalWorkflow Type="Manager"/>
    </Rule>
    <Rule ApplicationPattern="C:\Program Files\*\*.exe" Action="Allow"/>
</Policy>

HP Wolf Security

HP Wolf Security takes a broader approach to endpoint protection, focusing on hardware-enforced security and isolation technologies. Key capabilities include:

• Sure Click Enterprise: Application isolation and containment technology that creates micro-virtual machines to isolate potential threats
• Sure Sense: AI-based malware prevention
• Sure Recover: Automated recovery from malware attacks
• Sure Admin: BIOS-level authentication and access controls

HP Wolf Security differentiates itself through its hardware-based approach to security. Being developed by a major hardware manufacturer, Wolf Security can integrate security features at the BIOS and hardware level, providing protections that are difficult for attackers to bypass.

A notable architectural difference is that while BeyondTrust EPM focuses on controlling what applications can do with privileges, Wolf Security emphasizes isolating applications from the core system and each other, thereby limiting the potential impact of malicious code.

Comparative Analysis

Feature	BeyondTrust EPM	HP Wolf Security
Primary Security Approach	Least privilege enforcement	Application isolation and containment
Hardware Integration	Software-based	Deep hardware integration (BIOS, hardware-level)
Target Threat Vectors	Privilege escalation, malicious use of trusted applications	Malware, phishing, browser-based attacks
Management Interface	Unified PAM console	HP Security Management interface
Deployment Models	On-premises, cloud, hybrid	Primarily device-based with cloud management

Organizations evaluating these solutions should consider their primary security concerns. BeyondTrust EPM excels in environments where controlling administrative access is the primary concern, particularly in enterprises with legacy applications that require elevated privileges to function. HP Wolf Security offers stronger protection against malware and zero-day attacks through its isolation technology but may provide less granular control over application privileges.

Network Access Control: BeyondTrust Privileged Remote Access vs. Aruba ClearPass

When it comes to controlling access to network resources, both companies offer solutions but with different primary focuses.

BeyondTrust Privileged Remote Access

BeyondTrust Privileged Remote Access (PRA) focuses specifically on securing remote access for privileged users, such as administrators, third-party vendors, and contractors. Key capabilities include:

• Secure Remote Access: Enable privileged users to connect to systems without exposing credentials
• Session Recording and Monitoring: Record privileged sessions for audit and compliance
• Vendor Access Management: Control and monitor third-party vendor access
• Jump Client Technology: Access systems behind firewalls without VPN requirements

BeyondTrust PRA is primarily designed for controlling and monitoring privileged remote access sessions rather than general network access control. It excels in scenarios where third-party vendors require access to critical systems and where detailed session recording is necessary for compliance or forensic purposes.

One user from a financial institution commented in a review: “BeyondTrust Remote Support has dramatically improved our ability to securely support remote branches. The session recording capability has been essential for our compliance requirements, allowing us to document every action taken during support sessions.”

Aruba ClearPass

HPE’s Aruba ClearPass is a network access control (NAC) solution designed to secure access to network resources based on user identity, device health, and contextual information. Key capabilities include:

• Policy Management: Create and enforce network access policies based on user roles, device types, and other contexts
• Device Profiling: Identify and categorize devices connecting to the network
• Guest Access Management: Secure and simplified guest access processes
• Integration with Security Infrastructure: Work with firewalls, SIEM systems, and other security tools

Aruba ClearPass is designed for broader network access control rather than specifically for privileged access. It excels in environments with diverse device types, BYOD policies, and complex network segmentation requirements.

Comparative Analysis

Feature	BeyondTrust Privileged Remote Access	Aruba ClearPass
Primary Use Case	Controlling and monitoring privileged remote access	Network access control for all users and devices
Authentication Methods	Multi-factor, SAML, directory integration	802.1X, MAC auth, captive portal, device certificates
Session Management	Detailed session recording, keystroke logging	Connection monitoring and posture assessment
Vendor/Third-Party Focus	Strong focus on vendor management	Guest access management
Integration with Network Infrastructure	Application-level integration	Deep integration with network switches, wireless controllers

The choice between these solutions depends largely on the organization’s primary access control needs. For organizations primarily concerned with securing privileged remote access, especially for third-party vendors, BeyondTrust PRA offers more specialized capabilities. For organizations looking to implement comprehensive network access control across all users and devices, Aruba ClearPass provides broader coverage.

When evaluating these solutions, it’s important to note that they aren’t necessarily mutually exclusive—many organizations implement both a general NAC solution like ClearPass and a specialized privileged access solution like BeyondTrust PRA to address different aspects of their security requirements.

Remote Support: BeyondTrust Remote Support vs. HP Anyware

Both companies offer solutions for remote support, but with different security emphases and target use cases.

BeyondTrust Remote Support

BeyondTrust Remote Support focuses on secure, auditable remote access for IT support functions. Key features include:

• Secure Screen Sharing: Support end users without exposing credentials
• Session Recording: Record all support actions for audit and training
• Multi-platform Support: Windows, Mac, Linux, mobile devices
• Integration with ITSM Tools: ServiceNow, Jira, other ticketing systems
• Collaborative Tools: Chat, file transfer, annotations

BeyondTrust Remote Support differentiates itself through its security-first approach, with features like session recording, approval workflows, and granular permissions specifically designed for security-conscious organizations.

A systems administrator at a healthcare organization shared: “The audit capabilities in BeyondTrust Remote Support have been crucial for our HIPAA compliance. Being able to prove exactly what actions were performed during a support session has simplified our compliance reporting substantially.”

HP Anyware (formerly Teradici CAS and HP Remote Graphics Software)

HP Anyware is a remote access solution focused on delivering high-performance remote desktop experiences, particularly for graphics-intensive workloads. Key capabilities include:

• PC-over-IP Technology: High-performance remote desktop protocol
• Multi-platform Support: Windows, Mac, Linux, mobile
• Graphics Performance: Optimized for CAD, 3D modeling, video editing
• Cloud Workstation Access: Connect to cloud-based virtual workstations
• Security Features: Encryption, multi-factor authentication

HP Anyware differentiates itself through its focus on performance, particularly for graphics-intensive applications. While it includes security features, its primary value proposition is enabling remote work for users who require access to high-performance workstations.

Comparative Analysis

Feature	BeyondTrust Remote Support	HP Anyware
Primary Use Case	Secure IT support and helpdesk operations	Remote access to workstations, especially for graphics-intensive work
Performance Focus	Security and audit capabilities	Graphics performance and user experience
Compliance Features	Extensive session recording, audit trails	Basic security and compliance features
Target Users	IT support technicians, helpdesk staff	End users, particularly in creative and technical fields
Architecture	Jump client architecture	PC-over-IP protocol

Organizations should consider their primary remote access requirements when evaluating these solutions. BeyondTrust Remote Support is better suited for traditional IT support operations where security and audit capabilities are paramount. HP Anyware is more appropriate for enabling remote work scenarios, particularly for users who require access to high-performance workstations for graphics-intensive applications.

Many organizations implement both types of solutions—a secure support tool like BeyondTrust Remote Support for IT operations and a high-performance remote access solution like HP Anyware for end-user remote work requirements.

Integration Capabilities and Ecosystem

The ability to integrate with existing security infrastructure is crucial for maximizing the value of security investments. Both BeyondTrust and HPE offer integration capabilities but with different approaches and focus areas.

BeyondTrust Integration Ecosystem

BeyondTrust has developed a robust integration framework focused on integrating its privileged access and vulnerability management capabilities with the broader security ecosystem. Key integration points include:

• Identity and Access Management (IAM): Integration with major IAM solutions such as Okta, Microsoft Azure AD, and Ping Identity
• Security Information and Event Management (SIEM): Integration with Splunk, IBM QRadar, Microsoft Sentinel, and other SIEM platforms
• IT Service Management (ITSM): Integration with ServiceNow, BMC Remedy, and Jira
• DevOps Tools: Integration with Jenkins, Ansible, and other automation tools
• Cloud Platforms: Integration with AWS, Azure, GCP for cloud privilege management

BeyondTrust’s Universal Privilege Management approach emphasizes creating a comprehensive privilege management solution that spans the entire IT environment. Their integration strategy reflects this by providing connectors and APIs that enable organizations to incorporate privileged access controls throughout their infrastructure.

A security architect from a financial services company noted: “One of the key strengths of BeyondTrust’s platform is how seamlessly it integrates with our existing identity management infrastructure. We were able to leverage our existing Azure AD implementation to enhance our privileged access controls without duplicating identity stores.”

BeyondTrust provides an extensive API framework that allows for custom integrations. Here’s an example of a REST API call to retrieve password information from Password Safe:

GET /BeyondTrust/api/public/v3/managed-accounts HTTP/1.1
Authorization: Bearer {token}
Content-Type: application/json

Response:
{
  "ManagedAccounts": [
    {
      "SystemId": 1,
      "SystemName": "example-server",
      "AccountId": 123,
      "AccountName": "admin",
      "DomainName": "example.com",
      "InstanceName": "",
      "LastChangeDate": "2023-01-15T14:30:00Z"
    }
  ]
}

Hewlett Packard Enterprise Integration Ecosystem

HPE’s integration approach reflects its position as a broader IT infrastructure provider rather than a specialized security vendor. Key integration capabilities include:

• Network Infrastructure: Deep integration with network devices, particularly within the Aruba ecosystem
• Cloud Management Platforms: Integration with HPE GreenLake and other cloud management tools
• Security Information and Event Management (SIEM): Integration with ArcSight and third-party SIEM solutions
• Identity Providers: Integration with major identity providers for authentication
• Operational Technology (OT): Integration capabilities for industrial control systems

HPE’s integration strategy is heavily influenced by its broader portfolio of IT infrastructure products and services. Aruba ClearPass, for example, offers particularly strong integration with network infrastructure components, reflecting its origins as a network access control solution.

A network administrator at a large healthcare organization shared: “The tight integration between Aruba wireless infrastructure and ClearPass was a major factor in our decision. The ability to automatically enforce network policies based on device health and user identity across our entire wireless infrastructure has significantly improved our security posture.”

Comparative Analysis

When comparing the integration capabilities of BeyondTrust and HPE, several key differences emerge:

• Integration Focus: BeyondTrust focuses on integrations that extend privileged access management across diverse environments, while HPE emphasizes integration with network infrastructure and IT operations tools.
• API Strategy: BeyondTrust provides comprehensive REST APIs across its product suite, while HPE’s API availability varies by product with stronger APIs in its networking portfolio.
• Ecosystem Breadth: HPE offers a broader ecosystem of its own products that integrate with each other, while BeyondTrust has more extensive third-party security tool integrations.
• Identity Integration: Both vendors provide integration with major identity providers, but BeyondTrust offers deeper privileged identity lifecycle management capabilities.

Organizations should evaluate integration capabilities based on their existing infrastructure and security tools. Organizations heavily invested in HPE/Aruba networking infrastructure may find significant value in the tight integration between these components and solutions like ClearPass. Organizations with diverse security infrastructures might benefit more from BeyondTrust’s broader security tool integration capabilities.

Deployment Models and Scalability

The ability to deploy security solutions in various environments and scale them effectively is crucial for organizations with complex infrastructure requirements. BeyondTrust and HPE offer different approaches to deployment flexibility and scalability.

BeyondTrust Deployment Options

BeyondTrust offers multiple deployment models to accommodate various organizational requirements:

• On-Premises: Traditional deployment within the organization’s data center
• Private Cloud: Deployment in customer-controlled cloud environments
• SaaS: Cloud-hosted solutions managed by BeyondTrust
• Hybrid: Combinations of on-premises and cloud components

This flexibility allows organizations to implement consistent privileged access controls across diverse environments. For example, an organization might deploy Password Safe on-premises for critical infrastructure systems while using cloud-hosted Privileged Remote Access for vendor management.

BeyondTrust’s solutions are designed to scale from mid-sized organizations to large enterprises. The platform can support distributed architectures with multiple appliances or instances for high availability and geographic distribution. The centralized management console allows security teams to manage policy across these distributed deployments.

A security officer at a multinational corporation stated: “We’ve deployed BeyondTrust Password Safe across three continents with regional appliances that synchronize to provide global visibility while maintaining local performance. The architecture has proven scalable as we’ve grown from managing 5,000 privileged accounts to over 25,000 without significant performance degradation.”

HPE Deployment Options

HPE’s security solutions also offer multiple deployment options but with a stronger emphasis on integration with HPE’s broader infrastructure offerings:

• On-Premises: Traditional appliance or server-based deployments
• HPE GreenLake: Consumption-based IT service model
• Hybrid Cloud: Spanning on-premises and cloud environments
• Virtualized: Deployment on virtual infrastructure

Aruba ClearPass, for example, can be deployed as physical appliances, virtual appliances, or through HPE GreenLake as a service. This flexibility allows organizations to align their security architecture with their broader infrastructure strategy.

HPE’s solutions are designed for enterprise-scale deployments, with particular strength in large, distributed network environments. Aruba ClearPass can scale to support hundreds of thousands of endpoints across distributed locations, making it suitable for large enterprises with complex network architectures.

A network architect at a large university commented: “We’ve deployed Aruba ClearPass across our main campus and five satellite locations, supporting over 50,000 concurrent devices. The distributed architecture with centralized policy management has been crucial for maintaining consistent security controls across our entire network footprint.”

Comparative Analysis

When comparing deployment and scalability capabilities between BeyondTrust and HPE, several distinctions emerge:

• Infrastructure Integration: HPE solutions typically offer deeper integration with underlying infrastructure, particularly HPE hardware and networking components.
• Consumption Models: HPE emphasizes its GreenLake consumption-based model, while BeyondTrust offers more traditional licensing with SaaS options.
• Multi-tenant Capabilities: BeyondTrust provides stronger multi-tenant features for managed service providers and organizations with strict segregation requirements.
• Distributed Architecture: Both vendors support distributed deployments, but with different architectural approaches reflective of their core focus areas.

Organizations should consider their existing infrastructure investments, geographic distribution, and growth projections when evaluating these solutions. Organizations with significant HPE infrastructure investments might find value in the integrated deployment options, while those prioritizing specialized privileged access controls might prefer BeyondTrust’s focused approach.

Management and Reporting Capabilities

Effective security management requires comprehensive visibility, intuitive interfaces, and robust reporting capabilities. Both BeyondTrust and HPE provide management consoles and reporting tools, but with different strengths and emphases.

BeyondTrust Management and Reporting

BeyondTrust’s management approach centers on providing unified visibility and control across privileged accounts through its BeyondInsight platform. Key capabilities include:

• Centralized Management Console: BeyondInsight provides a unified interface for managing all BeyondTrust solutions
• Privilege Analytics: Advanced reporting on privileged account usage and potential risks
• Compliance Reporting: Pre-configured reports for major compliance frameworks (GDPR, HIPAA, PCI DSS, etc.)
• Risk Analytics: Combining vulnerability and privilege data for risk-based prioritization
• Customizable Dashboards: Tailored views for different stakeholders

BeyondTrust’s reporting capabilities are particularly strong in areas related to privileged account usage and compliance. The platform provides detailed audit trails of privileged activities, which can be crucial for detecting potential insider threats and demonstrating compliance with regulatory requirements.

A compliance manager at a financial institution noted: “The pre-configured compliance reports in BeyondInsight have significantly reduced the time required for our quarterly compliance assessments. The ability to demonstrate complete audit trails for privileged access has simplified our audit process considerably.”

Here’s an example of how BeyondInsight’s reporting API might be used to retrieve session data programmatically:

GET /BeyondTrust/api/reporting/v1/sessions?startDate=2023-01-01&endDate=2023-03-31 HTTP/1.1
Authorization: Bearer {token}
Content-Type: application/json

Response:
{
  "Sessions": [
    {
      "SessionID": "123456",
      "UserName": "jsmith",
      "TargetSystem": "db-server-01",
      "StartTime": "2023-01-15T09:45:23Z",
      "EndTime": "2023-01-15T10:12:07Z",
      "RecordingAvailable": true,
      "AccessType": "Password Retrieval"
    },
    ...
  ],
  "TotalCount": 1458,
  "PageSize": 100,
  "PageNumber": 1
}

HPE Management and Reporting

HPE’s management and reporting capabilities reflect its broader IT infrastructure focus, with security management often integrated into wider infrastructure management tools. Key capabilities include:

• Aruba Central: Cloud-based management for Aruba networking and security products
• ClearPass Policy Manager: Interface for managing access policies and viewing access events
• HPE InfoSight: AI-driven analytics platform that includes security insights
• Integration with HPE Management Tools: Security visibility within broader IT management frameworks

HPE’s reporting strengths lie in network-centric security visibility and the integration of security data with broader infrastructure insights. Aruba ClearPass, for example, provides detailed visibility into device connections, authentication events, and policy enforcement across the network environment.

A network operations manager at a healthcare organization shared: “Aruba Central gives us a comprehensive view of our network security posture across all our locations. The ability to quickly identify non-compliant devices or unusual authentication patterns has significantly improved our response times to potential security incidents.”

Comparative Analysis

When comparing management and reporting capabilities between BeyondTrust and HPE, several key differences emerge:

• Focus Area: BeyondTrust provides deeper insights into privileged account usage and user behaviors, while HPE offers stronger network-centric security visibility.
• Integration with IT Operations: HPE provides tighter integration between security monitoring and broader IT operations, while BeyondTrust focuses more exclusively on security-specific insights.
• Compliance Orientation: BeyondTrust’s reporting has a stronger compliance orientation with pre-configured frameworks, while HPE’s reporting emphasizes operational security insights.
• Customization Capabilities: Both platforms offer customization options, but BeyondTrust provides more security-specific report templates and customization options.

Organizations should consider their primary reporting requirements and stakeholder needs when evaluating these solutions. Organizations with complex compliance requirements or a focus on privileged access governance might find more value in BeyondTrust’s specialized reporting. Organizations looking to integrate security visibility with broader IT operations might prefer HPE’s approach.

Total Cost of Ownership and Return on Investment

When evaluating security solutions, understanding the total cost of ownership (TCO) and potential return on investment (ROI) is crucial for making informed decisions. BeyondTrust and HPE have different pricing models and value propositions that affect these financial considerations.

BeyondTrust Cost Considerations

BeyondTrust’s pricing model is generally based on the number of systems managed, users, and modules implemented. Key cost factors include:

• Licensing Model: Typically subscription-based with perpetual options available
• Module Selection: Costs scale based on which components of the platform are implemented (Password Safe, Endpoint Privilege Management, Remote Support, etc.)
• Deployment Size: Number of endpoints, servers, or users protected
• Implementation Services: Professional services for deployment and configuration
• Ongoing Support: Annual support and maintenance costs

BeyondTrust’s ROI typically comes from several areas:

• Reduced Breach Risk: Lower likelihood and potential impact of security breaches
• Compliance Efficiency: Reduced time and effort for compliance activities
• Operational Efficiency: Streamlined privileged access workflows and reduced administrative overhead
• Support Efficiency: For Remote Support implementations, improved support technician productivity

According to a Forrester Total Economic Impact study commissioned by BeyondTrust, organizations implementing BeyondTrust Privileged Access Management solutions experienced a three-year ROI of 322% with a payback period of less than six months. The study cited reduced risk of breaches, improved productivity, and reduced compliance costs as key contributors to this return.

HPE Cost Considerations

HPE’s security solution pricing reflects its broader infrastructure approach, with several cost models available:

• Traditional Licensing: Perpetual licenses with annual support costs
• Subscription Services: Regular payments based on usage or time periods
• Consumption-Based Model (GreenLake): Pay-as-you-go pricing aligned with actual usage
• Bundled Infrastructure: Security capabilities included with broader infrastructure purchases
• Professional and Managed Services: Implementation and ongoing management services

HPE’s ROI typically derives from:

• Infrastructure Integration: Efficiency gains from integrated security and infrastructure
• Operational Consistency: Unified management across networking and security
• Risk Reduction: Lower likelihood of security incidents
• Scalability Benefits: With consumption-based models, costs align with actual needs

HPE’s GreenLake consumption-based model can provide financial benefits by aligning costs with actual usage, reducing upfront capital expenditures, and providing more predictable operational expenses. This can be particularly valuable for organizations with fluctuating needs or those preferring OpEx over CapEx models.

Comparative Analysis

When comparing the financial aspects of BeyondTrust and HPE security solutions, several considerations emerge:

• Specialization Premium: As a specialist security vendor, BeyondTrust’s solutions may carry a premium compared to security components bundled within broader infrastructure offerings.
• Existing Investments: Organizations with significant existing investments in HPE infrastructure may find cost efficiencies in integrating HPE security solutions rather than implementing standalone alternatives.
• Financing Flexibility: HPE offers more varied financing and consumption models, which may align better with certain organizational financial preferences.
• Implementation Complexity: BeyondTrust’s focused security approach may result in simpler implementations for specific security use cases, potentially reducing implementation costs.

A healthcare CISO shared: “While BeyondTrust’s initial license cost was higher than alternative options, the reduced administrative overhead and compliance efficiency gains resulted in a positive ROI within the first year. The reduction in audit preparation time alone justified the investment.”

Conversely, an IT director at a manufacturing company noted: “By implementing security through our HPE GreenLake agreement, we were able to avoid a large capital expenditure and instead incorporate security costs into our predictable monthly infrastructure spend. This alignment with our financial model was a significant advantage.”

Organizations should perform a comprehensive TCO analysis that considers not just license and support costs, but also implementation, integration, training, and ongoing administration expenses. Additionally, the potential ROI should account for both quantifiable benefits (reduced administrative time, compliance efficiency) and less tangible benefits (reduced risk, improved security posture).

Customer Support and Professional Services

Effective implementation and ongoing support are critical for security solutions to deliver their intended value. Both BeyondTrust and HPE offer customer support and professional services, but with different structures and emphases.

BeyondTrust Support and Services

BeyondTrust offers a tiered support model with various service levels to accommodate different organizational needs. Support offerings include:

• Standard Support: Business hours support with defined response times
• Premium Support: 24/7 support with priority response for critical issues
• Enterprise Support: Premium support with dedicated customer success manager

BeyondTrust’s professional services include:

• Implementation Services: Deployment, configuration, and integration assistance
• Health Checks: Assessment of existing deployments for optimization opportunities
• Custom Development: Development of custom integrations and extensions
• Training and Certification: Technical training on BeyondTrust products
• Strategic Advisory: Privileged access strategy development

A key differentiator for BeyondTrust support is its specialization in privileged access management and security-specific expertise. Support staff are typically well-versed in security best practices and compliance requirements related to privileged access.

A security architect at a financial services company shared: “BeyondTrust’s professional services team brought valuable expertise not just in their products, but in privileged access best practices. They identified several security improvements beyond the basic implementation that significantly enhanced our overall PAM strategy.”

HPE Support and Services

HPE offers a comprehensive support and services portfolio that encompasses its entire range of products and solutions, including security offerings. Support options include:

• Foundation Care: Basic hardware and software support with multiple response time options
• Proactive Care: Foundation Care plus proactive issue prevention
• Datacenter Care: Customized support with dedicated team
• GreenLake Management Services: Support included within consumption-based service

HPE’s professional services include:

• Advisory and Transformation Services: Strategic planning and architecture development
• Implementation Services: Deployment and integration of HPE solutions
• Education Services: Training and certification programs
• Managed Services: Ongoing management of HPE infrastructure and solutions

HPE’s support and services differentiate through their breadth and integration with broader IT infrastructure support. For organizations using multiple HPE products, this can provide a single point of contact for support across infrastructure, networking, and security components.

A CIO at a retail company noted: “Having a unified support contract covering both our HPE infrastructure and Aruba security solutions has streamlined our support processes. When issues arise that cross boundaries between networking and security, we don’t have to coordinate between multiple vendors to resolve them.”

Comparative Analysis

When comparing support and services offerings between BeyondTrust and HPE, several key differences emerge:

• Specialization vs. Breadth: BeyondTrust offers more specialized security-focused support, while HPE provides broader IT infrastructure support that includes security components.
• Global Presence: HPE has a larger global support presence with local resources in more regions, which can be advantageous for multinational organizations.
• Integration Focus: BeyondTrust’s services emphasize integration with third-party security tools, while HPE’s services emphasize integration within the HPE ecosystem.
• Delivery Models: HPE offers more varied service delivery models, including fully managed options, while BeyondTrust focuses more on enabling customer self-sufficiency.

Organizations should consider their internal capabilities, geographic presence, and broader IT support strategy when evaluating support and services. Organizations with limited security expertise may benefit from BeyondTrust’s security-specialized support, while organizations seeking to consolidate vendor relationships might prefer HPE’s broader support portfolio.

Future Roadmap and Innovation

Understanding a vendor’s innovation trajectory and product roadmap is essential for making long-term security investments. Both BeyondTrust and HPE continue to evolve their security offerings, but with different focus areas and innovation priorities.

BeyondTrust Innovation Direction

BeyondTrust’s innovation efforts center on expanding and enhancing its Universal Privilege Management platform. Key areas of focus in their roadmap include:

• Cloud Privilege Management: Expanding capabilities for securing privileged access in multi-cloud environments
• Just-in-Time Access: Advanced ephemeral privilege models that minimize standing privileges
• DevOps Security Integration: Privileged access controls for CI/CD pipelines and container environments
• AI/ML for Security Intelligence: Advanced analytics to identify risky privilege behaviors and anomalies
• Zero Trust Alignment: Enhanced capabilities supporting Zero Trust architecture principles

BeyondTrust’s innovation strategy reflects its focus on privilege management as a specialized security discipline. The company regularly publishes research on privileged access threats and emerging attack vectors, which informs their product development priorities.

A security analyst from a research firm noted: “BeyondTrust has consistently demonstrated a forward-thinking approach to privilege management, particularly in cloud environments. Their emphasis on just-in-time access models and DevSecOps integration indicates a strong understanding of evolving security requirements in modern IT environments.”

HPE Innovation Direction

HPE’s security innovation strategy is more closely tied to its broader IT infrastructure vision, with emphasis on:

• Zero Trust Network Architecture: Enhancing network segmentation and continuous verification capabilities
• Edge Security: Expanding security controls for edge computing environments
• Integrated AI/ML: Incorporating artificial intelligence into threat detection and response
• Autonomous Operations: Moving toward self-healing security infrastructure
• As-a-Service Security Models: Expanding consumption-based security offerings

HPE’s innovation is informed by its broader vision of an “edge-to-cloud platform-as-a-service company.” Security innovations are increasingly integrated within this vision, with particular emphasis on securing distributed environments and simplifying security operations through automation and AI.

An industry analyst commented: “HPE’s acquisition of Silver Peak and continued investment in Aruba indicates a strong commitment to secure networking for distributed environments. Their integration of security with edge computing capabilities positions them well for emerging distributed architecture security requirements.”

Comparative Analysis

When comparing innovation directions between BeyondTrust and HPE, several distinctions emerge:

• Scope of Innovation: BeyondTrust focuses innovation more narrowly on privileged access and vulnerability management, while HPE’s innovation spans broader infrastructure security concerns.
• Acquisition Strategy: HPE has historically relied more on acquisitions for security capabilities (e.g., Aruba), while BeyondTrust has balanced acquisitions with organic development.
• Integration Philosophy: BeyondTrust innovations emphasize integration with diverse security ecosystems, while HPE innovations prioritize integration within the HPE infrastructure ecosystem.
• Consumption Model Evolution: HPE places stronger emphasis on consumption-based security services, reflecting its broader GreenLake strategy.

Organizations should consider how each vendor’s innovation direction aligns with their own security strategy and future architecture plans. Organizations prioritizing specialized privileged access controls might find BeyondTrust’s focused innovation valuable, while those seeking integrated infrastructure and security evolution might prefer HPE’s approach.

Making the Right Choice: Decision Criteria

Selecting between BeyondTrust and Hewlett Packard Enterprise security solutions requires careful consideration of multiple factors based on organizational requirements, existing infrastructure, and security strategy. This section outlines key decision criteria to help organizations make an informed choice.

Primary Security Focus

The first consideration should be the organization’s primary security concerns and requirements:

• Privileged Access Focus: For organizations where controlling privileged access is a primary concern—particularly those in highly regulated industries or with significant compliance requirements—BeyondTrust’s specialized focus on privileged access management may provide more comprehensive capabilities.
• Network Security Focus: Organizations prioritizing network access control, particularly in complex or distributed network environments, may find HPE’s Aruba solutions more aligned with their needs.
• Endpoint Protection Focus: Organizations concerned primarily with malware protection and application containment might prefer HP Wolf Security, while those focused on controlling application privileges might favor BeyondTrust EPM.

A security director at a healthcare organization shared: “Our primary concern was securing privileged access to clinical systems containing protected health information. BeyondTrust’s specialized focus on privilege management allowed us to implement more granular controls than we could have achieved with more general-purpose security solutions.”

Existing Infrastructure Investments

Existing technology investments can significantly influence the decision between these vendors:

• HPE Infrastructure: Organizations with significant investments in HPE servers, storage, or Aruba networking may find greater integration benefits and potentially more favorable pricing by implementing HPE security solutions.
• Multi-vendor Environment: Organizations with diverse infrastructure from multiple vendors might benefit from BeyondTrust’s vendor-neutral approach and broader third-party integration capabilities.
• Existing Security Tools: The ability to integrate with existing security investments—SIEM, identity management, vulnerability management—should be carefully evaluated.

An IT infrastructure manager noted: “As an organization standardized on Aruba networking, implementing ClearPass provided seamless integration with our existing infrastructure. The ability to leverage our existing hardware investments and management tools significantly reduced the implementation complexity compared to alternative solutions.”

Organizational Size and Complexity

The scale and complexity of the organization influence which solution might be most appropriate:

• Large Enterprises: Both vendors serve large enterprises, but HPE’s solutions may offer advantages for organizations with complex distributed networks, while BeyondTrust excels in environments with complex privilege management requirements.
• Mid-sized Organizations: Mid-sized organizations may find BeyondTrust’s focused solutions provide faster time-to-value for specific security challenges, particularly if they lack specialized security resources.
• Geographic Distribution: Organizations with global operations should evaluate each vendor’s global support capabilities and the performance of their solutions in distributed environments.

Budget Structure and Financial Preferences

Financial considerations extend beyond simple pricing comparisons:

• CapEx vs. OpEx Preference: Organizations preferring operational expenditure models might find HPE’s GreenLake consumption-based offerings more aligned with their financial strategy.
• Specialized vs. Bundled Security: Organizations should evaluate whether dedicated security budget justifies specialized tools (BeyondTrust) or if security integrated with infrastructure spending (HPE) is more financially advantageous.
• Total Cost of Ownership: Consider implementation, integration, training, and ongoing management costs in addition to license or subscription fees.

Implementation and Support Resources

Available resources for implementation and ongoing management affect solution suitability:

• Security Expertise: Organizations with dedicated security teams might better leverage BeyondTrust’s specialized capabilities, while those with more general IT resources might prefer HPE’s integration with familiar infrastructure tools.
• Managed Services Needs: Organizations seeking managed security services should evaluate each vendor’s managed service capabilities or partner ecosystems.
• Global Support Requirements: Multinational organizations should evaluate each vendor’s support presence in their operating regions.

A CISO from a multinational corporation advised: “Carefully evaluate the global support capabilities of your security vendors. In our case, we found significant regional variations in support quality and availability, which created challenges for our global security operations.”

Strategic Alignment

Finally, consider how each vendor’s strategic direction aligns with your organization’s security roadmap:

• Zero Trust Journey: Both vendors support Zero Trust principles, but with different emphases—BeyondTrust focusing on privilege aspects, HPE on network aspects.
• Cloud Transition: Organizations accelerating cloud adoption should evaluate each vendor’s cloud security capabilities and roadmap.
• Security Integration Vision: Consider whether your organization’s vision aligns more with specialty security tools or integrated infrastructure and security.

By systematically evaluating these criteria in the context of your organization’s specific requirements, you can make a more informed decision between BeyondTrust and HPE security solutions.

FAQs About BeyondTrust vs Hewlett Packard Enterprise