According to the Cisco Enterprise Networks SDA, SDWAN and ISE Exam for System Engineers document1, the three Cisco recommendations on “How to Win” are:

Explain support for 3rd party network devices: Cisco ISE can integrate with more than 60 third-party solutions that span across security and network portfolios. This enablesCisco ISE to leverage the information and capabilities of these solutions to enhance the identity and access management, network visibility and segmentation, threat detection and response, and policy enforcement of the network. By explaining this support, the customer can see the value and flexibility of Cisco ISE in their existing or heterogeneous network environment2.

Explain architectural advantage of holistic Cisco solution: Cisco ISE is part of the Cisco Digital Network Architecture (DNA), which is a comprehensive and open platform that provides end-to-end network automation, assurance, security, and analytics. By explaining the architectural advantage of the holistic Cisco solution, the customer can see how Cisco ISE works seamlessly with other Cisco DNA components, such as Cisco DNA Center, Cisco SD-Access, Cisco SD-WAN, Cisco TrustSec, and Cisco Stealthwatch, to deliver a unified and consistent network experience across wired, wireless, and cloud domains3.

Talk about Cisco’s focus on Security and integration with StealthWatch, Sourcefire, WSA, vulnerability scanner to make smarter policy decisions: Cisco ISE is a core component of the Cisco security portfolio, which provides comprehensive and integrated security solutions for the network. By talking about Cisco’s focus on security and integration with other security products, such as StealthWatch, Sourcefire, WSA, and vulnerability scanner, the customer can see how Cisco ISE can provide enhanced visibility, threat detection, and policy enforcement for the network. For example, Cisco ISE can use the data from StealthWatch to identify anomalous or malicious behavior of the endpoints and apply appropriate network access policies based on the threat level4.

The other options, show case Cisco portfolio or ISE feature set during PoC and demonstrate complex policy flows, rather show case Wizards and enhanced context visibility, are not Cisco recommendations on “How to Win”. Showing case Cisco portfolio or ISE feature set during PoC is a general best practice, but not a specific recommendation for winning the customer. Demonstrating complex policy flows, rather than showing case Wizards and enhanced context visibility, is a counterproductive approach, as it can confuse or overwhelm the customer with technical details, rather than highlighting the benefits and simplicity of Cisco ISE. References := : 2: Cisco Identity Services Engine Administrator Guide, Release 2.7 - ISE Security Ecosystem Integration Guides [Cisco Identity Services Engine] - Cisco2, 1: Cisco Enterprise Networks SDA, SDWAN and ISE Exam for System Engineers1, 3: Cisco Identity Services Engine - Cisco3, 4: Cisco Identity Services Engine Administrator Guide, Release 2.7 - Stealthwatch Integration [Cisco Identity Services Engine] - Cisco4