The side benefit of NAC capabilities

Security: Network Access Control This newsletter is sponsored by Nevis Networks Webcast: Cut Through NAC Hype Over the past few years, network access control has evolved to encompass a large number of endpoint security compliance, malware detection, access control and authentication products with very different focuses. Cut through the hype and confusion to find real-world NAC answers. Network World's Security: Network Access Control Newsletter, 08/21/07 The side benefit of NAC capabilities By Tim Greene Ideally, NAC addresses machines connecting to networks via wired, wireless and remote access connections, but not all users need all three areas addressed. One user says he implemented NAC specifically to address remote users coming in over the corporate VPN. “We had no device that could check the status of devices that were plugged into the network,” he says. The main concern was that the remote devices in particular, which in many cases were not managed by the company, would introduce malware into the network. The business is relying more and more on employees that work from home and contractors hired for projects. Network World Security Buyer's Guide Find the right security products for your enterprise - fast. From anti-spam to wireless LAN security, our Buyer's Guides have detailed information on hundreds of products in more than 20 categories. With the side-by-side comparison tool you can evaluate product features to make the best decision for your enterprise. Click here to go to the Security Buyer's Guide now. The company chose a product that gave it both pre-admission NAC endpoint checking as well as post-admission behavior monitoring. The behavior monitoring also came with the ability to enforce behavior that violates policies. While the endpoint checking alone doesn’t guarantee a machine is uninfected, it does reduce the chances that it is. A side benefit of the NAC capabilities was that the business now gets a better view of traffic on the network - who is accessing what resources and tying that to time and method of connection. One attractive feature of the gear he chose was that it didn’t require carving up the network into virtual LANs for every policy group. The NAC device itself enforces the policies. The user notes he found more than one vendor that met his NAC specifications, and he chose the one that was least expensive - something that no doubt won praise from the bean counters.   What do you think? Post a comment on this newsletter

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Contact the author: Tim Greene is a senior editor at Network World, covering network access control, virtual private networking gear, remote access, WAN acceleration and aspects of VoIP technology. You can reach him at tgreene@nww.com. This newsletter is sponsored by Nevis Networks Webcast: Cut Through NAC Hype Over the past few years, network access control has evolved to encompass a large number of endpoint security compliance, malware detection, access control and authentication products with very different focuses. Cut through the hype and confusion to find real-world NAC answers. ARCHIVE Archive of the Security: Network Access Control Newsletter. BONUS FEATURE IT PRODUCT RESEARCH AT YOUR FINGERTIPS Get detailed information on thousands of products, conduct side-by-side comparisons and read product test and review results with Network World’s IT Buyer’s Guides. Find the best solution faster than ever with over 100 distinct categories across the security, storage, management, wireless, infrastructure and convergence markets. Click here for details. PRINT SUBSCRIPTIONS AVAILABLE You've got the technology snapshot of your choice delivered to your inbox each day. Extend your knowledge with a print subscription to the Network World newsweekly, Apply here today. International subscribers, click here. SUBSCRIPTION SERVICES To subscribe or unsubscribe to any Network World newsletter, change your e-mail address or contact us, click here. This message was sent to: networking.world@gmail.com. Please use this address when modifying your subscription. Advertising information: Write to Associate Publisher Online Susan Cardoza Network World, Inc., 118 Turnpike Road, Southborough, MA 01772 Copyright Network World, Inc., 2007