Cisco makes NAC box just for guests

Security: Network Access Control This newsletter is sponsored by Secure Computing PCI DSS: Discover how to easily comply Tune in to this live webcast to hear industry experts discuss the PCI DSS specification and how real-world companies are complying today. You will hear advice on how to establish a comprehensive strategy to achieve this goal. Don't miss out. Network World's Security: Network Access Control Newsletter, 11/15/07 Cisco makes NAC box just for guests By Tim Greene Cisco is introducing a new NAC appliance dedicated to speeding up network access for corporate guests. NAC Guest Server makes is possible for any employee to create a guest account so when visitors, consultants or vendors come to corporate sites, they can gain network access quickly. If the company uses Cisco wireless access points to grant guest access, they can be the devices that enforce their NAC policy, Cisco says. Executive Guide The Security Treadmill This Executive Guide offers interviews with leading, real-world security experts who tell you how to get inside users' heads, fight for a bigger security budget, and whether VoIP security issues are overstated or underrated, and much more. Review this informative guide today. Click Here for More Information If the company already has a Cisco NAC Appliance, it can enforce the policies. In December, the company plans to upgrade software on the appliance so it can also use Cisco 802.1x switches to enforce guest access. Before, when they wanted to provision a guest account, a designated employee would have to set up the account in a NAC appliance or within Cisco’s Wireless LAN Controller, which involved training. Cisco says that by having individual employees take care of creating accounts for their own guests, IT staff time is freed up to do other work. With the appliance, authorized employees can log in to a Web page and set up the account. Businesses can designate these employees by creating groups in Active Directory or LDAP or RADIUS. To provision a guest, the sponsor employee logs in to the device, enters guest details and sets the time window for which guest access is granted. The appliance can also send the guest their account information via e-mail or SMS message, or can print out a hard copy. The device also logs when guests access the network, identifying details about the guest such as name, affiliation, e-mail address, etc., and who created the account. The appliance costs $25,000. The Network World IT Buyer's Guides provide comprehensive, detailed information on how to select, test, buy and deploy thousands of network and IT products. The new Network World IT Buyer's Guides offer even more features than before, here's just one that's worth checking out: Network Access Control Editor's note: Starting Tuesday, Nov, 20, this newsletter will be renamed "Security: Network Access Control Alert." Subscribers to the HTML version of this newsletter will notice some enhancements that will provide you with access to more resources relevant to IT security. You will still receive Tim Greene's analysis of this market, which you will be able to read in its entirety online at NetworkWorld.com, along with links to relevant news headlines of the day. We hope you enjoy the enhancements and we thank you for reading Network World newsletters.   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 Secure Computing PCI DSS: Discover how to easily comply Tune in to this live webcast to hear industry experts discuss the PCI DSS specification and how real-world companies are complying today. You will hear advice on how to establish a comprehensive strategy to achieve this goal. Don't miss out. ARCHIVE Archive of the Security: Network Access Control Newsletter. BONUS FEATURE 90% of IT Managers are leaving their company at risk for a DNS ATTACK. Get the tools and resources you need to keep your DNS healthy and secure. Run a DNSreport on your domain today - 56 critical tests run in 8 seconds. Visit www.dnsreport.com to learn more. (apply coupon NWW2007NLA for a 25% membership discount) 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