Microsoft is honest and brilliant with NAC, expert says

Microsoft is doing all the right things when it comes to network access control (NAC), said security guru Joel Snyder on Tuesday during a Network World Chat entitled “The truth about NAC.”

He also credits Microsoft’s interest in NAC as one of the driving forces that could bring single-sign on to fruition and says that interoperability between Cisco, Microsoft and other NAC players is absolutely crucial.

“This is so critical that you can't possibly understate how important it is. Look, no one wants vendor lock-in, even if Cisco is the vendor. You know it's going to be a pain later in life. And, no one wants to keep adding more and more software to these poor laptops that are already overburdened with eight different security products all stepping on each other's toes,” he says.

“What we want is for a simple clean easy client to be built into Windows, and we want it to work with every product we buy. Microsoft should own this market; no one in the network security business wants to write software for Windows when Microsoft is saying `we can do that.’ Or if they do, they're idiots. In any case, interoperability for NAC is Microsoft's bus to drive, and they have been making all the right motions.”

When a participant asked if Microsoft’s chumminess was just an act, Snyder wasn’t buying that. The question was: “What's your opinion of Microsoft's willingness to partner in the NAC space? They seem to be friendly with everyone - joint demos with Juniper's UAC, road shows with Cisco's John Chambers? Is this a sign of desperation or doing the right thing by customer or both/neither?”

Snyder replied: “Microsoft is on the right side of the fence. Either that, or they are lying through their teeth, and I believe that they are honest. I have had some great conversations with them and some brilliant folks and I think that they are doing the right thing. Look, honestly, no ONE wants to write PC software, at least not in the network security business. Why should we be doing that when Microsoft is offering to do that for us. Partner, rather than perish.”

The full transcript can be found here. Mark your calendars to the upcoming chats by world famous messaging expert Michael Osterman, on Sept. 19, 2 p.m. EDT.