Demystifying NAC - Network World

Skip Links

DNSstuff.com
Get information about your IP
IP Information
50+ On-demand DNS and network tools

Security

Videos

rssRss Feed
Get instant email notification when white papers, webcasts, executive guides are added to our library.  Stay informed and up-to-date with the latest on IT Technologies with Network World's Resource Alerts.
Audio

Crackin' the Kraken bot. Listen now!

Network World's Newsmaker of the Week

Wireless dangers at airports. Listen now!

Network World Panorama

Additional Resources

RSS

FEATURED REPORTS

Executive Guide: Storage Heats Up HP

Get the latest on storage technologies that allow IT professionals to better cope with new IT demands. Learn how storage technologies can help you successfully tackle e-Discover, regulatory compliance, green data center initiatives and the data explosion. Get all the details now.

RSS

FEATURED WEBCASTS

Get Real-world Advice on how to Cost Effectively Consolidate your Data Center Novell

Discover the benefits of paravirtualization in this informative webcast today. This server virtualization-themed webcast not only explores how to improve virtualized server performance, but provides real-world user examples, explains how to optimize workloads and discusses the future of server virtualization. Focus on only the themes that interest you or watch all six consecutively for a full picture of how you can lower your costs significantly through consolidation and virtualization. Register below to learn more and be entered to win an Archos 605 Portable Media Player.

IT Buyer's Guides

View All Buyer's Guides

Free Newsletters

Sign up and receive the latest news, reviews and trends on your favorite technology topics

Save The Date!
What They Are Saying

i a gree with you it realy does suck cause it blocks every thing- mee

Join the Discussion

Demystifying NAC

By Stacey Lum , Network World , 03/12/2008
  • Social Web 
  • Email 
  • Feedback 
  • Close

Despite the security benefits promised by network access control, NAC has yet to be fully embraced. Perhaps it’s the perceived cost, the complexities that troubled early adopters or the plethora of NAC choices available today.

That’s not to say there isn’t enormous interest. After all, a NAC security framework promises to help companies comply with regulations and internal policies, and safeguard resources from evolving threats.

But which approach is best?

Hardware-based options typically require an appliance that operates either in-line or out-of-band. Some of these appliances displace the access switch; others operate between the access layer and network switches. With either approach, there are many deployment, management and operational considerations.

For example, hardware-based in-line NAC solutions that sit upstream from switches create a potential single point of failure and can be disruptive if they cannot maintain pace with today’s high-speed, 10G network backbones.

Furthermore, in-line NAC solutions may not be ideal for geographically dispersed or highly segmented networks. Not only does there need to be an appliance at every location, but the further up the network the less visibility into network traffic these approaches provide. There’s little sense believing you’re more secure with NAC when you can’t see or stop an intruder’s traffic on a large subnet.

The out-of-band alternative, such as the options that use 802.1x, too often require many network and server configuration changes. They require additional quarantine networks, configuration of ports on each switch as well as access rules to be configured for routers and switches. This not only increases administrative costs, it also increases the risk of error. Clearly, hardware-based NAC isn’t cheap or a panacea.

Next up is the much maligned agent-based approach. No one wants yet another endpoint application to install, update and maintain. It’s not only an additional burden for the IT team but also another catalyst for flurries of help desk calls.

1 | 2 | 3 |  Next >
Comments (1)
Login
Forgot your account info?

Demystifying NAC? Give me a break!By Anonymous on March 19, 2008, 9:38 amHmmm... an article written by the CEO of a NAC vendor about the right type of NAC product to look for? I guess we can all take this one with a grain of salt. Lum...

Reply | Read entire comment

View all comments

Add comment
Anonymous comments subject to moderator approval. Register here for member benefits.
Have a NetworkWorld account? Log in here. Register now for a free account.
First Name
Last Name
E-mail
Zip Code