6 most important NAC Solution considerations.
Network access control (NAC) is a security solution that is used to control which devices are allowed to access a network, and to enforce security policies on those devices. NAC works by requiring devices that want to access the network to first go through a process called “authentication,” in which their identity and security posture are verified. Once a device has been authenticated, it is granted access to the network and is subject to any security policies that have been set up.
There are several architectural considerations to keep in mind when implementing a NAC solution. Some questions you might want to consider include:
- How will devices be authenticated? Will you use a RADIUS server, certificate-based authentication, or some other method?
- How will you enforce security policies on devices that are granted access to the network? Will you use a policy server, an agent on each device, or some other method?
- How will you handle devices that do not meet your security standards? Will you quarantine them, block them, or allow them access but with limited privileges?
- How will you handle devices that are removed from the network, such as when an employee leaves your organization? Will you automatically remove their access, or will you have a process in place to manually remove their access?
- How will you handle devices that are added to the network, such as when a new employee joins your organization? Will you have a process in place to manually grant them access, or will you automate the process using tools like Active Directory or LDAP?
- How will you handle devices that are already on the network when you implement NAC? Will you require all devices to go through the authentication process, or will you allow some devices to “bypass” NAC and be granted access automatically?
These are just a few of the many architectural considerations that you might want to think about when implementing a NAC solution. It’s important to carefully consider your specific needs and requirements in order to choose a NAC solution that will work well for your organization.