NAC Frameworks
2 slides · 1 min read · Domain 4
NAC Frameworks
Currently there are a number of vendors and consortiums working on developing standards to provide interoperability for NAC devices and solutions, with perhaps the biggest three being:
- Cisco's CNAC (Cisco network access control) architecture,
- Microsoft's NAP (network access protection) initiative
- and the Trusted Computing Group's (TNC) standard.
The Cisco approach is directed toward a hardware approach and requires the use of Cisco proprietary technologies, with some of the older network equipment unable to support the CNAC solutions and would require hardware upgrades. Microsoft takes a different approach which, like most Microsoft solutions, is infrastructure-neutral and based on software.
In January 2006, Cisco and Microsoft announced a joint effort to support each other's NAC technologies and solutions thus providing the interoperability that is necessary for global support of NAC deployment. TNC takes the position of creating standards and APls that are completely vendor neutral, providing a specification for data formats and protocols necessary to create a complete end-to-end NAC solution.