InfoExpress Annouces Mac OS X Support for Dynamic NAC

by , 10:00 AM EDT, August 7th, 2007

InfoExpress announced additional support for Mac OS X client systems on Tuesday for its Network Access Control (NAC) system, Dynamic NAC. In addition, Linux and Vista support was added.

TMO interviewed Stacey Lum, CEO of InfoExpress recently. He provided some background on NAC. Basically, businesses need to be able to control client computer access to their networks. This involves identifying that a new computer connected to the network is authorized and, in addition, possibly checking to make sure that its software profile is approved.

With Mac OS X Client support, it is now possible to install a small agent that checks the Mac for compliance and communicates with the Dynamic NAC server. Using this tool, only Macs that have been configured by the IT department will be allowed to communicate on the network.

Mr. Lum said thet his company has been providing Network Access Control since 2000. In 2006, in version 5.0, they added an option to use peer-based enforcement which requires no network configuration changes. However, the client network only supported PCs with Windows. Now, version 6 supports Macs (back to Mac OS X 10.3), Linux, and Vista clients.

The system uses deep inspection of the client to make sure client computers are kept up to date and reduce the vulnerability to malware. The Dynamic NAC suite of tools are easy to install and operate, according to the company. Components include a Policy Manager, Policy Server, Report Manager, and Network Agents that act as local enforcers of policy.

The advantages of Dynamic NAC is that it can identify rogue devices, seamlessly grant access to approved devices, and manage the network from a single console.

Dynamic NAC server components require Windows 2000, Windows Server 2003 or Windows XP. Agent software is available for Windows 2000, XP, Vista, Mac OS X, and Linux.

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