IBM Tivoli and Cisco manual NAC Framework solution, Investment protection

￿Network access by unmanaged computers (such as guests, contractors, or students)

￿A heterogeneous (multivendor) network infrastructure

NAC Framework solution

NAC is also available as an architecture-based framework solution that is designed to leverage an existing base of both Cisco network technologies and existing deployments of security and management solutions from other manufacturers.

A NAC Framework solution provides the following benefits:

￿Comprehensive span of control by assessing all endpoints across all access methods, including LAN, wireless, remote access, and WAN

￿Endpoint visibility and control to help ensure that managed, unmanaged, guest, and rogue devices meet corporate security policies

￿Life-cycle support for endpoint control that automates the assessment, authentication, authorization, and remediation of endpoints

￿A combination of central policy management, intelligent network devices, and network services with solutions from dozens of leading antivirus, security, and management vendors, to provide granular admission control management

￿Support for a rich ecosystem of partners and technologies through standards-based, flexible APIs that allow multiple third parties to contribute to the overall solution

The following network characteristics are optimal for a NAC Framework deployment:

￿Large-scale enterprise deployments

￿A sophisticated LAN/WAN/wireless environment

￿A LAN/WAN/wireless infrastructure that is entirely or primarily based on Cisco technology

￿Operational interoperability with NAC partner security and management solutions

￿IP telephony implementations or planned implementations

￿802.1X implementations or planned implementations

Investment protection

Cisco offers the most comprehensive set of admission control products and solutions to meet the functional needs of any organization. And because many

476Building a Network Access Control Solution with IBM Tivoli and Cisco Systems