Cisco® NAC Appliance (formerly Cisco Clean Access) is an easily deployed Network Admission Control (NAC) product that allows network administrators to authenticate, authorize, evaluate, and remediate wired, wireless, and remote users and their machines prior to allowing users onto the network. It identifies whether networked devices such as laptops, desktops, and other corporate assets are compliant with a network's security policies, and it repairs any vulnerabilities before permitting access to the network.
Product Overview
Cisco NAC Appliance is an end-to-end network registration and enforcement solution that allows network administrators to authenticate, authorize, evaluate, and remediate users and their machines prior to allowing users onto the network. This advanced network security product:
• Recognizes users, their devices, and their roles in the network. This first step occurs at the point of authentication, before malicious code can cause damage.
• Evaluates whether machines are compliant with security policies. Security policies can vary by user type, device type, or operating system.
• Enforces security policies by blocking, isolating, and repairing noncompliant machines. The machines are redirected into a quarantine area, where remediation occurs at the discretion of the administrator.
Cisco NAC Appliance can apply posture assessment and remediation services to all devices, regardless of:
• Device type. Cisco NAC Appliance can enforce security policies on all networked devices, including Windows, Mac, or Linux machines; laptops; desktops; personal digital assistants (PDAs); and corporate assets, such as printers and IP phones.
• Device ownership. Cisco NAC Appliance can apply security policies to systems owned by the corporation, employees, contractors, and guests.
• Device access method. Cisco NAC Appliance applies network admission control to devices connecting through the LAN, WLAN, WAN, or VPN.
Cisco NAC Appliance is unique in its ability to enforce policies for all operating scenarios without requiring separate products or additional modules.
Features And Benefits
Networks with Cisco NAC Appliance primarily benefit from:
• Healthy networks as a result of making compliance a condition of access
• Proactive prevention of viruses, worms, spyware, and other malicious applications
• Minimized vulnerabilities on user machines through periodic evaluation and remediation
• Significant cost savings by automating the process of repairing and updating user machines
Authentication Integration with Single Sign-On
Cisco NAC Appliance serves as an authentication proxy for most forms of authentication, natively integrating with Kerberos, Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP), RADIUS, Active Directory, S/Ident, and others. To minimize the inconvenience to end users, Cisco NAC Appliance supports single sign-on for VPN clients, wireless clients, and Windows Active Directory domains. Administrators can maintain multiple user profiles with different permission levels through the use of roles-based access control.
Vulnerability Assessment
Cisco NAC Appliance supports scanning of all Windows, Mac OS, and Linux-based operating systems and machines, as well as non-PC networked devices such as game consoles, PDAs, printers, and IP phones. It conducts network-based scans or can use custom-built scans as required. Cisco NAC Appliance can check for any application as identified by registry key settings, services running, or system files.
Device Quarantine
Cisco NAC Appliance can place noncompliant machines into quarantine, which prevents the spread of infection while enabling the machines to maintain access to remediation resources. Quarantine can be accomplished by using subnets as small as /30, or by using a quarantine VLAN.
Automatic Security Policy Updates
Automatic security policy updates that are part of Cisco's standard software maintenance package provide predefined policies for the most common network access criteria, including policies that check for critical operating system updates, common antivirus software virus definition updates, and common antispyware definition updates. This eases the management cost on network administrators, who can rely on the Cisco NAC Appliance to constantly maintain updated policies.
Centralized Management
The Cisco NAC Appliance Web-based management console allows administrators to define the types of scans required for each role, as well as the related remediation packages necessary for recovery. One management console can manage multiple servers.
Remediation and Repair
Quarantining gives devices access to remediation servers that can provide operating system patches and updates, virus definition files, or endpoint security solutions such as Cisco Security Agent. Administrators can enable automated remediation through the optional agent, or specify a series of remediation instructions.
Flexible Deployment Modes
Cisco NAC Appliance offers the broadest array of deployment modes to fit into any customer network. Customers can deploy the product as a virtual or real IP gateway, at the edge or centrally, with Layer 2 or Layer 3 client access, and in-band or out-of-band with network traffic.
Deployment Modes
Cisco NAC Appliance can be deployed in several ways to best accommodate a customer's network. Table 1 illustrates the options for deployment:
Table 1. Cisco NAC Appliance Deployment Options
Deployment Model
Options
Passing Traffic Mode
• Virtual gateway (bridged mode)
• Real IP gateway/NAT gateway (routed mode)
Physical Deployment Model
• Edge
• Central
Client Access Mode
• Layer 2 (client is adjacent to the Cisco Clean Access Server)
• Layer 3 (client is multiple hops from the Cisco Clean Access Server)
Traffic Flow Model
• In-band (Cisco Clean Access Server is always inline with user traffic)
• Out-of-band (Cisco Clean Access Server is inline only during authentication, posture assessment, and remediation)
Product Architecture
Cisco NAC Appliance has three components:
• Cisco Clean Access Server: The device that initiates assessment and enforces access privileges based on endpoint compliance. Users are blocked at the port layer and restricted from accessing the trusted network until they successfully pass inspection. The Cisco Clean Access Server is available in five sizes based on the number of online, concurrent users: 100, 250, 500, 1500, and 2500 users. The Cisco Clean Access Server is also available as a network module for Cisco Integrated Services Router: this product is called the Cisco NAC Network Module and is available in licenses for 50 and 100 users.
A single company can have several servers of differing sizes; for example, a headquarters building would require a 1500-user Cisco Clean Access Server, while a branch office for the same company might only require a 50-user Cisco NAC Network Module.
• Cisco Clean Access Manager: A centralized, Web-based console for establishing roles, checks, rules, and policies. The Cisco Clean Access Manager is available in three sizes: the Cisco Clean Access Lite Manager manages up to three Cisco Clean Access Servers; the Cisco Clean Access Standard Manager manages up to 20 Cisco Clean Access Servers; and the Cisco Clean Access Super Manager manages up to 40 Cisco Clean Access Servers. The Cisco Clean Access Manager can manage a combination of Clean Access Servers and Cisco NAC Network Modules.
• Cisco Clean Access Agent: A thin, read-only agent that enhances posture assessment functions and streamlines remediation. Cisco Clean Access Agents are optional and are distributed free of charge.
Figure 1 is a logical diagram of Cisco NAC Appliance in an in-band deployment mode. This configuration works with any 802.11 wireless access point, including Cisco Aironet® access points. The in-band mode is also the preferred deployment mode for VPN traffic.
Figure 1. Cisco NAC Appliance Architecture in In-Band Mode
Figure 2 is a logical diagram of Cisco NAC Appliance in out-of-band deployment mode. In this mode, the Cisco Clean Access Server is in-band only during the process of authentication, posture assessment, and remediation. Once a user's device has successfully logged on, its traffic traverses the switch port directly.
Figure 2. Cisco NAC Appliance Architecture in Out-of-Band Mode
In addition to the traffic flow modes, customers also have a variety of other deployment options to best fit NAC into their network. Table 2 lists additional deployment options.
Cisco NAC Appliance is available as a "true" appliance that combines software and hardware, and the Cisco Clean Access Server component is available as a network module for Cisco Series 2800 and 3800 Integrated Services Routers. Appliances are based on three hardware platforms. Table 3 lists the specifications for the hardware appliance versions of the Cisco NAC Appliance.
• Cisco Clean Access Server for 100, 250, and 500 users
• Cisco Clean Access Lite Manager
• Cisco Clean Access Server for 1500, 2500 and 3500 users
• Cisco Clean Access Standard Manager
Cisco Clean Access Super Manager
Processor
Dual-core Intel Xeon 2.33-GHz
Dual-core Intel Xeon 3.0-GHz
2 x dual-core Intel Xeon 3.0-GHz
Memory
1 GB PC2-4200 (2 x 512 MB)
2 GB PC2-5300 (2 x 1 GB)
4 GB PC2-5300 (4 x 1 GB)
Memory bus clock
1333-MHz FSB
1333-MHz FSB
1333-MHz FSB
Controller
Embedded SATA RAID Controller
Smart Array E200i Controller
Smart Array E200i Controller
Hard disk
80-GB NPH SATA drive
2 x 72-GB SFF SAS RAID drives
4 x 72-GB SFF SAS RAID drives
Removable media
CD/DVD-ROM drive
CD/DVD-ROM drive
CD/DVD-ROM drive
Network Connectivity
Ethernet network interface cards (NICs)
• 2 x Integrated Broadcom 10/100/1000 5721 NICs
• 2 x Intel e1000 Gigabit NICs (PCI-X)
• 2 x Integrated Broadcom 10/100/1000 5708 NICs
• 2 x Intel e1000 Gigabit NICs (PCI-X)
• 2 x Integrated Broadcom 10/100/1000 5708 NICs
• 2 x Intel e1000 Gigabit NICs (PCI-X)
10BASE-T cable support
Category (Cat) 3, 4, or 5 unshielded twisted pair (UTP) up to 328 ft (100 m)
Cat 3, 4, or 5 UTP up to 328 ft (100 m)
Cat 3, 4, or 5 UTP up to 328 ft (100 m)
10/100/1000BASE-TX cable support
Cat 5 UTP up to 328 ft (100 m)
Cat 5 UTP up to 328 ft (100 m)
Cat 5 UTP up to 328 ft (100 m)
Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) accelerator card
None
Cavium CN1120-NHB-E
Cavium CN1120-NHB-E
Interfaces
Serial ports
1
1
1
USB 2.0 ports
4 (two front, two rear)
4 (one front, one internal, two rear)
4 (one front, one internal, two rear)
Keyboard port
1
1
1
Video port
1
1
1
Mouse port
1
1
1
External SCSI port
None
None
None
System Unit
Form factor
Rack-mount 1 RU
Rack-mount 1 RU
Rack-mount 1 RU
Weight
35 lb (15.87 kg) fully configured
35 lb (15.87 kg) fully configured
35 lb (15.87 kg) fully configured
Dimensions
1.70 x 16.78 x 27.75 in. (4.32 x 42.62 x 70.49 cm)
1.70 x 16.78 x 27.75 in. (4.32 x 42.62 x 70.49 cm)
1.70 x 16.78 x 27.75 in. (4.32 x 42.62 x 70.49 cm)
Power supply
650W auto-switching, PFC
Dual 700W (redundant)
Dual 700W (redundant)
Cooling fans
6; non-hot plug, nonredundant
9; redundant
9; redundant
BTU rating
2910 Btus/hr (at 120 VAC); 2870 (at 240 VAC)
2910 Btus/hr (at 120 VAC); 2870 (at 240 VAC)
2910 Btus/hr (at 120 VAC); 2870 (at 240 VAC)
Cisco NAC Network Module
The Cisco NAC Network Module is supported on modular Integrated Services Routers with a network module slot-namely the Cisco 2811, 2821, 2851, 3825, and 3845 platforms. For full specifications, please view the Cisco NAC Network Module for Integrated Services Routers datasheet at http://www.cisco.com/go/NACNM.
System Requirements
The optional Cisco Clean Access Agent works on systems with the characteristics listed in Table 4.
Table 4. Cisco Clean Access Agent System Requirements
Feature
Minimum Requirement
Supported OS
Windows XP Professional, Windows XP Home, Windows XP Media Center Edition , Windows XP Tablet PC , Windows 2000, Windows 98, Windows SE, Windows ME, Mac OS X (auth only)
Hard Drive Space
Minimum of 10 MB of free hard drive space
Hardware
No minimum hardware requirements (works on various client machines)
Cisco NAC Appliance also supports single sign-on for wireless and remote-access users using certain IP Security (IPsec) VPN and WebVPN clients. These are outlined in Table 5:
Table 5. VPN and Wireless Components Supported with Single Sign-On
Product
Clients
Cisco Wireless LAN Controllers
-
Cisco ASA 5500 Series Adaptive Security Appliances
• Cisco SSL VPN (Tunnel)
• Cisco IPsec VPN Client
Cisco WebVPN Service Modules for Cisco Catalyst® 6500 Series Switches and Cisco 7600 Series Routers
Cisco VPN 3000 Series Concentrators
Cisco PIX® Security Appliances
Cisco NAC Appliance is preconfigured to offer policy checks for more than 300 applications from 50 vendors. This list is constantly being expanded; please visit http://www.cisco.com/en/US/products/ps6128/prod_release_notes_list.html for the latest supported applications (listed under "Cisco NAC Appliance Supported AV/AS Product List").
Note: Not all check types are supported for all products, and some vendors do not support Windows 9x. In addition to the preconfigured checks, the customer has full access to the Cisco NAC Appliance rules engine and can create any custom check or rule for any other third-party application.
