Network Access Control

What Does Network Access Control Mean?

Network access control (NAC) is an approach to network management and security that enforces security policy, compliance and management of access control to a network. It is a network solution that enables only compliant, authenticated and trusted endpoint devices and nodes to access network resources and infrastructure. It also monitors and controls their activity once they are on the network.

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Network access control is also known as network admission control (NAC).

Techopedia Explains Network Access Control

NAC is primarily a network management solution implemented through software or an integrated solution. The key objectives of NAC are to create and manage identity and access management, ensure security policy is followed, and remove, prevent and mitigate security risks to the entire network environment. NAC consists of policies, procedures, protocols, tools and applications that define, restrict and regulate what an individual or component can or cannot do on a network. A comprehensive NAC solution is applicable to all endpoints, such as computers, servers, firewalls, routers and the method through which they access a network.

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Margaret Rouse

Margaret Rouse is an award-winning technical writer and teacher known for her ability to explain complex technical subjects to a non-technical, business audience. Over the past twenty years her explanations have appeared on TechTarget websites and she's been cited as an authority in articles by the New York Times, Time Magazine, USA Today, ZDNet, PC Magazine and Discovery Magazine.Margaret's idea of a fun day is helping IT and business professionals learn to speak each other’s highly specialized languages. If you have a suggestion for a new definition or how to improve a technical explanation, please email Margaret or contact her…