Re: Replacing NetReg with ?

[Thomas Carter <tcarter () AUSTINCOLLEGE EDU>]

We had a Bradford Networks device that managed both wired and wireless. It could do a number of nice things like pull 
AD attributes to determine the VLAN assignment. It also gave decent security as it controlled items at a port level and 
ports were set to default to a dead-end network to prevent spreading malware. Unfortunately the device was slow and 
cumbersome to use; it caused headaches at the beginning of every year as the rush of new students registering devices 
causes issues. Things came to a head when we had a failure and I was unsatisfied with Bradford's response, so we began 
looking elsewhere.

We looked at SafeConnect, but, if I remember correctly, it more manages the outgoing Internet traffic and doesn't 
really manage at a port level. It seemed a little intrusive on clients as it required an always installed agent on 
computers. The Bradford solution allowed for a "dissolvable" agent that installed, ran, and uninstalled.

We ended up rolling out Packetfence. While not quite as full-featured as Bradford, but it's free, faster than Bradford, 
and is virtualized to give some measure of redundancy. We've been using it for a year now and it has been what we were 
looking for. YMMV.

Thomas Carter
Network and Operations Manager
Austin College
903-813-2564
[cid:image001.gif@01CF2D55.EB5B1A00]

From: The EDUCAUSE Security Constituent Group Listserv [mailto:SECURITY () LISTSERV EDUCAUSE EDU] On Behalf Of Jeffrey 
Sabin
Sent: Wednesday, February 19, 2014 9:24 AM
To: SECURITY () LISTSERV EDUCAUSE EDU
Subject: [SECURITY] Replacing NetReg with ?

Hello everyone - We are looking to replace our old, highly customized NetReg environment with something more modern and 
secure. We've looked at the Safe Connect product for example.

Has anyone else undertaken a similar endeavor and how did it go? If you are not using NetReg today, what are you using?

Just beginning to whittle down our options so any experience tales or advice would be most appreciated.

Many thanks!

Jeff

Jeffrey D. Sabin
INFORMATION SECURITY OFFICER/HEAD OF, INFRASTRUCTURE & SECURITY SERVICES

Dial Center
2507 University Avenue    Des Moines, Iowa 50311-4505
Tel  515.271.2935
Fax 515.271.1938
1.800.44.DRAKE x2935
E-mail jeff.sabin () drake edu<mailto:jeff.sabin () drake edu>