2 Schools Overhaul Network Access Control

  • By Dian Schaffhauser
  • 10/27/10

Two institutions--Northern Arizona and The Master's College--have both added network access control (NAC) technology from Impulse Point, replacing legacy systems from Cisco. Both schools are now using SafeConnect. A NAC system such as SafeConnect performs network validation before allowing a device to use network resources. That typically includes authentication of username and password and compliance with the school's network acceptable use policy or standards.

Northern Arizona, which has 20,000 students, sought a replacement that could keep up with the growth of devices on its network. One of the key challenges facing the Flagstaff school's IT department was the delay it experienced with its existing NAC system in recognizing newer operating systems and patch updates.

"Our students were showing up with new endpoint security software and operating systems such as Windows Media Center, Window 7, and Apple Mac Snow Leopard. For a period of six months, we had to make special exceptions within our Cisco Clean Access system to exempt these devices and the latest endpoint security software releases, which defeated the whole purpose of having a NAC system in the first place," said Heather Bell, systems administrator. "When we switched to SafeConnect, this issue was resolved because their managed support service ensures that we receive new device OS, and security software updates within 24 to 48 hours."

The Master's College in Santa Clarita, CA migrated to SafeConnect because it could no longer afford the staff time for maintenance and support of its legacy system.

"We ended up running it at a reduced functional level because of the many issues arising from it. We simply did not have the resources to sustain the solution and eventually determined that this product might not be the best fit for our environment," said Network Manager Paul Sedy. "The managed support service provided through SafeConnect has greatly helped to optimize our technical resources and reduce risk for our customers."

Other campuses that have recently moved to SafeConnect include Saginaw Valley State University in Michigan and the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs.

About the Author

Dian Schaffhauser is a former senior contributing editor for 1105 Media's education publications THE Journal, Campus Technology and Spaces4Learning.

Featured

  • college student sitting at a laptop writing a college essay

    How Can Schools Manage AI in Admissions?

    Many questions remain around the role of artificial intelligence in admissions as schools navigate the balance between innovation and integrity.  

  • a hobbyist in casual clothes holds a hammer and a toolbox, building a DIY structure that symbolizes an AI model

    Ditch the DIY Approach to AI on Campus

    Institutions that do not adopt AI will quickly fall behind. The question is, how can colleges and universities do this systematically, securely, cost-effectively, and efficiently?

  • person signing a bill at a desk with a faint glow around the document. A tablet and laptop are subtly visible in the background, with soft colors and minimal digital elements

    California Governor Signs AI Content Safeguards into Law

    California Governor Gavin Newsom has officially signed off on a series of landmark artificial intelligence bills, signaling the state’s latest efforts to regulate the burgeoning technology, particularly in response to the misuse of sexually explicit deepfakes. The legislation is aimed at mitigating the risks posed by AI-generated content, as concerns grow over the technology's potential to manipulate images, videos, and voices in ways that could cause significant harm.

  • laptop screen showing Coursera course

    Coursera Introduces New Gen AI Skills Training and Credentials

    Learning platform Coursera is expanding its Generative AI Academy training portfolio with an offering for teams, as well as adding new generative AI courses, specializations, and certificates.