Keys to access control: visibility, granularity, 'set it and forget it'
In selecting network access control, the ability to see what visitors are doing on the network and to set meaningful policy are critical, said Robert Loveland, network and security engineer for the city of Gastonia, N.C. Those were selling points when he chose eTIPS from Avenda Systems for the city’s network.
“What really caught my attention was how visible everything was,” he said.
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The eTIPS policy engine allows granular polices to be set for role-based access to the system. It can be used across a variety of departments and job descriptions, simplifying access control as well as the task of pinpointing problems when they occur.
"Knowing exactly what is going on will save you tons of time,” Loveland said. “With the amount that I can see into things in the authorization process, it can cut my trouble-shooting time in half.”
With three technicians to oversee a network supporting 1,500 users, cutting the number of man-hours needed to solve problems is important. The staff is adequate when things are running smoothly, but it can quickly become overburdened when problems arise.
“With the number of people I’ve got, you almost have to have something that is set it and forget it,” he said.
About the Author
William Jackson is a senior writer of GCN and the author of the CyberEye column.