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Aricent PNAC Overview :
Aricent PNAC (Port Based Network Access Control) is a portable implementation of the IEEE Std 802.1x PNAC. It can be used in both LAN Switches and Wireless LAN Access Points (AP) for providing security services.
When used in LAN Switches (Figure 1), it offers access control to protected resources existing in the switched network.
Figure 1. Deployment in Switched LAN
When used in WLAN APs (Figure 2), it not only provides authentication of the WLAN stations, but also improves the security by making use of the periodically exchanged key for encrypting the data.
Figure 2. Deployment in WLAN
Aricent PNAC can be very easily ported to different RTOS environments and interfaced to different switch hardware (Figure 3).
 Figure 3. Aricent PNAC Interfaces
Aricent PNAC Features :
- Supports port authentication: In the case of point to point links, the frames are forwarded only if the port is authenticated.
- Supports MAC address authentication: In the case of shared LANs, the frames are forwarded only if the sender (MAC address) is authenticated for that port.
- Interfaces with RADIUS Client for both authentication and for key refreshing.
- Supports EAP-MD5 Authentication mechanism.
- Available as an integrated component with Aricent TB/STP product.
- Provides a local authentication mechanism using, which the authentication is performed based on the locally configured users/passwords.
- Supports Supplicant functionality.*
- Supports all MIB objects as specified in the 802.1x standard.
- Provides SNMP support for configuration and management.
- Conforms to Future Software Architecture for Portability (FSAP2), thus ensuring highly portable code, which uses flexible buffer and timer management libraries.
Aricent PNAC Benefits:
Aricent PNAC from Future Software reduces the time to market for OEMs and VARs who wish to incorporate the security services into their switching/routing devices.
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