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