Re: [Nea] UPDATED: WG Review: Network Endpoint Assessment (nea)

["Mike Fratto" <mfratto at gmail.com>]

>   The only
> > question is whether or not we're going to have a say in what gets
> > done. I really don't want to see a situation arise where I can't use,
> >  say, my Linux laptop somwhere because the necessary secret handshake
> > is some proprietary glop that only Windoze boxes can do.
>
> IMHO, that is _more_ likely to happen if NEA is standardized than if
> there are some number of proprietary solutions.

Keith, your argument is that closed solutions are more likely to
support more OS's and platforms than an open systems? Do I have that
right?

Let me blather on about OS support. Microsoft NAP will support Windows
XP, Longhorn, and Vista. That's it for now. Cisco's NAC (not the NAC
Appliance, formerly Clean Access) support Windows, Linux, and they
claim MacOSX is coming with CSA. The vendors supporting the TCG TNC
break out heavily on the Windows side. Of the 21 NAC vendors I have
talked to in the last few months (It's what I do in my day job), all
of the products support Windows from W2K onward. 5 support Linux OS's
either using a Java applet or rpc. 10 suport MacOSX. Support for
devices other than workstations and servers is even worse, dare I say
it, virtually non-existent. You should check for yourself, but I think
you will find that the reality doesn't jibe with your opinion.

What vendors tell me is they will support those other OS's when they
see demand. In other words, when someone is willing to pay for it.
What customers will often do is either not demand support and do
without, or go elsewhere. Few vendors actually add support for other
OS's after a product ships unless it is roadmapped early on. Hopefully
the work of a group like the NEA, if it is formed, will allow agents
from one vendor talk to server from another.

Standardizing communications, either using existing protocols or
developing new protocols, that any developer can use and should in
theory, allow endpoints talk to other components is going to hinder
multi-os support? :) That is a good thing (tm).

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