Network Access Control for Secure, Policy-Driven Infrastructure
Control who and what can access your network — without disrupting users or ripping out existing infrastructure.
Hararei helps organisations deploy Aruba ClearPass to identify unmanaged devices, enforce role-based access, validate endpoint posture, and support Zero Trust across wired, wireless, guest, BYOD, IoT and branch environments.
Most organisations have no reliable way to control who and what is connecting to their network. Corporate laptops, personal devices, IoT equipment, contractors, and guests often receive the same level of trust, increasing the risk of unauthorised access and lateral movement. Network Access Control provides the visibility and policy enforcement needed to ensure every device receives only the access it requires.
Why Network Access Control Now?
Modern networks are no longer limited to managed laptops and known users. Branch offices, wireless networks, guest access, BYOD, contractors, IoT and unmanaged devices all create new access risks that traditional perimeter controls were not designed to handle.
Unmanaged devices are everywhere
Printers, cameras, scanners, badge readers, personal devices and IoT equipment often connect to the network without the same controls applied to corporate endpoints.
Access needs to be verified
Users and devices should not gain network access simply because they know a password or can connect to a port or wireless network.
Segmentation reduces risk
Network Access Control helps place users, guests, contractors and devices into the right access zones, limiting movement if an account or device is compromised.
Posture matters
Corporate devices can be checked for security posture before they are granted access, including controls such as endpoint protection, firewall status and patch compliance.
Compliance requires evidence
Regulated organisations need to show who accessed the network, from which device, under what policy, and whether access controls were consistently enforced.
ZTNA does not replace NAC
ZTNA controls access to private applications. NAC controls access to the network itself, especially across campus, branch, wireless, guest and IoT environments.
Where Network Access Control Fits in a Zero Trust Architecture
Network Access Control (NAC) plays a distinct role in a modern security architecture. It helps determine who and what is allowed onto the network, under what conditions, and with what level of access. It works alongside ZTNA, Secure Web Gateway, endpoint security and other controls to reduce risk across campus, branch and hybrid environments.
In simple terms
NAC controls access to the network itself.
ZTNA controls access to private applications.
SWG / SASE secures internet and SaaS access.
Endpoint security helps detect and contain threats after access is granted.
Network Access Control (NAC)
NAC verifies users and devices before they join the network, applying role-based access policies across wired, wireless, guest, BYOD and IoT environments.
- Device visibility and profiling
- Authentication and role-based access
- Guest and contractor access control
- Segmentation and quarantine
Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA)
ZTNA provides secure access to private applications without exposing the network, making it ideal for remote users, third parties and application-level access control.
- Application-level access control
- Remote access without traditional VPN exposure
- Identity and context-based access decisions
- Reduced lateral movement risk
Secure Web Gateway / SASE
SWG and broader SASE services protect internet and SaaS access, helping enforce web security, acceptable use, threat prevention and data protection policies.
- Web and SaaS traffic inspection
- Threat prevention and URL filtering
- Cloud-delivered policy enforcement
- Support for hybrid and mobile users
Endpoint Security & Device Posture
Endpoint protection, EDR, patching and posture tools provide important signals about device health. NAC can use these signals to help determine whether a device should be granted access, restricted or quarantined.
- Endpoint protection and EDR status
- Patch and compliance checks
- Firewall and device posture validation
- Improved enforcement decisions at access time
Identity, Segmentation & Policy Enforcement
NAC becomes even more effective when integrated with identity systems, switching and wireless infrastructure, firewalls and segmentation controls to create consistent access policies across the environment.
- Directory and identity integration
- Dynamic policy enforcement by user and device
- Segmentation for users, guests and IoT devices
- Support for Zero Trust architecture initiatives
The Practical Takeaway
NAC is not a replacement for ZTNA, Secure Web Gateway or endpoint security. It solves a different problem: controlling access to the network itself and applying the right level of access for users, devices and unmanaged endpoints. In practice, the strongest Zero Trust architectures use these controls together.
Common Network Access Control Use Cases
Network Access Control should do more than authenticate users onto the network. It should help enforce access policies for employees, guests, contractors, corporate devices and unmanaged endpoints across wired, wireless and branch environments.
Secure Employee Access Across Wired and Wireless Networks
Apply identity-based access controls to employees and trusted users across office, campus and branch environments, helping ensure the right users and devices receive the right level of access.
- Authenticate users and corporate devices before granting network access
- Apply role-based policies across wired and wireless networks
- Support 802.1X and other access control methods
- Restrict access based on user role, device type or location
Control Guest and Contractor Access
Provide internet and limited internal access to visitors, third parties and temporary users without exposing sensitive systems or relying on shared credentials.
- Provide separate guest access for visitors and contractors
- Apply time-limited or sponsor-approved access where needed
- Restrict guest traffic to internet-only or approved resources
- Reduce the risk of unmanaged third-party devices accessing sensitive networks
Enforce Posture for Corporate Endpoints
Use posture information to help determine whether corporate laptops and other managed endpoints should receive full access, restricted access or remediation access.
- Check endpoint posture before granting full access
- Validate controls such as endpoint protection, firewall status and patch compliance
- Place non-compliant devices into restricted or remediation access groups
- Support stronger enforcement for corporate-managed endpoints
Identify and Segment IoT and Unmanaged Devices
Gain visibility into printers, cameras, scanners, badge readers, medical devices, OT assets and other unmanaged endpoints, then place them into the appropriate access zones.
- Profile connected devices and identify unmanaged endpoints
- Assign devices to the correct network segment or policy group
- Restrict access to only the systems and services those devices require
- Reduce lateral movement risk from poorly secured devices
Support Branch and Campus Zero Trust Initiatives
Extend identity-based access policies beyond a single office to support distributed users, branch locations and campus environments as part of a broader Zero Trust strategy.
- Apply consistent access policies across multiple sites
- Support Zero Trust controls for campus and branch networks
- Improve segmentation between users, guests, devices and IoT assets
- Complement ZTNA, endpoint security and broader security controls
Improve Auditability and Access Governance
Strengthen visibility into who accessed the network, from which device and under what policy, helping support governance, audit and compliance requirements.
- Create clearer access policies for users, devices and third parties
- Maintain records of authentication, authorisation and policy decisions
- Support internal control, audit and regulatory reporting requirements
- Improve confidence in network access governance over time
Aruba ClearPass Components
Aruba ClearPass provides a comprehensive NAC platform with capabilities that support access control, device visibility, posture assessment, BYOD onboarding, and guest access across wired, wireless, and remote network environments.
Policy Manager
Central policy engine for authentication, authorisation, role-based access control, and enforcement across multi-vendor networks.
OnGuard
Endpoint posture assessment to validate device health, security controls, and compliance before granting network access.
Onboard
BYOD onboarding and certificate provisioning to simplify secure access for employee-owned devices.
Device Insight
Device discovery and profiling to identify unmanaged, IoT, OT, and other non-traditional endpoints.
ClearPass OnGuard
Aruba ClearPass provides device posture control to ensure endpoints meet defined security standards before network access is granted. Using its OnGuard capability, ClearPass evaluates device health during authentication by checking attributes such as operating system version, antivirus status, firewall configuration, and overall compliance with corporate policies. These checks can be applied across wired, wireless, and VPN connections. If a device fails validation, ClearPass can restrict access, place the device into a remediation network, or apply limited access policies until the issue is resolved. This approach prevents vulnerable or noncompliant endpoints from reaching sensitive resources while maintaining seamless connectivity for trusted devices.
ClearPass Policy Manager (CPPM)
Aruba Networking ClearPass Policy Manager (CPPM) provides robust network access control with granular role-based policies for authentication, authorization, continuous monitoring and enforcement. Its highly interoperability feature helps customers to leverage their investment in earlier security products.
Aruba ClearPass gives you comprehensive and precise profiling, authentication and authorization for your users and guests, your systems, and devices trying to access your IT resources. It’s a rock–solid, affordable solution to control access to your network
HPE Aruba Networking ClearPass Policy Manager provides role and device–based secure network access control for Internet of Things (IoT), BYOD, corporate devices, as well as employees, contractors, and guests across any multivendor wired, wireless and VPN infrastructure.
With a built-in context-based policy engine, RADIUS, TACACS+, non-RADIUS enforcement using OnConnect, device profiling, posture assessment, onboarding, and guest access options, ClearPass is unrivaled as a foundation for network security for organizations of any size.
Multi-Vendor Compatibility
Enterprise networks are rarely built on a single vendor’s infrastructure. Aruba ClearPass is designed to operate across heterogeneous environments, integrating with multi-vendor switches, wireless networks, firewalls, and identity providers. By acting as a centralized policy engine, ClearPass enables organizations to enforce consistent authentication, device profiling, and access policies regardless of the underlying network hardware. This allows security teams to maintain uniform access control across existing infrastructure while avoiding costly rip-and-replace network upgrades.
With ClearPass, organizations can deploy wired or wireless using standards-based 802.1X enforcement for secure authentication. ClearPass also supports MAC address authentication for IoT and headless devices that may lack support for 802.1X. For wired environments where RADIUS based authentication cannot be deployed, OnConnect, offers an alternative using SNMP based enforcement.
HPE Aruba Networking ClearPass is the only policy platform that centrally enforces all aspects of enterprise-grade access security for any industry. Granular policy enforcement is based on a user’s role, device type and role, authentication method, UEM attributes, device health, traffic patterns, location, and time of day.
Hararei brings extensive experience designing and operating large-scale enterprise networks. We help organisations define access policies, integrate ClearPass with existing infrastructure, and develop a phased deployment strategy that delivers security improvements without disrupting business operations.
ClearPass Policy Manager Datasheet
Support Compliance and Access Governance
Network Access Control can play an important role in strengthening internal access controls, improving visibility over connected devices and supporting audit requirements. By applying identity-based policies to users and devices, organisations can move away from broad network trust and towards more consistent, policy-driven access decisions.
Strengthen Access Control
NAC helps ensure that users and devices are authenticated before joining the network and can be assigned access based on role, device type, location or other policy criteria.
- Support identity-based access to wired and wireless networks
- Apply different policies to employees, guests, contractors and devices
- Reduce reliance on broad network trust and shared access methods
- Limit access to the systems and services each user or device requires
Improve Visibility and Auditability
NAC can provide clearer visibility into who connected to the network, from which device, and under what policy, helping security and audit teams build a more reliable picture of access activity.
- Track authentication and authorisation activity
- Maintain records of access decisions and policy enforcement
- Improve visibility into unmanaged and non-corporate devices
- Support investigations, reporting and internal audit processes
Support Segmentation of Sensitive Environments
For organisations with sensitive systems, regulated data or operational technology, NAC can help place users and devices into the appropriate access zones and reduce unnecessary exposure.
- Separate guest, employee, contractor and device traffic
- Restrict IoT and unmanaged devices to approved network segments
- Support access control for sensitive business systems and environments
- Reduce the risk of uncontrolled lateral movement across the network
Reinforce Policy and Governance Objectives
While NAC is not a compliance programme in itself, it can help organisations enforce access policies more consistently and demonstrate stronger governance over network access.
- Support policy-based access decisions rather than informal exceptions
- Provide stronger control over guest, BYOD and third-party access
- Help align network access with broader security and Zero Trust initiatives
- Contribute to a stronger overall control environment for regulated organisations
A practical control for regulated and security-conscious environments
Whether the priority is reducing exposure from unmanaged devices, improving guest access governance, or strengthening internal control over network access, NAC can provide a practical foundation for more disciplined access management across campus, branch and hybrid environments.
Why Work With Hararei for Network Access Control
Network Access Control projects are rarely just about enabling a product feature. They involve policy design, user experience, infrastructure integration, endpoint visibility and careful rollout planning. Hararei helps organisations approach NAC as part of a broader security and Zero Trust strategy, rather than as a standalone technology deployment.
Architecture-First Approach
We start by understanding your users, devices, access requirements and security objectives, then design the access model, policy structure and deployment approach to fit your environment.
Experience Across Complex Environments
NAC often needs to integrate with switching, wireless, identity, endpoint and security platforms. Hararei works across mixed environments and helps align NAC with the wider network and security stack.
Phased Deployment to Reduce Risk
We help organisations move from visibility and profiling to policy enforcement in a controlled way, reducing the risk of user disruption and avoiding overly aggressive access changes on day one.
Focus on Operational Practicality
Successful NAC deployments must work in the real world. We take into account guest access, contractors, legacy devices, IoT endpoints, support processes and the operational realities of running access controls at scale.
Aligned to Zero Trust Initiatives
NAC should not sit in isolation. Hararei helps position Network Access Control alongside ZTNA, Secure Web Gateway, endpoint security and segmentation initiatives to support a more coherent Zero Trust architecture.
From Strategy Through Implementation
Whether you are evaluating NAC for the first time, planning an Aruba ClearPass rollout or looking to improve an existing deployment, Hararei can support assessment, design, implementation and optimisation.
A Practical Approach to NAC Adoption
We help organisations identify where NAC will deliver the most value, prioritise the right use cases, and roll out controls in a way that improves security without creating unnecessary friction for users or support teams.
Not Sure If NAC Is Right For Your Environment?
Hararei can assess your current network access controls, identify unmanaged devices, and help determine whether Aruba ClearPass is the right solution for your organisation.
Contact Us Please contact Hararei for an in-depth discussion on using any of our Cloud or Cybersecurity products or services