Napera Launches New NAC Solution, Targeting SMEs and Leveraging Microsoft NAP
| Apr 3, 2008 | Enterprise Security | Competitive Intelligence Report
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Analyst: Andrew Braunberg
Current Perspective: Positive
Vendor Importance: Very High
Market Impact: Moderate
Event Summary
March 31, 2008 – Start-up Napera Networks has announced a line of integrated products and Web-based services to solve the ongoing network security crisis for small and medium enterprises: network health. Offering a new approach that directly integrates with Microsoft’s Network Access Protection (NAP) architecture, the Napera solution combines the Napera N24 and N24S appliances to automatically enforce health and identity on the network with the MyNapera.com Web service that delivers management with point and click ease.
Analytical Summary
• Current Perspective: Positive on Napera Networks’ coming out of stealth mode with the launch of its flagship network access control appliances. The company has designed a NAC solution that fully leverages Microsoft’s Network Access Protection (NAP) clients, but uses its own policy management and enforcement technology to deliver a low cost and easy to use solution targeted at the underserved SME segment.
• Vendor Importance: Very high to Napera Networks, because this is the company’s initial launch of its flagship product. Napera’s immediate financial fortunes will be strongly tied to market acceptance of these appliances as will the company’s ability to generate broader market recognition.
• Market Impact: Moderate on the NAC market, because we appreciate the skepticism - just what we need, another NAC vendor, right? Well, this one is interesting for a couple reasons. Most importantly, it seems to have found a way to leverage Microsoft NAP successfully, which is not an easy task for a pure play NAC vendor. It has also formally and forcefully staked out the SME segment for attention. Napera’s strategy is to keep things simple for customers by pushing management and admin functions out into the cloud.
Recommended End User / Customer Actions
• North American-based SMEs that are looking for limited NAC functionality guest access or for key personnel, such as sales, should take a look at the new Napera appliances. The products have an extremely attractive price point and leverage agent technology that is supported and delivered by Microsoft.
• Organizations should be aware, however, that the current OS platforms support by Napera is limited (at least until Microsoft delivers a NAP agent for Windows XP). Organizations also need to determine if they are comfortable with the managed services aspects of the solution. This can become a bit of a philosophical argument and is just flagged as a potential issue here.
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Current Perspective
Competitive Positives and Concerns
Recommended Vendor Actions
Recommended Competitor Actions
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