Some vendors offer multiple agents but with different capabilities and OS support. For example, Nevis Networks offers an Active X control for Windows that will perform its health assessments. For non-Windows clients, Nevis can only do minimal identity controls using an agentless connection.
Recommendations:
5) Do you have non-PC endpoints to manage?
Part of figuring out the agent landscape is in knowing what else is on your network and what you need to manage. Thick agents can't manage non-PC devices that are on the corporate network and that run their own operating systems, such as print servers, network cameras, PDAs and the like. Most of these devices have IP addresses and run their own operating systems, but can't be easily controlled by the endpoint appliance.
The most appropriate architecture to handle non-PC endpoints is the TNC approach, which will embrace the widest selection of gear. NAC will implement support for non-PC endpoints at the network layer, while with Microsoft's NAP you'll need to specify policies to handle these devices.
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