How Does Office with NAC Look Like in Production — Key Metrics and ROI
One of the most important steps to enhance your network security posture is by implementing Network Access Control (NAC) in the office area. Regardless of the concoction of technology that makes up your NAC solution, proving its value to stakeholders is key (as with any tech investment). This guide provides you with an overview on how to define KPIs, track security incidents, report on improvements in compliance, cost savings, and show the total estimated ROI of your Network Access Control deployment.
Defining the KPIs for NAC
Defining and measuring clear, quantifiable Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) is the first successful step when deploying NAC. This is where KPIs really come into play, to keep an eye on how well your NAC strategy is working. Key NAC performance metrics to watch out for:
- Compliance Rate: Check what percentage of system devices comply with network policies to allow network access.
- Intrusion Attempt Blocked: Number of unauthorized access attempts trying to get into NAC.
- User Account Authentication Success Rates: Compare successful vs failed user account authentications.
- Network Adapter Installation Time: Track the time taken for a new device to be set up and allowed on the network.
Setting these KPIs allows you to establish success markers and provide some insight into how your NAC is performing.
Reporting on Security Incidents Averted
NACs provide an immediate advantage by specifically making sure that no unauthorized individual gets to access your network and hence prevent a possible security incident. Some tips for tracking and reporting:
- Real-time Alerts: Establish real-time alerts for unauthorized access attempts and device quarantines. This information is necessary to evaluate the early effects of NAC deployment.
- Incident Tracking Reports: Keep notes of threats stopped, log time and type of threat prevented by devices used.
- Trend Analysis: Conduct monthly or quarterly analysis reports to see the trends in threat prevention and identify if there are new threats emerging.
Tracking and documenting these happenings on a regular basis will substantiate the argument that your NAC helps to secure networks.
Measuring Advances in Compliance and Audit Readiness
This helps in ensuring the compliance of the devices and makes audit processes easier to handle. Visit mindSHIFT Online to find out how improvements can help with compliance assessment:
- Policy Compliance Audits: On a routine basis, analyze and report on compliance with security policies, such as verifying compliance with patch management or endpoint security standards.
- Audit Readiness Assessments: See how audit-intro preparations, making use of NAC logs and reviews, can save a ton of time in the audit process.
- Measurement of Compliance Rates: Assess over time the extent to which compliance rates increased after NACs were rolled out. A successful NAC Implementation yields higher compliance rates.
Enhanced compliance makes your network more secure and proves to all stakeholders the usefulness (or lack thereof) of NAC.
Calculating Time and Cost Savings from Automated Processes
Being able to automate so many security controls makes the time and cost investment into NAC worthwhile. You normally get these benefits through:
- Less Manual Intervention: Estimate the time reduction from manual network management pre- and post-NAC deployment.
- Reduced Downtime: Monitor reductions in network downtime due to rapid problem resolution and simplified network access.
- Staff Productivity: Look at how automated NAC processes take the burden off IT staff so they can undertake more strategic tasks.
They allow you to determine the return on investment that has been derived from your NAC solution, providing additional reasons for your business case for maintaining and converting the legacy NAC system.
Show the Big-Picture ROI of NAC
To make matters worse, Network Access Control has a questionable return on investment in general, and if stakeholders do not see the benefits, they will quickly become disinterested. Demonstrate the financial and operational ROI of the NAC:
- Cost-Benefit Analysis: This involves comparing the cost of setting up and maintaining NAC to the decrease in security incident costs, such as fines for data breaches or compliance.
- Revenue Protection: Although difficult to quantify, attempts can be made at estimating financial gains arising from the prevention of security breaches and maintaining data integrity.
- Higher Device Uptime: Mention increased uptime and productivity in relation to effective network management via NAC.
Developing ROI for NAC investments requires concrete figures; by displaying how revenue protection, productivity, and overall financial security have improved from day one of the NAC implementation.
Renting Can Be a More Cost-Effective NAC Implementation Strategy
This might offer a cost-effective solution for businesses, particularly SMBs, that are considering the financial outlay of NAC systems. Rental allows you to upgrade or downgrade resources as needed, where ownership would require an investment for certain options. It is their obligation to keep you at the forefront by providing the latest in NAC technology without the upfront costs.
The ability to save money and position your NAC deployment as a strategic element, legitimized by the listed metrics and ROI analysis, can help you make that case. Furthermore, renting solutions is an intelligent and flexible way for businesses to use NAC responsibly and ensure expenses do not go out of hand.
By measuring the success of NAC diligently and embracing these strategies, you will not only keep your network safe but show how essential it is for business operations.