All "appliances" are expensive, IMO. Not just the monetary part, but also their up-keep. I resell a product that gets grossly marked up in appliance form, and is not as regularly updated as the non-applianced version. But people are willing to pay the additional (unnecessary) cost, just because it is applianced, and they don't like "software solutions". Go figure.
 

Sincerely,
   _____                               
  (, /  |  /)               /)     /)  
    /---| (/_  ______   ___// _   //  _
 ) /    |_/(__(_) // (_(_)(/_(_(_/(__(/_
(_/                             /)     
                               (/      
Microsoft MVP - Directory Services
www.akomolafe.com - we know IT
-5.75, -3.23
Do you now realize that Today is the Tomorrow you were worried about Yesterday? -anon


From: Susan Bradley, CPA aka Ebitz - SBS Rocks [MVP]
Sent: Wed 11/15/2006 8:43 AM
To: [email protected]
Subject: Re: [ActiveDir] Restrict VPN Access By Computer Name

"Expensive" ISA appliances... let's qualify that....

Akomolafe, Deji wrote:
> Yes, you will need a CA for EAP. Ideally, you'd do a machine cert, 
> because machines are what you want to filter.
> Are you providing hosted services to your clients, or what?
> Yes, there are ISA appliances. There have been since 2004.
>
> Sincerely,
> _____
> (, / | /) /) /)
> /---| (/_ ______ ___// _ // _
> ) / |_/(__(_) // (_(_)(/_(_(_/(__(/_
> (_/ /)
> (/
> Microsoft MVP - Directory Services
> www.akomolafe.com <x-excid://32770000/uri:http://www.akomolafe.com> - 
> we know IT
> *-5.75, -3.23*
> Do you now realize that Today is the Tomorrow you were worried about 
> Yesterday? -anon
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> *From:* Dan DeStefano
> *Sent:* Wed 11/15/2006 5:09 AM
> *To:* [email protected]
> *Subject:* RE: [ActiveDir] Restrict VPN Access By Computer Name
>
> Cool, I will test that out, thanks.
>
> I am not too familiar with using or configuring EAP – would this 
> solution require installing a CA on the network? Furthermore, would 
> these certificates be assigned to the machine, not the user?
>
> No, I understand the difference between IAS and ISA. I just mentioned 
> ISA because you said that it might be a good idea to use it. For most 
> of our clients, a $1500 firewall solution is overkill. We are pretty 
> much standardized on the Netgear FVL328, which costs under $300, 
> provides 100 VPN tunnels for branch offices and is compact enough to 
> fit in most of our clients’ wiring closets (the term “closet” being 
> the operative word as most of our clients do not have or need a server 
> room). I would prefer a firewall appliance to one installed on a 
> server and most ISA appliances are on the expensive side and are 
> designed for rack-mounting.
>
> I can’t remember where, but I vaguely remember reading that Microsoft 
> would be offering a light version of ISA2006 that can be used as an 
> embedded solution for small business networks such as those that I 
> manage. It will compete with Netgear, Linksys, Firebox, etc.. Maybe I 
> am mistaken, but I will try to find out.
>
> I will take your advice and wait for LH server instead of messing with 
> WS2k3 quarantine. I appreciate the recommendation.
>
> Dan DeStefano
> Info-lution Corporation
> [EMAIL PROTECTED] <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> http://www.info-lution.com <http://www.info-lution.com/>
> Office: 727 546-9143
> FAX: 727 541-5888
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> *From:* [EMAIL PROTECTED] 
> [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] *On Behalf Of *Akomolafe, Deji
> *Sent:* Tuesday, November 14, 2006 12:32 PM
> *To:* [email protected]
> *Subject:* RE: [ActiveDir] Restrict VPN Access By Computer Name
>
> You are right, Calling-Station-Identifier (in some cases) map to the 
> telephone number. In 802.1x scenario, though, it's usually the MAC, 
> but I have also seen it map to the client's IP address. I attribute 
> this to some vendors not reading the RFC or just opting to do it their 
> way. In our situation, MS maps it to MAC.
>
> I re-read your original message and I have another thought. Since 
> these are computers under your control, why not issue them 
> certificates and use EAP as your authentication filter?
>
> Hope we are not mixing acronyms here, re: IAS vs. ISA.
>
> IAS is the RADIUS server. Free with the OS.
>
> ISA is the proxy/caching/firewall solution. $1,500.00 for Standard 
> edition, comes in a black box version, too. For what it does, ISA is 
> on of the cheapest solutions of its type in the market. I am not aware 
> of the "light" version you mentioned.
>
> If you think NAP is complex, try your hands on 2K3 qtine. Also, you 
> can combine all the NAP roles on one server, you do not have to 
> separate them. The only strict requirement is that it be installed on 
> a LH server.
>
>
> Sincerely,
> _____
> (, / | /) /) /)
> /---| (/_ ______ ___// _ // _
> ) / |_/(__(_) // (_(_)(/_(_(_/(__(/_
> (_/ /)
> (/
> Microsoft MVP - Directory Services
> www.akomolafe.com <x-excid://32770000/uri:http:/www.akomolafe.com> - 
> we know IT
> **-5.75, -3.23**
> Do you now realize that Today is the Tomorrow you were worried about 
> Yesterday? -anon
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> *From:* Dan DeStefano
> *Sent:* Tue 11/14/2006 5:28 AM
> *To:* [email protected]
> *Subject:* RE: [ActiveDir] Restrict VPN Access By Computer Name
>
> Thank you for your response.
>
> I thought the Calling-Station-Id was used for phone numbers (that is 
> what the description says anyway). But you are saying that MAC 
> addresses can be used here as well?
>
> Other than the above, what would the advantages of deploying IAS be? 
> This is a small network with 100 or so users and only a handful of 
> them have VPN access (right now being controlled in the user account 
> properties). For this reason I am not sure I can also justify the 
> costs of implementing ISA especially with a current firewall solution 
> in place. Plus, we have no ISA experts in our organization or anyone 
> who has even administered ISA before. Maybe this will change with the 
> new ISA 2006, but most ISA solutions right now are enterprise-class 
> and on the expensive side (for most small businesses). I heard that 
> ISA 2006 is supposed to have a “light” version of some sort, but that 
> being said, I am not sure if it would be as fully-featured and support 
> what you are suggesting (though I know little of it other than the 
> fact that it exists).
>
> Thanks for the advice about ws2k3 quarantine, I guess we won’t waste 
> our time with it. I have read about Longhorn NAP and it looks great. 
> But it also looks a bit complex, requiring a bit more infrastructure 
> than most small businesses need or can afford.
>
> Have you ever tried restricting VPN access by MAC address?
>
> Dan DeStefano
> Info-lution Corporation
> [EMAIL PROTECTED] <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> http://www.info-lution.com <http://www.info-lution.com/>
> Office: 727 546-9143
> FAX: 727 541-5888
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> *From:* [EMAIL PROTECTED] 
> [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] *On Behalf Of *Akomolafe, Deji
> *Sent:* Tuesday, November 14, 2006 1:45 AM
> *To:* [email protected]
> *Subject:* RE: [ActiveDir] Restrict VPN Access By Computer Name
>
> Call-Station-Identifier is a much more stable and reliable filter - it 
> is the Client's MAC address. "Client Friendly Name" is optional and 
> may not be sent in many VPN negotiation. The identifier will very 
> likely be sent (I don't want to say ALWAYS since I don't have any 
> relevant doc that say that, but I am yet to see a negotiation that 
> does not include the identifier. Unfortunately, in order to use the 
> identifier as a filter, you will have to create a policy for each 
> device. I don't see how you can wildcard it. So, depending on how many 
> clients you are talking here, well....
>
> Yes, if I were you, I'd bring in RADIUS. Better, I'll bring in 
> something like ISA 2006. With ISA, you should be able to create a 
> Computer Set that includes the names or IPs of the Clients in 
> question, and you can use that to filter your inbound VPN connection 
> requests. I don't have such configuration, but it makes sense in my head.
>
> Also, if you haven't started messing with that 2K3 quarantine 
> thingamabob yet, thank your stars. You don't want to. Not now the NAP 
> in Longhorn is so close at hand. I'd recommend that you encourage your 
> techs to concentrate on learning NAP instead. I just took a quick look 
> around in NAP, and I can see where what you are trying to do here can 
> be easily accomplished.
>
> Hope I haven't thoroughly confused you yet.
>
>
> Sincerely,
> _____
> (, / | /) /) /)
> /---| (/_ ______ ___// _ // _
> ) / |_/(__(_) // (_(_)(/_(_(_/(__(/_
> (_/ /)
> (/
> Microsoft MVP - Directory Services
> www.akomolafe.com <x-excid://32770000/uri:http:/www.akomolafe.com> - 
> we know IT
> **-5.75, -3.23**
> Do you now realize that Today is the Tomorrow you were worried about 
> Yesterday? -anon
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> *From:* Dan DeStefano
> *Sent:* Mon 11/13/2006 9:54 PM
> *To:* [email protected]
> *Subject:* [ActiveDir] Restrict VPN Access By Computer Name
>
> I was wondering if there is a way to restrict client VPN connections 
> via computer name. The reason for this is that we only want clients 
> connecting from approved devices for which they do not have 
> administrative privileges. In other words, we do not want people 
> VPNing into our network from their possibly virus and spyware-infested 
> home PCs. I know that a clever user could rename his/her home PC, but 
> this is probably not too likely and that type of user is probably 
> likely to be conscious of updated antivirus/spyware software.
>
> I saw a setting in Remote Access Policies called Client Friendly Name 
> (IAS). Is this the setting I am looking for? If so, do I have to set 
> up an IAS server? If not, is there another way I can accomplish my 
> goal. I know that WS2k3 R2 has a quarantine feature, but I am not 
> familiar with it, though it looks like a bit of a PITA to set up and I 
> am looking for a quick way to fix this problem. We will probably 
> eventually use the new quarantine feature after our techs have had a 
> chance to learn and test it a bit. I think another problem with this 
> feature is for small business networks that have just a single SBS server.
>
> Any help would be greatly appreciated.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Dan DeStefano
> **Info-lution Corporation**
> [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> http://www.info-lution.com <http://www.info-lution.com/>
> Office: 727 546-9143
> FAX: 727 541-5888
>
> If you have received this message in error please notify the sender, 
> disregard any content and remove it from your possession.
>
> Dan DeStefano
> **Info-lution Corporation**
> [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> http://www.info-lution.com <http://www.info-lution.com/>
> Office: 727 546-9143
> FAX: 727 541-5888
>
> If you have received this message in error please notify the sender, 
> disregard any content and remove it from your possession.
>
> Dan DeStefano
> *Info-lution Corporation*
> [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> http://www.info-lution.com <http://www.info-lution.com/>
> Office: 727 546-9143
> FAX: 727 541-5888
>
> If you have received this message in error please notify the sender, 
> disregard any content and remove it from your possession.
>

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