February 2007

I know I always feel lame when I'm hanging around a bunch of fellow Cisco nerds who are talking about some technology I have no clue about. It's one thing to not know the technical details, but it's quite another to not have any idea. So, I thought I'd list four technologies for you (and me) that I think will be hot in 2007:
1. Network Access Control (NAC) - a technology that can allow or deny a client wireless or wired network access based on just about any set of criteria. For example, if a user does not authenticate to Active Directory correctly, you can shut off their switchport or ability to access the wireless network. Another example: if a user does not have the correct virus software / updates installed, they can be moved to an isolated VLAN that only has internet access. This topic is a hotbed of activity right now because everyone seems to be moving forward with their own NAC standards and forming partnerships with software vendors as fast as possible.
2. WiMAX (aka 802.16e)- A new wireless standard in the 2.5GHz band that claims to provide download speeds between 2-4Mbps in a radius of 10-15 miles. Can we say metro-internet? Nice. There's a lot of debating right now as to the claims of vendors vs. actual tests on this standard. We'll see.