Bradford’s Adaptive Network Security Platform, as depicted in the figure below, delivers integration, correlation and automation, as well as visibility and control, across the entire network. The combination of these powerful functions enables the ANS platform to dynamically manage security policy across the entire network. The deployment of the ANS Platform is depicted along with the other elements in a typical network environment.
Bradford’s Adaptive Network Security Platform contains both functional and architectural elements.
Functional Elements
The ANS Platform consists of these functional elements:
Integration
Bradford’s ANS Platform integrates multiple points of policy enforcement from desktop security software, network infrastructure devices, and traditional security infrastructure. This integration capability provides enhanced security and allows both existing and new technologies to be more effectively utilized.
Correlation
The ANS Platform correlates the data gathered from the integration process. This correlation of information puts the data into a proper security context and provides the insight into security actions that may be needed to ensure compliance with established policies.
Automation
The ANS Platform is able to automate configuration and management tasks, including network access provisioning for users, guests and devices as well as automating actions from alerts received from existing security systems. This automation capability provides enhanced security and the ability to dynamically adapt to network threats and changes.
Visibility and Control
With its integration, correlation and automation capabilities, the ANS Platform is able to deliver end-to-end visibility of all users and devices on the network in real-time, as well as monitor and log all network activity over time for historical views and detailed reporting. The combination of these powerful functions enables the ANS Platform to dynamically manage security policy across the entire network.
Architectural elements
The ANS Platform contains a number of core engines that drive its key functions.
Device Engine
The Device Engine builds a network map representing every network infrastructure device and every security infrastructure device in the network, along with vendor-specific security features and enforcement options for each device.
State Engine
Information on the current status, or state, of users and endpoint devices on the network allows the ANS Platform to make real-time policy decisions and to perform dynamic policy enforcement based on current conditions.
Policy Engine
The creation of security policies tailored to individual users and endpoint devices occurs in the Policy Engine. It also functions as a centralized policy decision point responsible for making real-time policy decisions.
Enforcement Engine
Leveraging information from the Device Engine, State Engine, and Policy Engine, the Enforcement Engine initiates policy enforcement actions.
The Technology Driving Innovation
The Bradford’s Adaptive Network Security Platform provides the technology driving Bradford’s innovative Network Sentry Product Family with its real-world solutions to meet customer’s security challenges.
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“Bradford provides a granular level of detail about the systems connected to the network while providing user correlation, IP, MAC and workstation name information which is effective in troubleshooting network connectivity issues.”
Dean De Beer Information Security Manager Columbia University Medical Center
