In considering NAC, businesses should look at how they will need the technology long-term and plan accordingly, Gartner recommends.

Potential NAC users may have legitimate needs for NAC today, but should not fill that need without taking a more strategic look at how they will meet the need over time.

Gartner says that ultimately customers will seek out NAC that fits into larger security plans, such as endpoint security suites that can evaluate endpoints and enforce NAC policies, and NAC that can be enforced on network infrastructure such as switches and firewalls.

The good news for vendors of NAC appliances and other overlay gear is Gartner predicts that integration of NAC into larger frameworks won’t catch on until sometime late next year.

The good news for customers that need NAC now is that these smaller vendors can provide advanced NAC features, and better management and reporting than larger vendors with plans to weave NAC into the network fabric.

In a report “MarketScope for Network Access Control, 2008” Gartner says about half of the 17 NAC vendors it considers are startups, which raises natural concerns about their longevity and means they lack a lengthy track record.

Still they are a valuable possible answer to NAC needs, at least for now. “In 2008, many of the smaller NAC vendors should be viewed tactically,” the report says.

But NAC being included in endpoint security suites and in the infrastructure will make it more difficult for these younger companies to compete beyond 2009, according to Gartner.

Tim Greene is senior editor at Network World.