Since 2005, enterprise organizations have deployed Great Bay Software’s Beacon Endpoint Profiler in a myriad of use cases and configurations. The features in 3.1 are a direct result of feedback we received from customers and will augment their specific use cases whether it be preparing for a CIP-002 or FISMA audit, discovering patient care systems in a hospital, deploying 802.1X and/or NAC, or simply providing an identity-based inventory of everything on the enterprise LAN; Beacon 3.1 provides a mature, comprehensive, solution to the challenges of endpoint discovery, network-based authentication, and Identity-based asset management

New Endpoint Profiling Techniques - flexibility for any enterprise

Great Bay’s Beacon Endpoint Profiler continues to deliver the industries most comprehensive set of Endpoint Profiling techniques. Version 3.1 adds new profiling techniques for an even more comprehensive and contextually rich endpoint inventory. The new profiling techniques include:

Active Directory Integration - for retrieval of detailed endpoint information for devices in the Domain

RADIUS Accounting - for learning username information and better understanding of the endpoints current authenticated status

CDP - for gathering identity data from CDP-enabled devices

New Endpoint Events - for greater awareness of the network edge

The Events system in 3.1 has been improved to deliver granular event data for large enterprise network and for providing greater visibility into the potential areas for concern within the enterprise LAN edge.

3.1 delivers a more robust method for tracking identity changes for endpoints by adding directionality to the Profile Change events, and adds a two new event types; Alert Profile and Profile Consistency.

When combined with the Response functions in 3.1, Beacon solves the Change of Access (COA) challenge for provisioning new devices as well as reengaging the authentication system when the behavior of an endpoint intimates that its MAC address may have been spoofed, a hub or WLAN router inserted, or otherwise requires reconsideration for its appropriate level of connectivity.

Profile Groups - for more efficient endpoint inventory and information access

Enterprise network are typically comprised of many different endpoint types that frequently deserve their own identity value within Beacon. Device types such as patient care systems, SCADA devices, VOIP phones, and devices such as printers come in a wide variety of models, versions, and manufacturers. Profile groups allow the IT security administrator to better manage these endpoint types by aggregating them into groups without sacrificing the detailed endpoint profiling techniques that facilitate a more granular, and highly desirable, endpoint inventory.

Event Response - Solving Change of Access (COA)

Beacon 3.1 adds a number of new Events and now provides the ability to respond to events by reinitializing the authentication process. This unique approach protects the continuity of the authentication system and avoids creating multiple points of authority for network access.

Most importantly, the approach we’ve taken can be leveraged by our partners, Cisco, Juniper, and Symantec, all with the same functionality

Advanced Rule Editor - Complexity ~ Simplified

Complex rules, multiple attributes, Boolean expressions; Beacon 3.1 provides the Advanced Rule Editor to dramatically simplify the process of creating complex rules. Utilize pre-configured templates, have access to all of Beacon’s library of profiling options, add and move operators with a simple drag and drop. The Advanced Rule Editor will change the way you create a manage profiles.