Group Developing Open Source 802.1X

Six networking and security vendors--led by an industry analyst--are working to develop an open-source version of 802.1X standard for port-based network access control.The group has formed the OpenSEA Alliance to develop an open-source 801.X supplicant (a client implementation) to ensure a standards-based implementation and speed industry adoption, the group said.

Participants in the group include Extreme Networks, Identity Engines, Infoblox, Symantec Corporation, TippingPoint and Trapeze Networks. The group formation was coordinated by Jon Oltsik, senior analyst at industry analyst firm the Enterprise Strategy Group. The companies are also joined by JANET/UKERNA, a U.K. education and research network.

The name OpenSEA stands for "Open Secure Edge Access," the group said, and reflects the group's focus on open-source solutions for networking and security.

Work on an OpenSEA 802.1X supplicant is under way and is based on the existing Xsupplicant, a cross-platform open-source client. OpenSEA's goal is to extend Xsupplicant with key functionality including support for Windows XP, a robust GUI and an API for extensibility, the group said.

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