What’s a Net Access Server?

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A network access server provides remote access to various resources, including the internet, printers, and telecommunications systems. Users are authenticated with login credentials and a password. A NAS can connect to an ISP, join different computer networks, and provide telephony services. It is commonly used by companies with remote workers and is governed by standardized protocols. A NAS works with AAA servers to verify user credentials and provide access to required tools.

A network access server is a connection point in a telecommunications infrastructure that provides access to a remote source. The server can be used to connect users to a variety of resources, including Internet access, printers, and telecommunications systems. Both companies and individuals use this type of network access in different tasks such as conducting conference calls, printing documents on shared printers or simply accessing the Internet.

When a user logs on to a network access server, they are typically prompted for login credentials and a password. These authentication methods grant the user the right to access the server. Once the customer information has been validated, the services offered by the network are available to the user.

A network access server can provide a variety of functions. It can connect a customer to an Internet Service Provider and allow access to the Internet. It can also join different computer networks, creating a single location where each member of the network can access the available resources. Additionally, a network access server can provide users with the opportunity to take advantage of telephony, a unification of telephones or other modes of voice communication that allow for remote meetings and conference calls.

Network access server, often referred to simply as a NAS, is commonly used by companies that employ large numbers of people in various locations. When an employee working from a remote location logs in and gains access to the corporate server, you are able to use corporate resources in the same way as someone physically present in the office. A NAS offers ease and accessibility for remote workers and gives them the same access to shared business documents, printers, calendars, schedules and other tools needed for work.

There is a standardized protocol for designing and using a NAS. The Internet Engineering Task Force’s Network Access Server Requirements Working Group is the governing body tasked with creating requirements for a NAS. These requirements ensure universal ease of use for all NAS systems and ensure that sensitive customer information is protected.

A NAS is widely used with AAA servers. An AAA server is a system that manages a client application for accessing various computer resources. These servers also offer authentication, authorization and accounting assistance, hence the acronym AAA. An AAA server works in conjunction with a NAS to verify a user’s credentials, provide access to required tools, and provide a log of resources used by a client.




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