The Concept of Guest Services in Cisco ISE

Guest services have become a critical aspect of business operations across various industries, especially in the hospitality industry. With the advent of technology and the need for businesses to connect with their customers, organizations have leveraged guest services to improve their customer experience. One such technology that has enabled this is Cisco ISE.

In this article, we will explore the concept of guest services in Cisco ISE, its benefits, and its implementation.

Introduction

Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) is a comprehensive security policy management platform that enables businesses to ensure that their networks are secure and compliant with regulatory standards. Guest services in Cisco ISE enable organizations to provide temporary network access to visitors or guests without compromising network security.

Understanding Guest Services in Cisco ISE

Guest services in Cisco ISE allow businesses to provide network access to non-employees, such as contractors, vendors, partners, and visitors, without compromising the security of their networks. Cisco ISE enables businesses to create and manage guest accounts, restrict network access, and monitor guest activity.

Creating Guest Accounts

To create guest accounts, businesses can either use the self-registration feature or manually create guest accounts. The self-registration feature allows guests to register themselves by entering their name, email address, and other relevant information, and the system generates temporary login credentials for them. Businesses can also manually create guest accounts, where they enter the guest's information and set up their login credentials.

Restricting Network Access

Guest services in Cisco ISE allow businesses to restrict the level of network access that guests have. They can set up policies that define what guests can access, how long they can access it, and when they can access it. They can also set up rules that limit the number of devices that guests can connect to the network, which devices they can connect to, and the level of access each device has.

Monitoring Guest Activity

Cisco ISE provides businesses with the ability to monitor guest activity on the network. They can track what guests are doing, which devices they are using, and how long they are accessing the network. This helps businesses to identify any security breaches or policy violations and take corrective action.

Benefits of Guest Services in Cisco ISE

Implementing guest services in Cisco ISE provides businesses with numerous benefits, such as:

Improved Security

Guest services in Cisco ISE enable businesses to provide temporary network access to guests without compromising network security. By restricting the level of network access that guests have, businesses can prevent unauthorized access to critical resources and information.

Improved Compliance

Cisco ISE enables businesses to comply with regulatory standards by ensuring that guests are authenticated and authorized before accessing the network. This ensures that businesses meet the regulatory requirements for network access.

Improved User Experience

Guest services in Cisco ISE improve the user experience for guests by providing them with seamless and secure network access. Guests do not have to go through a cumbersome authentication process, and businesses can provide them with customized access based on their needs.

Reduced Costs

Implementing guest services in Cisco ISE can lead to cost savings for businesses. By automating the guest account creation process and restricting the level of network access that guests have, businesses can reduce the time and resources required to manage guest accounts.

Implementing Guest Services in Cisco ISE

To implement guest services in Cisco ISE, businesses need to follow these steps:

Step 1: Set Up Guest Services

To set up guest services, businesses need to configure Cisco ISE to enable guest access. They need to create a guest portal that allows guests to self-register or manually create guest accounts.

Step 2: Define Guest Policies

Businesses need to define policies that restrict the level of network access that guests have. They need to define what guests can access, how long they can access it, and when they can access it. They also need to define rules that limit the number of devices that guests can connect to the network, which devices they can connect to, and the level of access each device has.

Step 3: Configure Guest Access

Businesses need to configure guest access by creating a WLAN or VLAN for guests. They need to configure the network settings for the WLAN or VLAN, such as the SSID, security settings, and network address translation (NAT) settings.

Step 4: Test Guest Access

Once guest services are set up and configured, businesses need to test guest access to ensure that it is working correctly. They need to ensure that guests can connect to the network, access the resources they need, and that their activity is being monitored.

Conclusion

In conclusion, guest services in Cisco ISE are an essential feature for businesses that need to provide temporary network access to guests without compromising security. Implementing guest services in Cisco ISE offers numerous benefits, such as improved security, compliance, user experience, and cost savings. If you want to learn more about Cisco ISE and how to implement guest services, consider taking a course on the subject.

Cisco offers an exam on ISE, such as the Implementing and Configuring Cisco Identity Services Engine (SISE) exam, which covers the deployment and operation of Cisco ISE, including guest services. By taking a course on Cisco ISE, you can gain the knowledge and skills you need to implement guest services and other features of Cisco ISE effectively.

Don't wait any longer; sign up for a Cisco ISE course today and take your network security to the next level.