Abstract: A unified architecture for enabling remote access to a network is provided. The network may comprise, as examples, a virtual private network (VPN) and/or a peer-to-peer network. In one embodiment, the architecture includes components installed on a client device/node and a gateway/supernode. Components implemented on the client device may facilitate access in a manner similar to that of a traditional VPN, while components on the gateway may facilitate access in a manner similar to an application proxy. Communication between the client device and gateway may occur, as an example, via a Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) communication protocol.

Abstract: A policy server program evaluates one or more policy statements based on the group or groups to which a user belongs as well as other conditions. Each policy statement expresses an implementation of the access policy of the network, and is associated with a profile. The profile contains one or more actions that are to be applied to the user. The policy server program determines the identity of the group or groups to which the user belongs by referencing one or more group attributes contained in a user object which is located in a directory on the network. The user object and its group parameters are established when the user is added to the directory, while a policy statement for a group can be created at any time.

Abstract: A system and method for ensuring that machines having invalid or corrupt states are restricted from accessing network resources are provided. A quarantine coordination client (QCC) located on a client machine acquires statements of health from a plurality of quarantine policy clients. The QCC packages the statements and provides the package to a quarantine enforcement client (QEC). The QEC sends the package to a quarantine enforcement server (QES) with a request for network access. The QES passes the package to a quarantine coordination server (QCS) that disassembles the package and passes the individual statements of health to corresponding quarantine policy servers (QPS). The QPSs validate the statements of health and inform the QCS of the result. If the client provided valid statements of health, the QES grants the client access to the network.

Abstract: A system and method for ensuring that machines having invalid or corrupt states are restricted from accessing network resources are provided. A quarantine server located on a trusted machine in a network provides a bill of health to a quarantine agent located on a client computer that wishes to gain access to network resources administered by an organization. The quarantine agent requests bill of health from the quarantine server, and receives a manifest of checks that the client computer must perform. The quarantine agent then sends a status report on the checks back to the quarantine server. If the client computer is in a valid security state, the bill of health is issued to the client. If the client computer is in an invalid state, the client is directed to install the appropriate software/patches to achieve a valid state. When a client requests the use of network resources from a network administrator, the network administrator requests the client's bill of health.