BACKGROUND

The term “network policy” refers to a set of criteria used to define a formal set of technical rules to be complied with before a particular device or system is allowed to access a network. Some examples of a network policy include a specification as to what Virtual Local Area Network (“VLAN”) a particular user is allowed to access, data specifying what anti-virus update level a system must be using, rules about programs that may or may not be executed on a network (e.g., streaming media programs), and any firewall-like rules defining what network traffic is allowed on a network. By way of more specific examples, a network policy may include that a bank teller can only connect to a central bank network during business hours, that an end user can only connect to a network if the end-user is running a corporate-specified anti-virus product, and that a specific class of employees of a company can only perform certain functions on a network, such as access email.

