The Limitations of NPS RADIUS

Network Policy Server (NPS) can be deployed as a RADIUS server for authentication, authorization, and accounting and is widely used by many organizations. In order to implement NPS as a RADIUS, an organization must plan how users will be authenticated and the policies that will be applied to different user profiles.

While it serves the same function as many cloud RADIUS solutions, can NPS stack up to their capabilities? Below we’ll be examining the limitations of NPS as a RADIUS server, and whether there are better solutions available.

NPS: On-Premise Server in the Age of Cloud Computing

The greatest difference between NPS and cloud RADIUS solutions is the fact that NPS is not in the cloud – it is an on-premise server. As a result, NPS requires a physical installation, physical security measures to protect it, and active maintenance over time.

One of the greatest drawbacks to on-premise hardware is the unique threats it will be exposed to. You’ll have to find a way to limit access to its space to prevent bad actors or even negligence from harming it. What’s more, you run the risk of losing said equipment in uncontrollable disasters such as fires, earthquakes, or large storms.

On-premise solutions are often more time-consuming to configure and manage in the long run compared to cloud solutions. Additionally, an on-premise NPS does not come with built-in redundancy like some cloud RADIUS servers. If an organization’s NPS is overrun with authentication attempts, it can prevent anyone from being able to access the network.

Higher Costs of On-Prem

Due to the nature of on-premise infrastructure, NPS has a higher overall cost compared to cloud solutions. The setup process, maintenance over time, and physical security all equate to extra costs that do not affect cloud RADIUS solutions. Consider the Digicert cost report comparing a cloud PKI and an on-premise PKI.

If your staff does not have the expertise to properly configure NPS, then you also either have to accept the risk of misconfiguration or hire additional staff to assist. Either option is costly in the end.

NPS is Incompatible With Most Cloud Applications

The future of networking is the cloud. A majority of new technologies are geared towards operation in the cloud, which can be an issue if your organization relies on NPS. If you’re going to authenticate to the cloud, it will require a proxy to convert the data into a format readable by NPS. Then, when the user is authenticated, that data is again converted by the proxy to be compatible with the cloud app. This process adds several steps and costs.

Additionally, Windows AD organizations will experience difficulty if they want to upgrade to Azure AD. Azure is a cloud solution and therefore incompatible with NPS. If the organization wants to deploy Azure, they will need a different authentication server or proxy to facilitate the process.

Integration Issues

A common issue that many Microsoft-based organizations experience is that Microsoft products often don’t play well with others. If a user has a device with a non-Windows OS or the organization wants to implement a non-Microsoft tool, there are often integration issues.

For NPS specifically, this is a major issue. As detailed above, NPS has difficulty integrating with cloud applications. Most technologies are built for the cloud, and all trends show that cloud computing is only going to continue growing. Especially with the rise of remote work, compatibility with the cloud is a must for any technology seeking longevity in this industry.

NPS Compared to a Cloud RADIUS

The Cloud RADIUS provided by SecureW2 performs all the functions of a RADIUS with no physical server. Admins can easily configure and customize Cloud RADIUS in a matter of hours. Management over time is straightforward with much of the heavy lifting performed by SecureW2.

Cloud RADIUS comes with many benefits that a physical server simply cannot match. It has built-in redundancy to handle any large authentication event, integrations for cloud applications (specifically built for an easy Azure integration), and can securely authenticate remote users.

The cloud solution is built to integrate with any network infrastructure and requires no forklift upgrades. In a matter of hours, an organization can authenticate passwords, certificates, and more, and the authentication security provided by SecureW2 matches any in the industry.

Check out our pricing page to see if SecureW2’s Cloud RADIUS solutions fit the authentication needs of your organization.

Eytan Raphaely

Eytan Raphaely is a digital marketing professional with a true passion for writing things that he thinks are really funny, that other people think are mildly funny. Eytan is a graduate of University of Washington where he studied digital marketing. Eytan has diverse writing experience, including studios and marketing consulting companies, digital comedy media companies, and more.