Vendors of remote access solutions typically use end point analysis functionality within their products to scan for information about the remote client device.  Typical uses would include scanning for the presence of security products such as Anti-Virus or scanning for something about the machine itself such as domain membership or a client certificate.  Based on the information collected, policy decisions can be made about the user’s access to corporate resources.

Every vendor that has sought to provide this functionality in their products has implemented proprietary technologies with some offering an SDK (Software Development Kit) to allow 3rd party companies to offer bespoke solutions to customers.  The challenge is that for each remote access solution that a 3rd party wanted to integrate with a completely new solution had to be developed as the end point analysis technology was different.

CEDAF is the first solution to offer a standardised platform for End Point Analysis (EPA) solutions.  Using a unique modular approach CEDAF separates the scan from the individual vendors framework allowing 3rd party companies to develop EPA solutions that work across a broad range of solutions.  Software vendors will easily be able to integrate with the CEDAF framework, enabling their solutions to use the full range of CEDAF enabled scans.  

To encourage standardization and promote CEDAF as a standard framework the core engine will be released as an open source project allowing any developer to take advantage of the platform.  Both open source and commercial Scan Plugins and Integration Modules will be made available providing both developers and end users a large range of functionality at launch.

The CEDAF framework launched in 2010 alongside the eSpect solutions which are based on the CEDAF framework. Initial products allow compatibility with technology from Citrix Systems with Integration Modules for Access Gateway Advanced and Access Gateway Enterprise.  Integrations Modules for other vendor’s solutions will follow afterwards.  A number of Scan Plugins will be made available initially both as commercial and open source offerings providing functionality such as computer identification and geographic services.  

Why The Development Cloud?

The founders of The Development Cloud have been involved with bespoke end point analysis solutions since 2006, bringing the first custom commercial solutions for the Citrix Access Gateway product line to market.  This experience and understanding of the market and technology around end point scanning allows The Development Cloud to offer a broad, standards based, open source framework for end point solutions.