Method for cloud-based access control policy management

A method comprising:

• receiving, via a processor at a server, access control policies (ACPs) of network client devices (NCDs);
• storing the ACPs at the server;
• and
• periodically communicating with a plurality of network access devices (NADs) to exchange updates of the ACPs, the plurality of NADs being communicatively coupled with the server over a network, wherein each NAD of the plurality of NADs is to enforce the ACPs against associated NCDs, and wherein when an NCD of the plurality of NCDs connects to an NAD of the plurality of NADs and requests to enter a LAN associated with the NAD, the NAD authenticates the NCD and applies a respective ACP of the ACPs to the NCD.

A non-transitory computer-readable storage device storing instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

• receiving, at a server, access control policies (ACPs) of network client devices (NCDs);
• storing the ACPs at the server;
• and
• periodically communicating with a plurality of network access devices (NADs) to exchange updates of the ACPs, the plurality of NADs being communicatively coupled with the server over a network, wherein each NAD of the plurality of NADs is to enforce the ACPs against associated NCDs, and wherein when an NCD of the plurality of NCDs connects to an NAD of the plurality of NADs and requests to enter a LAN associated with the NAD, the NAD authenticates the NCD and applies a respective ACP of the ACPs to the NCD.