802.1x… So what?
The kind of feedback I am recently getting regarding 802.1x is that large enterprises now recognize the high total cost of ownership and the burden, which is associated with deploying 802.1x across an entire enterprise network.
The cost of upgrading the infrastructure (either completely replacing non-compliant networking gear, or just upgrading software of existing gear), the need to install software agents (802.1x is merely a username and password protocol), the need to introduce new elements onto the network (i.e. authentication servers, etc.), the man power needed to deploy the solution, and the fact 802.1x based solutions can be bypassed fairly easily (i.e. exception lists) brings enterprises to look elsewhere for a NAC solution technology.
802.1x has a high total cost of ownership, a long time-to-value, and the benefit of the technology is somewhat questionable.