Loading ...
Loading ...
Loading ...
618 | Appendix B. Configuration Examples
ProSafe® Gigabit L3 Managed Stackable Switches Software Administration Manual
operation of a switch’s ports to be controlled in order to ensure that access to its services is
only permitted by systems that are authorized to do so.
Port access control provides a means of preventing unauthorized access by supplicants to
the services offered by a system. Control over the access to a switch and the LAN to which it
is connected can be desirable in order to restrict access to publicly accessible bridge ports or
to restrict access to departmental LANs.
Access control is achieved by enforcing authentication of supplicants that are attached to an
authenticator's controlled ports. The result of the authentication process determines whether
the supplicant is authorized to access services on that controlled port.
A Port Access Entity (PAE) is able to adopt one of two distinct roles within an access control
interaction:
1. Authenticator: A Port that enforces authentication before allowing access to services
available via that Port.
2. Supplicant: A Port that attempts to access services offered by the Authenticator.
Additionally, there exists a third role:
3. Authentication server: Performs the authentication function necessary to check the
credentials of the Supplicant on behalf of the Authenticator.
All three roles are required in order to complete an authentication exchange.
Gigabit L3 switches support the Authenticator role only, in which the PAE is responsible for
communicating with the Supplicant. The Authenticator PAE is also responsible for submitting
the information received from the Supplicant to the Authentication Server in order for the
credentials to be checked, which will determine the authorization state of the Port. The
Authenticator PAE controls the authorized/unauthorized state of the controlled Port
depending on the outcome of the RADIUS-based authentication process.
Supplicant
Supplicant
Authenticator
Switch
Authentication
Server (RADIUS)
192.168.10.23
Loading ...
Loading ...
Loading ...