Managing Switch Security

Authenticated Switch Access

 

 

 

 

Network Administrator

Customer

login request

ACE/Server

 

user

The switch polls the server

privileges

for login information; privi-

 

leges are stored on the

 

switch.

OmniSwitch

 

login request

ACE/Server

 

end-user

The switch polls the server

profiles

for login information; end-

 

user profiles are stored on

 

the switch.

OmniSwitch

 

Authentication-Only Server (ACE/Server)

Note. A RADIUS server supporting the challenge and response mechanism as defined in RADIUS RFC 2865 may access an ACE/Server for authentication purposes. The ACE/Server is then used for user authentication, and the RADIUS server is used for user authorization.

Interaction With the User Database

By default, switch management users may be authenticated through the console port via the local user database. If external servers are configured for other management interfaces (such as Telnet, or HTTP) but the servers become unavailable, the switch will poll the local user database for login information.

Access to the console port provides secure failover in case of misconfiguration or if external authentica- tion servers become unavailable. The admin user is always authorized through the console port via the local database (provided the correct password is supplied), even if access to the console port is disabled.

The database includes information about whether or not a user is able to log into the switch and which kinds of privileges or rights the user has for managing the switch. The database may be set up by the admin user or any user with write privileges to the AAA commands.

See Chapter 7, “Managing Switch User Accounts,” for more information about setting up the user data- base.

ASA and Authenticated VLANs

Layer 2 Authentication uses Authenticated VLANs to authenticate users through the switch out to a subnet. Authenticated Switch Access authenticates users into the switch to manage it. The features are independent of each other; however, user databases for each feature may be located on the same authenti- cation server.

For more information about Authenticated VLANs, see “Configuring Authenticated VLANs” in the OmniSwitch 6600 Family Network Configuration Guide. For more information about authentication serv- ers, see “Configuring Authentication Servers” in the OmniSwitch 6600 Family Network Configuration Guide.

OmniSwitch 6600 Family Switch Management Guide March 2005

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Alcatel Carrier Internetworking Solutions omniswitch manual Interaction With the User Database, ASA and Authenticated VLANs

omniswitch specifications

Alcatel Carrier Internetworking Solutions offers the OmniSwitch series, renowned for its robust capabilities in delivering high-performance networking solutions tailored for a variety of enterprise and service provider environments. The OmniSwitch series is particularly recognized for its scalability, flexibility, and the depth of its feature set, making it a popular choice for organizations that demand reliable and efficient networking solutions.

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