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20 Configuring Group and VLAN

Policies

AutoTracker policies subdivide network traffic based on specific criteria. AutoTracker policies
can be defined by port, MAC address, protocol, network address, user-defined, port binding,
DHCP port, or DHCP MAC address policy. You can define multiple policies—also referred to as
“rules”—for a mobile Group or an AutoTracker VLAN. A port or device is included in a mobile
Group or AutoTracker VLAN if it matches any one AutoTracker rule. For example, you can
define rules based on MAC address and rules based on protocol in the same mobile group or
AutoTracker VLAN.
This chapter provides an overview of AutoTracker Policies as well as instructions for configur-
ing these policies. AutoTracker policies may be applied to mobile groups (including authenti-
cated groups) and to VLANs within standard groups. All policy types may be used with mobile
groups and VLANs within standard Groups. However, only the Binding Rule may be used
with authenticated groups.
♦ Note ♦
This chapter contains instructions for configuring
AutoTracker policies for mobile groups or AutoTracker
VLANs. Instructions for configuring groups (mobile and
non-mobile) can be found in Chapter 19. More detailed
overview and instructions for AutoTracker VLANs
(created within non-mobile groups) can be found in
Chapter 22.
AutoTracker policies enable you to control communications between end stations in your
network. You define policies that determine membership in the mobile group or AutoTracker
VLAN and AutoTracker automatically locates ports or devices that fit the policies and places
them into the mobile group or AutoTracker VLAN.
You can define physical policies or logical policies (or combinations thereof) to determine
membership. Physical policies consist of port rules: you define the members as one or more
specific ports and membership is limited to the ports defined and the MAC addresses of
devices connected to those ports.
Logical VLAN policies can consist of MAC address rules, protocol rules, network address rules,
user-defined, or port binding rules. Ports are assigned to mobile groups or AutoTracker VLANs
that have logical rules when the MPX module examines frames that originate from devices
connected to the switch. If a frame is received that matches a logical rule, the source device’s
MAC address and the port to which the source device is connected are both made members.
The members of a mobile group or AutoTracker VLAN thus consist of source devices originat-
ing frames that fit the AutoTracker policies and the ports to which those source devices are
connected.