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E_Port authentication between Fabric OS and M-EOS switches 14
Table 59 describes the device authentication mode.

Switch authentication policy

There are differences in the Switch Authentication policies between the Fabric OS switch and the
M-EOS switch. The Fabric OS switches have four different settings, which are Passive, Active, On,
and Off. M-EOS switches only have On and Off. These differences do not prevent authentication
from working, but do have an effect on how authentication works between the switches.

Switch authentication policy when the switch secrets are correct

This section assumes that the M-EOS switch has the appropriate authentication feature keys
enabled.
Table 60 shows all the permutations of Switch Authentication policies and whether the switches
will connect. The table information assumes that all switch secrets are set correctly. The two places
where Yes* appears in the table, are cases where the M-EOS switch authentication is Off.
The Fabric OS switch mode Passive is different from the M-EOS switch mode Off in that Fabric OS
switches perform authentication in Passive mode. This is why a Yes! in Table 60 indicates two-way
authentication.
TABLE 59 Device authentication mode
Fabric OS authentication
mode
M-EOS support M-EOS switch explanation
Off N/A Not used for E_Port authentication.
Passive N/A Not used for E_Port authentication.
TABLE 60 Switch authentication policy when all secrets are correct
Fabric OS Passive Active On Off
M-EOS
On Yes!
Connected with
two-way
authentication; both
sides of the
connection perform
Authentication
(Fabric builds
normally).
Yes!
Connected with two-way
authentication; both
sides of the connection
perform Authentication
(Fabric builds normally).
Yes!
Connected with
two-way
authentication; both
sides of the connection
perform Authentication
(Fabric builds
normally).
No
E_Port does not connect
(Authentication Rejected).
When the Fabric OS switch
generates the reject, it will
disable the Fabric OS port.
When the M-EOS switch
generates the reject, it will
go to an invalid attachment
state.
Off Yes
Connected without
any authentication
(Fabric builds
normally).
Yes*
Connected with
one-way authentication;
only one of connected
switches performs
Authentication (Fabric
builds normally).
Yes*
Connected with
one-way
authentication; only
one of connected
switches performs
Authentication (Fabric
builds normally).
Yes
Connected without any
authentication (Fabric
builds normally).