TACACS+ Authentication

General System Requirements

 TACACS+ Authentication: This method enables you to use a TACACS+ server in your network to assign a unique password, user name, and privilege level to each individual or group who needs access to one or more switches or other TACACS-aware devices. This allows you to administer primary authentication from a central server, and to do so with more options than you have when using only local authentication. (You will still need to use use local authentication as a backup if your TACACS+ servers become unavailable.) This means, for example, that you can use a central TACACS+ server to grant, change, or deny access to a specific individual on a specific switch instead of having to change local user name and password assignments on the switch itself, and then have to notify other users of the change.

General System Requirements

To use TACACS+ authentication, you need the following:

A TACACS+ server application installed and configured on one or more servers or management stations in your network. (There are several TACACS+ software packages available.)

A switch configured for TACACS+ authentication, with access to one or more TACACS+ servers.

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