Adding a RADIUS server

When you add a RADIUS server, you provide a method to centralize the management of authentication passwords over a network.

Figure 10 RADIUS Server Information dialog — Add Server tab page

To add a RADIUS server, perform the following procedure:

1.Select Switch > Radius Servers in the faceplate display.

2.Click the Add Server tab in the Radius Server Information dialog shown in Figure 10.

3.Select Device, User, or Account for the server type.

4.Enter the remote IP address of the server in the IP Address field.

5.Enter the remote UDP port number of the Authentication RADIUS Server in the UDP Port field.

The RADIUS Accounting Server UDP port will always be the value of Device/User Authentication Server UDP Port + 1. When enabled, the RADIUS Accounting Server audits user activity whether UserAuthServer is enabled or not. The RADIUS Accounting Server default is False.

6.Enter the timeout value in seconds (minimum of 1 second, maximum of 30 seconds) in the Timeout field. This is the number of seconds the RADIUS client will wait for a response from the RADIUS server before retrying, or giving up on a request.

7.Enter the number of retries in the Retries field. This is the maximum number of times the RADIUS client will retry a request sent to the primary RADIUS server.

8.Select Sign Packet to enable the switch to include a digital signature (Message-Authenticator) in all RADIUS access request packets sent to the RADIUS server. A valid Message-Authenticator attribute will be required in all RADIUS server responses.

9.Enter the server secret in the Secret field. A secret is required for all RADIUS servers. The secret is used when generating and checking the Message-Authenticator attribute.

10.Click Add Server to add the server.

11.Click Modify Authentication Order tab, and verify that Device Authentication Order and User Authentication Order options are set to either Radius or Radius Local for RADIUS Authentication to be implemented. Refer to Modifying authentication order RADIUS server information” on page 29 for more information.

a.RADIUS — only attempts to authenticate using the RADIUS server (another computer that provides authentication).

26 Managing fabrics