Configuring the Authentication Server

There are four aspects to configuring the authentication server:

• State enables or disables the RADIUS client for this switch.
• Establishment values configure a timer setting the length of time before retries, as well as the number of retries, before the switch determines the authentication server is down and attempts to establish with the next server in its list.
• Server identification provides for the configuration of the server IP address and index value. The index determines the order in which the switch will attempt to establish a session with an authentication server. After setting the index and IP address you are prompted to enter a secret value for this authentication server. Any authentication requests to this authentication server must present the correct secret value to gain authentication.
• The realm provides for configuration scope for this server: management access, network access, or both.

The S- K- and 7100-Series firmware supports the configuration of multiple ASs. The lowest index value associated with the server determines the primary server. If the primary server is down, the operational server with the next lowest index value is used. If the switch fails to establish contact with the authentication server before a configured timeout, the switch will retry for the configured number of times.

Servers can be restricted to management access or network access authentication by configuring the realm option.

Authentication Server Configuration describes authentication server configuration.