How RADIUS Data Is Used

The Extreme Networks switch bases its decision to open the port and apply a policy or close the port based on the RADIUS message, the port's default policy, and unauthenticated behavior configuration.

RADIUS provides accounting functionality by way of accounting packets from the switch to the RADIUS server, for such session statistics as start and end, total packets, and session end reason events. This data can be used for both billing and network monitoring purposes.

Additionally RADIUS is widely used by VoIP service providers. It is used to pass login credentials of a SIP end point (like a broadband phone) to a SIP Registrar using digest authentication, and then to the authentication server using RADIUS. Sometimes it is also used to collect call detail records (CDRs) later used, for instance, to bill customers for international long distance.

If you configure an authentication method that requires communication with an authentication server, you can use the RADIUS Filter-ID attribute to dynamically assign either a policy profile or management level to authenticating supplicants.