Authentication is the ability of a network access server, with a database of valid users and devices, to acquire and verify the appropriate credentials of a user or device (supplicant) attempting to gain access to the network. Extreme Networks authentication uses the RADIUS protocol to control access to switch ports from an authentication server and to manage the message exchange between the authenticating device and the server. Both MultiAuth and Multi-User authentication are supported. MultiAuth is the ability to configure multiple authentication modes for a user and apply the authentication mode with the highest precedence. Multi-User is the ability to appropriately authenticate multiple supplicants on a single link and provision network resources, based upon an appropriate policy for each supplicant. The Extreme Networks switch products support the following seven authentication methods:
Extreme Networks switch products support the configuration of up to seven simultaneous authentication methods per user, with a single authentication method applied based upon MultiAuth authentication precedence.
Network resources represent a major capital investment for your organization and can be vulnerable to both undesired resource usage and malicious intent from outside users. Authentication provides you with a user validation function which assures that the supplicant requesting access has the right to do so and is a known entity. To the degree a supplicant is not a known entity, access can be denied, granted on a limited basis, or granted without restriction on the S- and K-Series, and denied or granted on a limited basis on the 7100-Series. The ability of authentication to both validate a user‘s identity and define the resources available to the user assures that valuable network resources are being used for the purposes intended by the network administrator.
Accounting is supported for all authentication agent types.
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