3Com 3C17203 - SuperStack 3 Switch 4400, Implementation Manual

Page: 109 / 153

What is Switch Management Login? 109
To make RADIUS authentication of Switch Management Login available
on the SuperStack 3 Switch 4400 SE, upgrade the product to the Switch
4400 SE Enhanced Software Upgrade (3C17207).
Benefits of RADIUS
Authentication
Day-to-day network maintenance can become a substantial overhead.
For example, regularly changing the administrative password on a
manageable network device is a commonplace security measure. If the
local Switch database is enabled, the network administrator must have
local access to each Switch to securely change user name and password
information. This can be time consuming, tedious and often results in bad
configurations and lapses in security.
RADIUS authentication provides centralized, secure access and removes
the need to physically visit each network device. Changes to user names
and passwords require only a single action on the RADIUS database and
are reflected immediately.
The Switch 4400 is fully compliant with the industry standard RADIUS
protocol. For further information about RADIUS, see
“What is RADIUS?”
on page 112 .
How
RADIUS
Authentication
Works
When RADIUS authentication of Switch Management Login is enabled,
the Switch obtains the user’s name and password and securely sends the
information to the RADIUS server. The information is authenticated by the
server and a valid user is allowed to login to the Switch. An invalid user
will receive a reject response and is not allowed to login to the Switch.
This process is shown in
Figure 24 .