Alcatel-Lucent 7950 SR, System Management Manual

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Authentication, Authorization, and Accounting
Page 20 7950 SR OS System Management Guide
Local Authentication
Local authentication uses user names and passwords to authenticate login attempts. The user
names and passwords are local to each router not to user profiles.
By default, local authentication is enabled. When one or more of the other security methods
are enabled, local authentication is disabled. Local authentication is restored when the other
authentication methods are disabled. Local authentication is attempted if the other
authentication methods fail and local is included in the authentication order password
parameters.
Locally, you can configure user names and password management information. This is
referred to as local authentication. Remote security servers such as RADIUS or ,
are not enabled.
RADIUS Authentication
Remote Authentication Dial-In User Service (RADIUS) is a client/server security protocol
and software that enables remote access servers to communicate with a central server to
authenticate dial-in users and authorize access to the requested system or service.
RADIUS allows you to maintain user profiles in a shared central database and provides better
security, allowing a company to set up a policy that can be applied at a single administered
network point.
RADIUS Server Selection
The RADIUS server selection algorithm is used by different applications:
• RADIUS operator management
In all these applications, up to 5 RADIUS servers pools (per RADIUS policy, if used) can be
configured.
The RADIUS server selection algorithm can work in 2 modes, either Direct mode or Round-
robin mode.