with the 802.1x switch supplicant feature authenticates with the upstream switch for secure connectivity.
Once the supplicant switch authenticates successfully the port mode changes from access to trunk.
•
If the access VLAN is configured on the authenticator switch, it becomes the native VLAN for the trunk
port after successful authentication.
You can enable MDA or multiauth mode on the authenticator switch interface that connects to one more
supplicant switches. Multihost mode is not supported on the authenticator switch interface.
Use the
dot1x supplicant force-multicast
global configuration command on the supplicant switch for Network
Edge Access Topology (NEAT) to work in all host modes.
•
Host Authorization: Ensures that only traffic from authorized hosts (connecting to the switch with
supplicant) is allowed on the network. The switches use Client Information Signalling Protocol (CISP)
to send the MAC addresses connecting to the supplicant switch to the authenticator switch.
•
Auto enablement: Automatically enables trunk configuration on the authenticator switch, allowing user
traffic from multiple VLANs coming from supplicant switches. Configure the cisco-av-pair as
device-traffic-class=switch
at the ACS. (You can configure this under the
group
or the
user
settings.)
Figure 21: Authenticator and Supplicant Switch using CISP
Supplicant switch (outside wiring closet)
2
Workstations (clients)
1
Access control server (ACS)
4
Authenticator switch
3
Trunk port
5
Voice Aware 802.1x Security
You use the voice aware 802.1x security feature to configure the switch to disable only the VLAN on which
a security violation occurs, whether it is a data or voice VLAN. In previous releases, when an attempt to
authenticate the data client caused a security violation, the entire port shut down, resulting in a complete loss
of connectivity.
You can use this feature in IP phone deployments where a PC is connected to the IP phone. A security violation
found on the data VLAN results in the shutdown of only the data VLAN. The traffic on the voice VLAN
flows through the switch without interruption.
Catalyst 2960-XR Switch Security Configuration Guide, Cisco IOS Release 15.0(2)EX1
242
OL-29434-01
Configuring IEEE 802.1x Port-Based Authentication
Voice Aware 802.1x Security