Users Guide

Server-Side Configuration
Using AAA authentication, the switch acts as a RADIUS or TACACS+ client to send authentication requests to
a TACACS+ or RADIUS server.
• TACACS+ — When using TACACS+, Dell Networking sends an initial packet with service type
SVC_ENABLE, and then sends a second packet with just the password. The TACACS server must have an
entry for username $enable$.
• RADIUS — When using RADIUS authentication, the Dell OS sends an authentication packet with the
following:
Username: $enab15$
Password: <password-entered-by-user>
Therefore, the RADIUS server must have an entry for this username.
Obscuring Passwords and Keys
By default, the service password-encryption command stores encrypted passwords. For greater
security, you can also use the
service obscure-passwords command to prevent a user from reading the
passwords and keys, including RADIUS, TACACS+ keys, router authentication strings, VRRP authentication by
obscuring this information. Passwords and keys are stored encrypted in the configuration file and by default
are displayed in the encrypted form when the configuration is displayed. Enabling the service obscure-
passwords command displays asterisks instead of the encrypted passwords and keys. This command
prevents a user from reading these passwords and keys by obscuring this information with asterisks.
Password obscuring masks the password and keys for display only but does not change the contents of the
file. The string of asterisks is the same length as the encrypted string for that line of configuration. To verify
that you have successfully obscured passwords and keys, use the show running-config command or
show startup-config command.
If you are using role-based access control (RBAC), only the system administrator and security administrator
roles can enable the service obscure-password command.
To enable the obscuring of passwords and keys, use the following command.
• Turn on the obscuring of passwords and keys in the configuration.
CONFIGURATION mode
service obscure-passwords
Example of Obscuring Password and Keys
Dell(config)# service obscure-passwords
Security 821