User Manual

8-Port or 16-Port Gigabit Smart Managed Pro Switch Model GS418TPP, GS510TLP, and GS510TPP
Configuration Examples User Manual459
Access control is achieved by enforcing authentication of supplicants that are attached to an
authenticator's controlled ports. The result of the authentication process determines whether
the supplicant is authorized to access services on that controlled port.
A port access entity (PAE) is able to adopt one of two distinct roles within an access control
interaction:
1. Authenticator. A port that enforces authentication before allowing access to services
available through that port.
2. Supplicant. A port that attempts to access services offered by the authenticator
.
Additionally, there exists a third role:
3. Authentication server. Performs the authentication function necessary to check the
credentials of the supplicant on behalf of the authenticator.
All three roles are required for you to complete an authentication exchange.
The switch supports the authenticator role only, in which the P
AE is responsible for
communicating with the supplicant. The authenticator PAE is also responsible for submitting
the information received from the supplicant to the authentication server for the credentials to
be checked, which determines the authorization state of the port.
The authenticator PAE
controls the authorized/unauthorized state of the controlled port depending on the outcome
of the RADIUS-based authentication process.
Figure 1. 802.1X authentication roles