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504 Configuring Port and System Security
IEEE 802.1X
What is IEEE 802.1X?
The IEEE 802.1X standard provides a means of preventing unauthorized
access by supplicants (clients) to the services the switch offers, such as access
to the LAN.
The 802.1X network has three components:
•
Supplicant
— The client connected to the authenticated port that
requests access to the network.
•
Authenticator
— The network device that prevents network access prior to
authentication.
•
Authentication Server
— The network server (such as a RADIUS server)
that performs the authentication on behalf of the authenticator, and
indicates whether the user is authorized to access system services.
Figure 19-1 shows the 802.1X network components.
Figure 19-1. IEEE 802.1X Network
As shown in Figure 19-1, the Dell Networking N2000, N3000, and N4000
series switches is the authenticator and enforces the supplicant (a PC) that is
attached to an 802.1X-controlled port to be authenticated by an
Authenticator
Supplicant
Authentication
Server
LAN