Chapter 9
Configuring Switch-Based Authentication
These sections contain this configuration information:
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Default TACACS+ Configuration
TACACS+ and AAA are disabled by default.
To prevent a lapse in security, you cannot configure TACACS+ through a network management
application. When enabled, TACACS+ can authenticate users accessing the switch through the CLI.
Although TACACS+ configuration is performed through the CLI, the TACACS+ server authenticates
Note
HTTP connections that have been configured with a privilege level of 15.
Identifying the TACACS+ Server Host and Setting the Authentication Key
You can configure the switch to use a single server or AAA server groups to group existing server hosts
for authentication. You can group servers to select a subset of the configured server hosts and use them
for a particular service. The server group is used with a global server-host list and contains the list of IP
addresses of the selected server hosts.
Beginning in privileged EXEC mode, follow these steps to identify the IP host or host maintaining
TACACS+ server and optionally set the encryption key:
Command
Step 1
configure terminal
Step 2
tacacs-server host hostname [port
integer] [timeout integer] [key string]
Step 3
aaa new-model
OL-26520-01
Default TACACS+ Configuration, page 9-13
Identifying the TACACS+ Server Host and Setting the Authentication Key, page 9-13
Configuring TACACS+ Login Authentication, page 9-14
Configuring TACACS+ Authorization for Privileged EXEC Access and Network Services,
page 9-16
Starting TACACS+ Accounting, page 9-17
Purpose
Enter global configuration mode.
Identify the IP host or hosts maintaining a TACACS+ server. Enter this
command multiple times to create a list of preferred hosts. The software
searches for hosts in the order in which you specify them.
Enable AAA.
Catalyst 2960 and 2960-S Switches Software Configuration Guide, Release 15.0(1)SE
For hostname, specify the name or IP address of the host.
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(Optional) For port integer, specify a server port number. The default
is port 49. The range is 1 to 65535.
(Optional) For timeout integer, specify a time in seconds the switch
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waits for a response from the daemon before it times out and declares
an error. The default is 5 seconds. The range is 1 to 1000 seconds.
(Optional) For key string, specify the encryption key for encrypting
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and decrypting all traffic between the switch and the TACACS+
daemon. You must configure the same key on the TACACS+ daemon
for encryption to be successful.
Controlling Switch Access with TACACS+
9-13