Configuring the switch’s authentication methods, E 16 – IronPort Systems 4108GL User Manual
Page 170

9-16
Using Passwords and TACACS+ To Protect Against Unauthorized Access
TACACS+ Authentication for Central Control of Switch Access Security
Usi
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Configuring the Switch’s Authentication Methods
The
aaa authentication command configures the access control for console
port and Telnet access to the switch. That is, for both access methods, aaa 
authentication specifies whether to use a TACACS+ server or the switch’s 
local authentication, or (for some secondary scenarios) no authentication 
(meaning that if the primary method fails, authentication is denied). This 
command also reconfigures the number of access attempts to allow in a 
session if the first attempt uses an incorrect username/password pair.
Syntax:
aaa authentication 
aaa authentication num-attempts <1. . 10>
Table 9-2.
AAA Authentication Parameters
As shown in the next table, login and enable access is always available locally 
through a direct terminal connection to the switch’s console port. However, 
for Telnet access, you can configure TACACS+ to deny access if a TACACS+ 
server goes down or otherwise becomes unavailable to the switch. 
Name
Default
Range
Function
console
- or -
telnet
n/a
n/a
Specifies whether the command is configuring authentication for the console 
port or Telnet access method for the switch.
enable
- or -
login
n/a
n/a
Specifies the privilege level for the access method being configured. 
 login: Operator (read-only) privileges
 enable: Manager (read-write) privileges
local
- or -
tacacs
local
n/a
Specifies the primary method of authentication for the access method being 
configured. 
 local: Use the username/password pair configured locally in the switch for
 the privilege level being configured
 tacacs: Use a TACACS+ server.
local
- or -
none
none
n/a
Specifies the secondary (backup) type of authentication being configured.
  local: The username/password pair configured locally in the switch for the
 privilege level being configured
 none: No secondary type of authentication for the specified 
 method/privilege path. (Available only if the primary method of
 authentication for the access being configured is local.)
Note: If you do not specify this parameter in the command line, the switch 
automatically assigns the secondary method as follows:
• If the primary method is 
tacacs
, the only secondary method is
local
.
• If the primary method is
local
, the default secondary method is
none
.
num-attempts
3
1 - 10
In a given session, specifies how many tries at entering the correct username/
password pair are allowed before access is denied and the session terminated.
