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Dell EMC SmartFabric OS10 User Guide Release 10.5.1

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802.1X

The IEEE 802.1X standard defines a client and server-based access control that prevents unauthorized clients from connecting to a LAN through publicly accessible ports. Authentication is only required in OS10 for inbound traffic. Outbound traffic transmits regardless of the authentication state.

802.1X employs the extensible authentication protocol (EAP) to provide device credentials to an authentication server, typically remote authentication dial-in service (RADIUS), using an intermediary network access device. The network access device mediates all communication between the end-user device and the authentication server so the network remains secure.

The network access device uses EAP-over-Ethernet, also known as EAPOL—EAP over LAN, to communicate with the end-user device and EAP-over-RADIUS to communicate with the server.

eap frames encapsulated in ethernet with radius

NOTE: OS10 supports only RADIUS as the back-end authentication server.

eap frames encapsulated in ethernet over radius

The authentication process contains three devices:
  • Supplicant — The device attempting to access the network performs the role of supplicant. Regular traffic from this device does not reach the network until the port associated to the device is authorized. Before that, the supplicant can only exchange 802.1x messages (EAPOL frames) with the authenticator.
  • Authenticator — The authenticator is the gate keeper of the network, translating and forwarding requests and responses between the authentication server and the supplicant. The authenticator also changes the status of the port based on the results of the authentication process. The authenticator runs on the Dell EMC device.
  • Authentication-server — The authentication-server selects the authentication method, verifies the information that the supplicant provides, and grants network access privileges.

Configuration notes

All Dell EMC PowerSwitches except MX-Series, S4200-Series, S5200 Series, and Z9332F-ON:

802.1X becomes fully functional only when the feature is enabled globally. If you do not enable 802.1X globally but enable only at the interface level, the system displays the Dot1x Not Enabled message.

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