Dell PowerEdge FN I/O Module Configuration Guide 9.10(0.0)

Typically, the authenticator (the Dell Networking system) denies the supplicant access to the network until the supplicant is authenticated. If the supplicant is authenticated, the authenticator enables the port and places it in either the VLAN for which the port is configured or the VLAN that the authentication server indicates in the authentication data.

If the supplicant fails authentication, the authenticator typically does not enable the port. In some cases this behavior is not appropriate. External users of an enterprise network, for example, might not be able to be authenticated, but still need access to the network. Also, some dumb-terminals, such as network printers, do not have 802.1X capability and therefore cannot authenticate themselves. To be able to connect such devices, they must be allowed access the network without compromising network security.