Reference Guide

802.1X

802.1X is supported on the Z9000 platforms.

802.1X is a method of port security. A device connected to a port that is enabled with 802.1X is disallowed from sending

or receiving packets on the network until its identity can be verified (through a username and password, for example).

This feature is named for its IEEE specification.

802.1X employs extensible authentication protocol (EAP) to transfer a device’s credentials to an authentication server

(typically RADIUS) using a mandatory intermediary network access device, in this case, a Dell Networking switch. The

network access device mediates all communication between the end-user device and the authentication server so that

the network remains secure. The network access device uses EAP-over-Ethernet (EAPOL) to communicate with the

end-user device and EAP-over-RADIUS to communicate with the server.

NOTE: The Dell Networking operating system (FTOS) supports 802.1X with EAP-MD5, EAP-OTP, EAP-TLS, EAP-

TTLS, PEAPv0, PEAPv1, and MS-CHAPv2 with PEAP.

The following figures show how the EAP frames are encapsulated in Ethernet and RADIUS frames.

Figure 2. EAP Frames Encapsulated in Ethernet and RADUIS