3Com Switch 7750 Configuration Guide Guide

Overview 487
■ Users: This database stores information about users (such as user name,
password, adopted protocol and IP address).
■ Clients: This database stores the information about RADIUS clients (such as
shared keys).
■ Dictionary: This database stores the information used to interpret the attributes
and attribute values of the RADIUS protocol.
Figure 124 Databases in RADIUS server
In addition, the RADIUS server can act as the client of some other AAA server to
provide the authentication or accounting proxy service.
Basic message exchange procedure of RADIUS
The messages exchanged between a RADIUS client (a switch, for example) and the
RADIUS server are verified by using a shared key. This enhances the security. The
RADIUS protocol combines the authentication and authorization processes
together by sending authorization information in the authentication response
message.
Figure 125 depicts the message exchange procedure between user,
switch and RADIUS server.
RA DIUS s er v er
Us er s Clients
Dic tionar y
RA DIUS s er v er
Us er s Clients
Dic tionar y