Authentication
Page 22 7450 ESS System Mangement Guide
Local Authentication
Local authentication uses user names and passwords to authenticate login attempts. The user 
names and passwords are local to each router not to user profiles. 
By default, local authentication is enabled. When one or more of the other security methods are 
enabled, local authentication is disabled. Local authentication is restored when the other 
authentication methods are disabled. Local authentication is attempted if the other authentication 
methods fail and local is included in the authentication order password parameters.
Locally, user names and password management information can be configured. This is referred to 
as local authentication. Remote security servers such as RADIUS or TACACS+, are not enabled. 
RADIUS Authentication
Remote Authentication Dial-In User Service (RADIUS) is a client/server security protocol and 
software that enables remote access servers to communicate with a central server to authenticate 
dial-in users and authorize access to the requested system or service. 
RADIUS allows you to maintain user profiles in a shared central database and provides better 
security, allowing a company to set up a policy that can be applied at a single administered 
network point. 
RADIUS Server Selection
The RADIUS server selection algorithm is used by different applications: 
• RADIUS operator management 
• RADIUS authentication for Enhanced Subscriber Management 
• RADIUS accounting for Enhanced Subscriber Management 
• RADIUS PE-discovery 
In all these applications, up to 5 RADIUS servers pools (per RADIUS policy, if used) can be 
configured.
The RADIUS server selection algorithm can work in 2 modes, either Direct mode or Round-robin 
mode.