RADIUS

Organization

I have tried to structure this book as effectively as possible, mixing theory with practice where appropriate, so you, the reader, have a firm background with which to apply both the practical advice and procedures in this book and others you may develop on your own.

Chapter 1 takes a few steps backward and looks at the architectural model on which the RADIUS protocol is based, provides an introduction to RADIUS’s characteristics and limitations, and offers a brief discussion of its history.

Chapter 2 details the individual characteristics of the RADIUS protocol, including an overview of its standard packet formats and the structure of the properties it passes to various servers, as well as a discussion of how vendors extend the functionality of the protocol through the use of their own defined attributes. There is also commentary on the various authentication protocols that can be used in conjunction with RADIUS, as well as a brief introduction to the hints file.

Chapter 3 is a reference section for all of the globally defined RADIUS attributes as specified in the appropriate RFC documents. An “at a glance” chart details each attribute’s primary properties with a short discussion of its purpose. Any special behaviors that an administrator might encounter during its use are covered in this discussion.

Chapter 4 is presented as a combination of the stylistic elements of Chapter 2 and Chapter 3 and covers the properties, behaviors, and attributes of the accounting portion ...