Windows Server 2003 Network Administration

Chapter 10. Centralizing Authentication and Authorization with Internet Authentication Server

Internet Authentication Server (IAS) is the Microsoft implementation of Remote Authentication Dial-in User Service (RADIUS), which provides centralized authentication, authorization, and accounting for dial-up, VPN, and wireless network access. It is also often used as a centralized Authentication, Authorization, and Accounting (AAA) server for network devices such as routers and switches, or as a proxy to forward authentication requests to another RADIUS server. In a Windows environment, IAS is also used as follows:

• As an extension of RRAS to provide centralized AAA services, including central management of Remote Access Policies

• As the central component in Microsoft’s Network Access Quarantine Control, a process that protects the network from viral and worm infections by quarantining VPN clients until they meet certain security requirements

• As the heart of Network Access Protection, a new process that, combined with anti-viral or other security gateways, will restrict a LAN client until the client complies with an organizations security policy

IAS is a critical security tool whose purpose is to provide centralized authentication, authorization, and accounting functions. After introducing you to the RADIUS protocol, this chapter will provide the necessary information for installing and configuring IAS to provide secure remote access, to use IAS as a RADIUS proxy, to secure wireless access, ...