cancel
Showing results for 
Search instead for 
Did you mean: 
cancel
725
Views
0
Helpful
19
Replies

Multi-auth and unmanaged switch

iores
Level 3
Level 3

Hi,

I have several devices on unmanaged switch that I need to authenticate via MAB. Unmanaged and upstream switch are connected via access port.

My idea is to configure MAB on a access port of upstream switch, and use multi-auth host-mode.

Would this work? Do I need to authorize the MAC of the switchport of unmanaged switch, as well? Can I use dynamic VLAN assigment in such a case?

19 Replies 19

You need to tell ISE a few things to ensure that you have a seamless re-authentication (no connectivity loss). The Authorization Profile must contain the following information:

ArneBier_1-1749243021472.png

 

ArneBier_0-1749242962522.png

termination-action-modifier=1

 

In my Profile, I set the VLAN to 100, and 28800 seconds re-auth interval - ISE sends these RADIUS attributes to the switch:

ArneBier_2-1749243093880.png

 

 

 

 

 

@Arne Bier 

What is the purpose of using session timeout? What can go wrong if it is not used?

I mentioned it earlier - it has to do with managing the session table on the managed switch - every NAC enabled interface will create a new session when a new MAC address is learned - if you don't put a time limit (session timeout) on a session, then the session will live forever - unless the interface link goes DOWN (device disconnected or port shut) - that clears the session. A switch reload also clears the session table.

The problem is that your managed switch has no knowledge that a device was unplugged on the dumb switch. How could it?  Therefore you have to solve the issue of "stale sessions" differently. You set a timer (e.g. 18 hours countdown) from the time the MAC address is seen on the managed switch and the session is created. If in that time, the device is unplugged on the dumb switch, the session continues. If you were to check the MAC address table of the managed switch, you'd notice that the MAC address of the removed device will eventually disappear -but the session still lives. After session timeout has reached 0, the managed switch will notice that the MAC address is no longer there and will clear the sessions. On the other hand, if the MAC address was still there because device was still connected, then the managed switch would send a re-auth to ISE and that would reset the timer for another 18 hours - the data traffic is no affected by this (if you do the re-auth like I mentioned).

@Arne Bier 

What would or can happen if the session lives forever?

Nothing bad. It’s just misleading. If you examine the session table you might think the endpoints are attached , when in fact they are not. Also, as long as the session is active, and ISE is receiving Accounting updates, ISE consumes a license. Just clear inactive sessions with session timeout. It’s the right thing to do.