Use of Certificates and Radius with VPN Concentrator

[swieland]

My company is planning to install a cisco 3000 VPN concentrator to replace the current VPN connections to our PIX. We are currently using the cisco VPN client 3.5.1 on NT4.0 workstations.

The new client platform will be win2k laptops with the 3.5.1 vpn client going to the 3000 concentrator (either directly on internet or in PIX protected DMZ).

I am unclear as to when to use certificates vs. radius. We want to end up with a highly secure connection to the remote client and authentication against the NT 4.0 domain within the company. What should we be using? Can we use both CA and RADIUS? Any suggestions about the outside interface placement (direct Internet vs. PIX DMZ)?

[john.gudmann]

Yes. You can use both CA and Radius. We have place the vpn direct to the internet and remove all kind of service (read protocol) from the public interface and only permit ipsec,ike,nat-t. This setup has been tested with port scan to see have fare can you get and it went ok. This is not the same as saying “this is the way to do it” but it works fine for over need

[swieland]

John,

Thanks for the reply. Could you maybe provide some more detail on what equipment you are using and who's software you are using for CA and Radius?

[john.gudmann]

Stephen,

We are use sing windows 2000 Adv. server for the CA. Go to this site if you get stock with the inst. of CA http://www.cisco.com/cgi-bin/Support/browse/psp_view.pl?p=Hardware:Cisco_VPN_3000_Concentrator&s=Software_Configuration#Software_Samples_and_Tips

We use Cisco Secure Server (Known as ACS 3.0) for Radius/Tacacs+. For me it is a need to have and not nays to have! Gives you all kind of Report, Logs, Alert, AAA (Auth./Autho./Acc.), and so on. The version 3.0 of ACS also has a CA section. (Make you own CA). Works together with all kind of network equipment. I known it sounds like sales talk but if you have 3-4 kind of route/Firewall/VPN Conn. is worth the money. You will love the accounting options! You can download the version 3.0 for evaluations (30 days)

http://www.cisco.com/kobayashi/sw-center/ciscosecure/cs-acs.shtml