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ghost-rider_124
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Dec 21, 2014
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F5 Radius Authentication for admins

Hello Experts

 

I need to configure radius authentication for admin users on F5 LTM. The questions are:

 

1- When I configure radius server (system -> users -> authentication -> Change Local to Radius Server) then this radius server would be used for all users, locally configured on F5 ? I need some users should be able to authenticate locally, like admin account, So if radius is unreachable then I should have one account to login locally.

 

2- When user is configure locally and same user is also on radius then what would be the preference?

 

3- How I can assign different permissions to different users through radius.

 

Kindly give your inputs

 

  • I want admin user authentication should be done locally and rest of users should through radius. Is that doable?

    If a remote authentication method is specified for system user accounts, the BIG-IP local database still authenticates the system maintenance accounts mentioned above. This ensures that if the remote authentication device is unreachable, the system maintenance accounts can still access the BIG-IP system.
    

    sol12173: Overview of BIG-IP administrative access controls

    https://support.f5.com/kb/en-us/solutions/public/12000/100/sol12173.html

    If user are on both local and radius and radius server is unreachable then user would be able to authenticate locally?

    no

    Also for permissions, can I use local user role? I mean radius is used only for authentication and for permissions local role group.

    yes (radius server is used for authentication but local user setting is used for authorization).

8 Replies

  • 1- When I configure radius server (system -> users -> authentication -> Change Local to Radius Server) then this radius server would be used for all users, locally configured on F5 ?

     

    sol12173: Overview of BIG-IP administrative access controls

     

    https://support.f5.com/kb/en-us/solutions/public/12000/100/sol12173.html

     

    2- When user is configure locally and same user is also on radius then what would be the preference?

     

    password is checked against radius but user setting locally is used.

     

    3- How I can assign different permissions to different users through radius.

     

    sol14324: Using F5 vendor-specific attributes with RADIUS authentication (11.x)

     

    https://support.f5.com/kb/en-us/solutions/public/14000/300/sol14324.html

     

    • ghost-rider_124's avatar
      ghost-rider_124
      Icon for Nimbostratus rankNimbostratus
      Thanks Nitass. That helps. My few questions are: 1- I want admin user authentication should be done locally and rest of users should through radius. Is that doable? Because when I change (system -> users -> authentication -> Change Local to Radius Server) it will apply for all users right? 2- If user are on both local and radius and radius server is unreachable then user would be able to authenticate locally? 3- Also for permissions, can I use local user role? I mean radius is used only for authentication and for permissions local role group. Appreciated your time and reply
  • 1- When I configure radius server (system -> users -> authentication -> Change Local to Radius Server) then this radius server would be used for all users, locally configured on F5 ?

     

    sol12173: Overview of BIG-IP administrative access controls

     

    https://support.f5.com/kb/en-us/solutions/public/12000/100/sol12173.html

     

    2- When user is configure locally and same user is also on radius then what would be the preference?

     

    password is checked against radius but user setting locally is used.

     

    3- How I can assign different permissions to different users through radius.

     

    sol14324: Using F5 vendor-specific attributes with RADIUS authentication (11.x)

     

    https://support.f5.com/kb/en-us/solutions/public/14000/300/sol14324.html

     

    • ghost-rider_124's avatar
      ghost-rider_124
      Icon for Nimbostratus rankNimbostratus
      Thanks Nitass. That helps. My few questions are: 1- I want admin user authentication should be done locally and rest of users should through radius. Is that doable? Because when I change (system -> users -> authentication -> Change Local to Radius Server) it will apply for all users right? 2- If user are on both local and radius and radius server is unreachable then user would be able to authenticate locally? 3- Also for permissions, can I use local user role? I mean radius is used only for authentication and for permissions local role group. Appreciated your time and reply
  • I want admin user authentication should be done locally and rest of users should through radius. Is that doable?

    If a remote authentication method is specified for system user accounts, the BIG-IP local database still authenticates the system maintenance accounts mentioned above. This ensures that if the remote authentication device is unreachable, the system maintenance accounts can still access the BIG-IP system.
    

    sol12173: Overview of BIG-IP administrative access controls

    https://support.f5.com/kb/en-us/solutions/public/12000/100/sol12173.html

    If user are on both local and radius and radius server is unreachable then user would be able to authenticate locally?

    no

    Also for permissions, can I use local user role? I mean radius is used only for authentication and for permissions local role group.

    yes (radius server is used for authentication but local user setting is used for authorization).

  • I want admin user authentication should be done locally and rest of users should through radius. Is that doable?

    If a remote authentication method is specified for system user accounts, the BIG-IP local database still authenticates the system maintenance accounts mentioned above. This ensures that if the remote authentication device is unreachable, the system maintenance accounts can still access the BIG-IP system.
    

    sol12173: Overview of BIG-IP administrative access controls

    https://support.f5.com/kb/en-us/solutions/public/12000/100/sol12173.html

    If user are on both local and radius and radius server is unreachable then user would be able to authenticate locally?

    no

    Also for permissions, can I use local user role? I mean radius is used only for authentication and for permissions local role group.

    yes (radius server is used for authentication but local user setting is used for authorization).