Network Switch a Centralized Access Approach

This work gives a mechanism for doing authentication and authorization between managed element and server from a single database using a Centralized controller which can control a multiple switches. This work allows having one or more authentication servers for the switches to authenticate against which centralizes the authentication databases, making it easier to manage switch. Moreover, switch continues to support the pre-existing local authentication which works as a fallback in case of loss of connectivity to authentication server. Command authorization on per user basis is added which makes possible to have authorization of user to execute specific commands. Old access level authorization is continued to support as well. Protocol client is added and integrated into the existing system. As a part of this this work Remote authentication is supported meaning that authentication has not to be done by each switch by its own. Authentication database is shared with each other by switches now. Therefore each switch need not to be configured individually for a specific user and password in the network which will make the process of adding/modifying users very fast as opposed to time consuming in a large switch network and it is no more a security concern also. Chances of misconfiguration and mismatch are minimized.