HP StorageWorks 1606 Brocade Fabric OS Administrator's Guide v6.3.0 (53-100133 - Page 172

7 Authentication policy for fabric elements Authentication policy for fabric elements By default, Fabric OS v6.1.0 and later use DH-CHAP or FCAP protocols for authentication. These protocols use shared secrets and digital certificates, based on switch WWN and public key infrastructure (PKI) technology, to authenticate switches. Authentication automatically defaults to FCAP if both switches are configured to accept FCAP protocol in authentication. To use FCAP on both switches, PKI certificates have to be installed. NOTE The fabric authentication feature is available in base Fabric OS. No license is required. You can configure a switch with Fabric OS v6.1.0or later to use DH-CHAP for device authentication. When you configure DH-CHAP authentication, you also must define a pair of shared secrets known to both switches as a secret key pair. Figure 10 illustrates how the secrets are configured. A secret key pair consists of a local secret and a peer secret. The local secret uniquely identifies the local switch. The peer secret uniquely identifies the entity to which the local switch authenticates. Every switch can share a secret key pair with any other switch or host in a fabric. To use DH-CHAP authentication, a secret key pair has to be configured on both switches. For more information on setting up secret key pairs, refer to "Setting a secret key pair" on page 135. When configured, the secret key pair is used for authentication. Authentication occurs whenever there is a state change for the switch or port. The state change can be due to a switch reboot, a switch or port disable and enable, or the activation of a policy. Key database on switch Local secret A Peer secret B Key database on switch Local secret B Peer secret A Switch A FIGURE 10 DH-CHAP authentication Switch B If you use DH-CHAP authentication, then a secret key pair must be installed only in connected fabric elements. However, as connections are changed, new secret key pairs must be installed between newly connected elements. Alternatively, a secret key pair for all possible connections may be initially installed, enabling links to be arbitrarily changed while still maintaining a valid secret key pair for any new connection. The switch authentication (AUTH) policy initiates DH-CHAP/FCAP authentication on all E_Ports. This policy is persistent across reboots, which means authentication will be initiated automatically on ports or switches brought online if the policy is set to activate authentication. The AUTH policy is distributed by command; automatic distribution of the AUTH policy is not supported. The default configuration directs the switch to attempt FCAP authentication first, DH-CHAP second. The switch may be configured to negotiate FCAP, DH-CHAP, or both. 130 Fabric OS Administrator's Guide 53-1001336-01