In an AOS-CX switch environment, 802.1X authentication is used to authenticate clients connecting to ports, and roles are assigned based on the authentication outcome and configuration. The roles mentioned in the question—fallback, auth, and critical—have specific purposes in the AOS-CX port-access configuration:
Auth role (roleB): This role is applied when a client successfully authenticates via 802.1X and no specific role is assigned by the RADIUS server (e.g., via an Aruba-User-Role VSA). It is the default role for successful authentication.
Fallback role (roleA): This role is applied when no authentication method is attempted (e.g., the client does not support 802.1X or MAC authentication and no other method is configured).
Critical role (roleC): This role is applied when the switch cannot contact the RADIUS server (e.g., during a server timeout or failure), allowing the client to have limited access in a "critical" state.
In this scenario, the client successfully authenticates via 802.1X, and CPPM does not send an Aruba-User-Role VSA. Since authentication is successful, the switch applies the auth role (roleB) as the default role for successful authentication when no specific role is provided by the RADIUS server.
Option A, "The client receives roleC," is incorrect because the critical role is only applied when the RADIUS server is unreachable, which is not the case here since authentication succeeded.
Option B, "The client is denied access," is incorrect because the client successfully authenticated, so access is granted with the appropriate role.
Option D, "The client receives roleA," is incorrect because the fallback role is applied only when no authentication is attempted, not when authentication succeeds.
The HPE Aruba Networking AOS-CX 10.12 Security Guide states:
"When a client successfully authenticates using 802.1X, the switch assigns the client to the auth role configured for the port, unless the RADIUS server specifies a different role via the Aruba-User-Role VSA. If no Aruba-User-Role VSA is present in the Access-Accept message, the auth role is applied." (Page 132, 802.1X Authentication Section)
Additionally, the guide clarifies the roles:
"Auth role: Applied after successful 802.1X or MAC authentication if no role is specified by the RADIUS server."
"Fallback role: Applied when no authentication method is attempted."
"Critical role: Applied when the RADIUS server is unavailable." (Page 134, Port-Access Roles Section)
[References:, HPE Aruba Networking AOS-CX 10.12 Security Guide, 802.1X Authentication Section, Page 132., HPE Aruba Networking AOS-CX 10.12 Security Guide, Port-Access Roles Section, Page 134.===========]
