Which Aruba CX feature enables role-based access control for switch management in Aruba Central?

TACACS+ (Terminal Access Controller Access-Control System Plus) is a protocol that provides centralized Authentication, Authorization, and Accounting (AAA) services for network device administration. When integrated with Aruba CX switches, either directly or through Aruba Central, it enables role-based access control (RBAC). This allows administrators to define specific roles and privilege levels for different users or groups, controlling who can access the switch management interface (CLI, Web UI) and what commands they are authorized to execute. This granular control is fundamental to secure network management.

Multi-Chassis Link Aggregation (MC-LAG) is a high-availability feature that provides link and node-level redundancy, not a management access control mechanism. Smart Rate Ports are a physical layer technology that allows Ethernet ports to operate at multiple speeds (e.g., 1, 2.5, 5 Gbps), unrelated to user authentication or authorization. Virtual Switching Framework (VSF) is a stacking technology that allows multiple physical switches to be managed as a single logical device, simplifying configuration but not providing RBAC.

1. ArubaOS-CX 10.12 Security Guide

Chapter: "Configuring TACACS+"

Page 1. "TACACS+ provides authentication

authorization

and accounting (AAA) services for network access control... For administrators who manage the switch

TACACS+ provides administrator authentication and command authorization."

2. Aruba Central User Guide (2.5.8)

Section: "Onboarding and Provisioning > Configuring Security > Configuring AAA Servers". This section details how Aruba Central is used to configure and push TACACS+ server profiles to groups of switches to enforce centralized authentication for device management. It states

"Aruba Central allows you to configure TACACS... authentication servers to authenticate users who need to access and manage network devices."

3. ArubaOS-CX 10.12 Fundamentals Guide

Chapter: "Security"

Section: "AAA". "AAA uses protocols such as RADIUS and TACACS+ to provide services. For switch management access

TACACS+ is the recommended protocol because it provides command authorization."