Network Security Principles and Practices

An Introduction to Accounting

Accounting is the last piece of the AAA puzzle. Accounting is the process through which the network access server reports the activities of the authenticated and/or authorized user or device to an AAA server doing accounting through RADIUS or TACACS+. Whereas authentication and authorization restrict the access of users and devices to the network resources, accounting is responsible for going one step further and keeping tabs on those who have been authenticated and/or authorized. In addition, accounting can also be used to keep track of the access device status and TACACS+/RADIUS communication.

Accounting messages are exchanged in the form of accounting records between the access device and the TACACS+ or RADIUS ...