Cisco Secure ACS Installation
Now that you have seen a brief overview of the Cisco Secure ACS, the role it serves in the internetwork, and the two main authentication protocols, RADIUS and TACACS+, it is time to proceed on to the installation requirements for the actual Cisco Secure ACS server software.
Two versions of the Cisco Secure ACS are in operation: Cisco Secure ACS for Windows NT and Cisco Secure ACS for UNIX. This section covers the installation requirements for both of these versions.
Windows NT and Windows 2000 Installation
The main advantage of the Windows NT version of Cisco Secure ACS is the tight integration with the Windows NT domain database. This allows the users to log on using their existing Windows NT domain account to promote a single network login. The installation must be carried out on a Windows NT server (not a workstation), and the current supported version is version 4.0. For system requirements and service packs, see the release notes at:
www.cisco.com/univercd/cc/td/doc/product/access/acs_soft/csacs4nt/csnt26/index.htm
Windows NT System Requirements
Cisco Secure ACS is supported on Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 Server. To install Cisco Secure ACS on the Windows NT platform, the NT server must meet the following minimum requirements:
Pentium processor running at 200 MHz or better
Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0 operating system, English language version
64 MB of RAM required, 128 MB recommended
At least 150 MB of free disk space
Minimum of 256 colors at resolution of 800 by 600 lines
To have Cisco Secure ACS refer to the Grant Dial-in Permission to User feature, make sure this option is checked in the Windows NT User Manager for the applicable user accounts
Make sure your NAS is running Cisco IOS Release 11.1 or higher (release 11.2 or higher for RADIUS) or you are using a third-party device that can be configured with TACACS+ or RADIUS
Make sure dial-up clients can successfully dial in to your NAS
Make sure the Windows NT server can ping the NAS
One of the following browsers must be installed on the Windows NT server:
Once these criteria have been met, you can install the Cisco Secure ACS software.
Windows NT Installation Process
Cisco Secure ACS is provided on a CD-ROM, which has to be installed to your server's hard disk for the application to function. Cisco Secure ACS will not operate from the CD drive.
This chapter does not examine the full installation process. This is fully documented on Cisco Connection Online at www.cisco.com/go/ciscosecure and also in the documentation provided with the Cisco Secure ACS product.
UNIX Installation
The UNIX version of Cisco Secure ACS is a robust application that provides AAA services against industry-standard databases such as SQL and Oracle. The UNIX version does not support authentication against a Windows NT domain.
UNIX System Requirements
The main requirement of the UNIX version is that it must run on Solaris.
The Cisco Secure ACS (and its optional backup server) requires the following hardware and software:
UltraSPARC or compatible workstation
- To support Cisco Secure ACS without the licensed Distributed Session Manager option:
Ultra 1 with a processor speed of 167 MHz or faster; minimum 200 MHz if the Oracle or Sybase RDBMS is installed on the same system
- To support Cisco Secure ACS with the licensed Distributed Session Manager option:
Ultra 1 or faster; Ultra 10 or faster if the Oracle or Sybase RDBMS is installed on the same system
Minimum 256 MB of swap space
Minimum 512 MB of swap space if the Oracle or Sybase RDBMS is installed on the same system
128 MB of RAM
256 MB of RAM if the Oracle or Sybase RDBMS is installed on the same system
Minimum 256 MB of free disk space (if you are using the supplied SQLAnywhere database)
Minimum 2 GB disk space if the Oracle or Sybase RDBMS is installed on the same system
CD-ROM drive
Solaris 2.6, or Solaris 2.5.1 with patches; more information on Solaris 2.5.1 with patches can be found on CCO at the following URL:
www.cisco.com/univercd/cc/td/doc/product/access/acs_soft/cs_unx/instl23.htm#26679
UNIX Installation Process
Cisco Secure ACS is provided on a CD-ROM, which has to be installed to your server's hard disk for the application to function. Cisco Secure ACS will not operate from the CD drive.
This chapter does not examine the full installation process. This is fully documented on Cisco Connection Online at www.cisco.com/go/ciscosecure and also in the documentation provided with the Cisco Secure ACS product.