: Configure TACACS+ Authentication for Panorama Administrators
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Configure TACACS+ Authentication for Panorama Administrators

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Configure TACACS+ Authentication for Panorama Administrators

You can use a TACACS+ server to authenticate administrative access to the Panorama web interface. You can also define Vendor-Specific Attributes (VSAs) on the TACACS+ server to manage administrator authorization. Using VSAs enables you to quickly change the roles, access domains, and user groups of administrators through your directory service, which is often easier than reconfiguring settings on Panorama.
  1. Add a TACACS+ server profile.
    The profile defines how Panorama connects to the TACACS+ server.
    1. Select PanoramaServer ProfilesTACACS+ and Add a profile.
    2. Enter a Profile Name to identify the server profile.
    3. Enter a Timeout interval in seconds after which an authentication request times out (default is 3; range is 1–20).
    4. Select the Authentication Protocol (default is CHAP) that Panorama uses to authenticate to the TACACS+ server.
      Select CHAP if the TACACS+ server supports that protocol; it is more secure than PAP.
    5. Add each TACACS+ server and enter the following:
      • Name to identify the server
      • TACACS+ Server IP address or FQDN
      • Secret/Confirm Secret (a key to encrypt usernames and passwords)
      • Server Port for authentication requests (default is 49)
    6. Click OK to save the server profile.
  2. Assign the TACACS+ server profile to an authentication profile.
    The authentication profile defines authentication settings that are common to a set of administrators.
    1. Select PanoramaAuthentication Profile and Add a profile.
    2. Enter a Name to identify the profile.
    3. Set the Type to TACACS+.
    4. Select the Server Profile you configured.
    5. Select Retrieve user group from TACACS+ to collect user group information from VSAs defined on the TACACS+ server.
      Panorama matches the group information against the groups you specify in the Allow List of the authentication profile.
    6. Select Advanced and, in the Allow List, Add the administrators that are allowed to authenticate with this authentication profile.
    7. Click OK to save the authentication profile.
  3. Configure Panorama to use the authentication profile for all administrators.
    1. Select PanoramaSetupManagement and edit the Authentication Settings.
    2. Select the Authentication Profile you configured and click OK.
  4. Configure the roles and access domains that define authorization settings for administrators.
    1. Configure an Admin Role Profile if the administrator will use a custom role instead of a predefined (dynamic) role.
    2. Configure an Access Domain if the administrator uses a Device Group and Template role.
  5. Commit your changes.
    Select CommitCommit to Panorama and Commit your changes.
  6. Configure the TACACS+ server to authenticate and authorize administrators.
    Refer to your TACACS+ server documentation for the specific instructions to perform these steps:
    1. Add the Panorama IP address or hostname as the TACACS+ client.
    2. Add the administrator accounts.
      If you selected CHAP as the Authentication Protocol, you must define accounts with reversibly encrypted passwords. Otherwise, CHAP authentication will fail.
    3. Define TACACS+ VSAs for the role, access domain, and user group of each administrator.
      When you predefine dynamic administrator roles for users, use lower-case to specify the role (for example, enter superuser, not SuperUser).
  7. Verify that the TACACS+ server performs authentication and authorization for administrators.
    1. Log in the Panorama web interface using an administrator account that you added to the TACACS+ server.
    2. Verify that you can access only the web interface pages that are allowed for the role you associated with the administrator.
    3. In the Monitor, Policies, and Objects tabs, verify that you can access only the virtual systems that are allowed for the access domain you associated with the administrator.