Patent ID: 11863527
Assignee: ARISTA NETWORKS, INC.
Field: Digital communication (Electrical engineering)
Classification: CPC H | IPC G  H

Claim 15:
16. A non-transitory computer-readable storage device in a switch device having stored thereon computer executable instructions, which when executed by a computer of the switch device, cause the computer to:
allow a network device in a network to communicate with other network devices in the network through a first switch device port of the switch device and not allow the network device to communicate with said other network devices through a second switch device port of the switch device;
receive one or more authentication packets from the network device on the second switch device port, the authentication packets directed to an authentication host device, separate from the switch device, for authentication to communicate with said other network devices through the second switch device port;
transmit an authentication request to the authentication host device;
allow the network device to communicate with said other network devices through the second switch device port, in response to receiving an acknowledgment from the authentication host device; and
maintain in a forwarding table an association between the network device and the second switch port of the switch to indicate that the network device is authenticated for communication on the second switch device port.