AAA (Authentication, Authorization, Accounting)
AAA is a framework for controlling access and logging actions on network devices.
Updated: 2026-03-06
Definition
AAA defines who can log in (authentication), what they can do (authorization), and what they did (accounting).
It’s commonly implemented with RADIUS or TACACS+ for centralized admin access control.
Key points
- AuthN + AuthZ + Accounting logs
- Centralized control for device admin
- Supports auditing and compliance
Common mistakes
- Local shared admin accounts everywhere (hard to audit).
- No accounting logs for privileged actions.
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