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Using AAA to Scale Access
Control in an Expanding Network

With the evolving large networks of today, it is imperative that the successful CCNP
candidate be able to monitor the access and use of the network. AAA provides the
capability to track not just access and usage, but also the level of access and use of today's
large-scale networks.

You must be able to document the type of access for a number of reasons. Usage, to some
extent, represents the need for the network. The tracking of the command usage and the
access method can be a predictor for future growth in a network.

Without AAA or some other tracking mechanism, an administrator that sees a network that
"works" today might be faced with a network that is "down" tommorrow. Tracking
proactively determines if the current growth is about to stretch beyond the current
resources.

Any design requires a comprehensive management plan. AAA provides this component
and enables the administrator to successfully predict when an adjustment is needed. Failure
to properly implement a management plan that tracks network usage and access can leave
an administrator in the lurch when the resources are stretched to a point that they break. It
is easier to "sell" an upgrade to management with significant and appropriate data than it is
to wait until management asks why you are not doing your job.

Career-level decisions are made every day. Implementing AAA to provide proactive
tracking and supervision of the network resources should be an easy decision to make.

How to Best Use This Chapter

By taking the following steps, you can make better use of your study time:

Keep your notes and answers for all your work with this book in one place for easy
reference.

Take the "Do I Know This Already?" quiz and write down your answers. Studies show
that retention is significantly increased through writing facts and concepts down, even
if you never look at the information again.

Use the diagram in Figure 12-1 to guide you to the next step.