How Can I Monitor My Network Using RADIUS Accounting Logs?
What are RADIUS Accounting Logs?
It’s important to know what users and devices are connecting to your network, how long they’re connected, and how much data they’re using. RADIUS accounting logs provide this information by recording detailed records of user activity on your network.
What Types of Accounting Logs Are Available?
RFC 2866 defines the standard RADIUS accounting attributes and log types.
The main types of RADIUS accounting logs include:
| Log Type | Description |
|---|---|
Start |
Logged when a user session begins. Includes information such as username, session ID, start time, and the IP address assigned to the user. |
Stop |
Logged when a user session ends. Includes details like session duration, total data transferred, and the reason for session termination. |
Interim-Update |
Logged periodically during an active session to provide updates on session duration and data usage. Useful for long sessions. |
Accounting-On |
Indicates that accounting has been enabled on the RADIUS server. |
Accounting-Off |
Indicates that accounting has been disabled on the RADIUS server. |
How Can I Use RADIUS Accounting Logs to Monitor My Network?
RADIUS accounting logs can be invaluable for monitoring and managing your network. Here are some ways you can use these logs:
- Track User Activity: Monitor who is connecting to your network, when they connect, and how long they stay connected. This helps in understanding usage patterns and identifying peak times.
- Data Usage Monitoring: Keep an eye on how much data each user or device is consuming. This is particularly useful for managing bandwidth and ensuring fair usage policies.
- Detect Anomalies: Analyze accounting logs to identify unusual patterns, such as unexpected spikes in data usage or connections from unfamiliar IP addresses, which could indicate potential security threats.
- Compliance and Auditing: Maintain detailed records of user activity for compliance with regulatory requirements. RADIUS accounting logs can serve as an audit trail for network access and usage.
- Billing and Chargeback: If your organization charges users based on their network usage, RADIUS accounting logs can provide the necessary data for accurate billing.
How Do I Collect RADIUS Accounting Logs?
To collect RADIUS accounting logs, you’ll need to configure your RADIUS server to enable accounting and specify where the logs should be stored. Most RADIUS servers allow you to log accounting data to a file, database, or a centralized logging system. Cloud-based RADIUS services often provide built-in tools for accessing and analyzing accounting logs.
Accounting logs are typically collected on ports 1813 (UDP) for Classic RADIUS or 2083 (TCP) for RadSec. When configuring your RADIUS server and network controllers, ensure that these ports are open and properly routed to allow accounting data to flow.
How Do I Access and Analyze RADIUS Accounting Logs?
Once RADIUS accounting is enabled and logs are being collected, you can access them through the RADIUS server’s management interface or by directly accessing the log files or database where they are stored. For most cloud-based RADIUS services, you can access accounting logs via a web portal or API.