What does the RADIUS feature enable in SonicWall Firewalls?

The RADIUS feature in SonicWall Firewalls provides centralized authentication, authorization, and accounting for network access. By utilizing RADIUS (Remote Authentication Dial-In User Service), organizations can manage user credentials and access permissions from a central server instead of relying solely on local accounts maintained on the firewall itself.

Centralized authentication simplifies user management, particularly in larger networks, where multiple devices are present. Administrators can enforce consistent authentication policies, streamline user onboarding and offboarding processes, and easily integrate with existing identity management systems. Additionally, the accounting aspect allows for tracking of user activity, which is vital for reporting and compliance purposes.

This capability contrasts with local user authentication, which is limited to each individual device, making it cumbersome in environments where user accounts need to be managed across multiple systems. While guest access management and firewall performance monitoring are important features, they do not specifically relate to the primary function of RADIUS, which focuses on user authentication and accounting.