About Profiles
Steel-Belted Radius Carrier enables you to define default templates of check list and return list pairs called profiles. A profile provides specific attributes for one or both lists. You can define as many profiles as you require. Profiles provide a powerful means of managing and configuring accounts.
When you edit a user account, you can assign a profile to the user so the attributes of the profile become the default settings for that user account. After you assign a profile to a user account, you can modify the new entries on the user's check list and return list. Changes you make apply only to the specific user entry; they do not affect the profile itself. Assigning a profile and then overriding individual attributes is a convenient way to leverage Steel-Belted Radius Carrier's features to your advantage.
To change attribute settings across many users immediately, edit the profile that you have assigned to these users. The changes you make to a profile are automatically reflected in each user's check list and return list.
Adding a Check List or Return List Attribute to a Profile
A check list attribute is an item of information that must accompany a request for connection before the connection can be authenticated. A return list attribute is an item of information that Steel-Belted Radius Carrier includes in the Access-Accept message when a connection request is approved.
Resolving Profile and User Attributes
If user-specific attributes are stored in an external database, Steel-Belted Radius Carrier determines the final set of attributes for a user by merging the attributes stored in the native database with those retrieved from the external database. This calculation is performed as follows:
- The attributes from the profile (or alias user) assigned to the user are first retrieved.
- These attributes are then merged with the user-specific modifications to the attributes in the following manner:
- If the attribute is multi-valued, then the attribute(s) retrieved from the external database is added to the overall list of attributes.
- If the attribute is single-valued, then the attribute(s) retrieved from the external database replaces any attribute of the same name in the profile or associated with the alias.
- If the attribute is orderable, then the attribute(s) retrieved from the external database replaces any orderable attribute of the same name in the profile or associated with the alias.