Run the local RADIUS server in Oracle VirtualBox

In this topic, you will learn how to install and configure the Portnox™ Cloud local RADIUS proxy in the Oracle VirtualBox hypervisor.

To configure the local RADIUS proxy in the Oracle VirtualBox hypervisor, you must first:

  • Download the local RADIUS server virtual machine file for Hyper-V (VHD format)
  • Configure the settings for the local RADIUS server and download the configuration for the virtual machine file.

To do these steps, go to the following topic: Set up a local RADIUS server using a virtual machine.

Warning:
The performance of a local RADIUS server depends on how many RADIUS authentication and accounting packets it processes, which cannot be predicted in advance. At a minimum, a local RADIUS server needs 1 CPU and 4 GB of RAM. This is enough for most customers, but actual results may vary. Customers should monitor the server’s performance and add more resources if needed to avoid overloading it. For very large setups, it’s recommended to use up to 8 CPUs with a combined PassMark score above 14,000, 32 GB of RAM, and SSD storage. This setup is similar to a higher-end laptop.
  1. Run the Oracle VM VirtualBox Manager.
  2. In the Oracle VM VirtualBox Manager window, click on the Tools icon on the left-hand side and then click on the New icon on the right-hand side.

    The Create Virtual Machine window opens.
  3. Create the virtual machine using the Create Virtual Machine window:
    1. On the bottom of the Create Virtual Machine window, click on the Expert Mode button to show more options in the window.

    2. In the Name and Operating System section, in the Name field, enter a name for your virtual machine.

      In this example, we used the name Portnox local RADIUS, but you can use any name you like.

    3. In the Type field, select Linux and in the Version field, scroll all the way down and select Other Linux (64-bit).

    4. Click on the Hardware section name to open the section.
    5. In the text field next to the Base Memory slider, enter 4096 MB.

    6. Click on the Hard Disk section name to open the section.
    7. Select the Use an Existing Virtual Hard Disk File option and then click on the file icon to the right of the Use an Existing Virtual Hard Disk File option.

    8. In the Hard Disk Selector window, click on the Add icon.

    9. In the file selector, find the PortnoxLocalRadius.vhd file that you downloaded earlier, and open it.
    10. Click on the PortnoxLocalRadius entry in the Hard Disk Selector, and click on the Choose button.

    11. Make sure that the PortnoxLocalRadius.vhd disk is selected in the Create Virtual Machine window, and click on the Finish button.

  4. In the Oracle VM VirtualBox Manager window, click on the Portnox local RADIUS icon on the left-hand side, and then click on the Settings icon on the right-hand side.

  5. In the Settings window, click on the Storage icon on the left-hand side, then click on the Empty CD icon under Controller: IDE, then click on the CD icon to the right of the Optical Drive field on the right-hand side, and select the Choose a disk file option from the pop-up menu.

  6. In the file selector, select the PortnoxLocalRadiusConfiguration.iso file that you downloaded earlier.
    Note:
    The exact name of the file is PortnoxLocalRadiusConfiguration-HOSTNAME.iso, where HOSTNAME is the host name you entered when configuring the local RADIUS server.
  7. In the Settings window, click on the Network icon on the left-hand side. On the right-hand side, make sure that the Enable Network Adapter checkbox is active. Then, in the Attached to field, select the Bridged Adapter option, and in the Name field, select your host machine’s Ethernet adapter that is connected to the primary network.

  8. Click on the OK button in the Settings window to close it.
  9. In the Oracle VM VirtualBox Manager window, click on the Portnox local RADIUS icon on the left-hand side, and then click on the Start icon on the right-hand side.

Result: Your local RADIUS server is active.

You can check its status in Portnox Cloud, in the Settings > Services > LOCAL RADIUS SERVICE > Local RADIUS instance section.

Note:
If you have connectivity issues with your local RADIUS server, check the following topic: How to set up the firewall for the local RADIUS instance to connect to Portnox Cloud.