In Palo Alto Networks' PAN-OS, the Authentication Policy is pivotal in enforcing user authentication before granting access to specific network resources. When users authenticate, the firewall records authentication timestamps, which are essential for managing session timeouts and ensuring consistent access control across the network. In large-scale deployments with multiple firewalls, redistributing these authentication timestamps is crucial for maintaining uniform policy enforcement.
Authentication timestamps generated by the Authentication Policy are used to determine the validity period of a user's authenticated session. To ensure that all firewalls in a distributed network have consistent information about user authentication states, these timestamps must be redistributed. This redistribution allows firewalls to apply Authentication Policy timeouts uniformly, preventing users from being prompted to re-authenticate unnecessarily when accessing resources through different firewalls.
Redistributing authentication timestamps, along with user mapping information, ensures that user sessions are recognized across the network, facilitating seamless access and consistent policy enforcement.