What are 'Security Group Tags' (SGTs) used for in Cisco ISE?

Security Group Tags (SGTs) are utilized in Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) primarily to classify and secure network traffic based on the role of a device within the network. This approach enables more granular control of security policies and enhances the ability to enforce roles across various segments of the network.

By assigning SGTs to devices, Cisco ISE allows organizations to establish clear parameters for what level of access and behavior is permitted for those devices. For example, devices classified as "employees" might have different access rights compared to "guests," even if they are on the same physical network. This role-based classification not only enhances security by controlling access but also simplifies the management of network policies by grouping users and devices according to their function.

The other choices do not align with the primary purpose of SGTs:

• Monitoring network performance pertains to network operations rather than security policy enforcement.

• Configuring bandwidth restrictions focuses on traffic management rather than classification and security.

• Authenticating user identities is a separate function of ISE, primarily handled through credentials and policy definitions, not directly through SGTs.

Thus, using SGTs is integral for effective traffic classification and security in a Cisco ISE-managed environment.