Abstract: A method for controlling the ports of the switches in a network that has particular application for a cluster of switches that are controlled by a RADIUS/AAA server. Each switch in the cluster of switches transmits interim accounting messages to the server identifying the data activity on each active port of the switch. The server includes a monitoring entity program that compares the accounting messages with the known configuration records of the ports in the switch to determine whether the ports are operating properly. If a port of a switch in the cluster is not operating properly, the monitoring entity program will send a switch control message to a control entity program on the switch telling the switch what to do with the malfunctioning port, such as shut down the port or open other ports.