Automatic re-authentication of links using a key server

A computer system for facilitating processing in a computing environment, the computer system comprising:

• one node;
• and
• a plurality of links coupled to the one node, wherein the computer system is configured to perform a method, said method comprising:
• determining, by the one node, that a shared key to be used by the one node and another node of the computing environment in authentication of one or more links coupling the one node and the other node is within an expiration range;
• and
• automatically initiating, based on determining the shared key is within the expiration range, re-authentication of at least one link of the one or more links, the automatically initiating re-authentication including:
• obtaining by the one node a new shared key from a key server coupled to the one node of the computing environment;
• sending a message encrypted with the new shared key from the one node to the other node via one link of the one or more links;
• and
• receiving by the one node via the one link an indication that the other node decrypted the message using the new shared key obtained by the other node, and wherein the automatically initiating re-authentication further comprises repeating the sending and the receiving on one or more other links of the one or more links using the new shared key previously obtained.

A computer-implemented method of facilitating processing in a computing environment, the computer-implemented method comprising:

• determining, by one node of the computing environment, that a shared key to be used by the one node and another node of the computing environment in authentication of one or more links coupling the one node and the other node is within an expiration range;
• and
• automatically initiating, based on determining the shared key is within the expiration range, re-authentication of at least one link of the one or more links, the automatically initiating re-authentication including:
• obtaining by the one node a new shared key from a key server coupled to the one node of the computing environment;
• sending a message encrypted with the new shared key from the one node to the other node via one link of the one or more links;
• and
• receiving by the one node via the one link an indication that the other node decrypted the message using the new shared key obtained by the other node, and wherein the automatically initiating re-authentication further comprises repeating the sending and the receiving on one or more other links of the one or more links using the new shared key previously obtained.