Authentication techniques
AssigneeFoundry Networks, Inc.
InventorsMehul Dholakia, Ron Talmor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Techniques for authenticating clients of differing capabilities in an efficient manner. Two or more authentication techniques, including one preferred authentication technique, are initiated to run in parallel to authenticate a client. Upon determining that the client can support the preferred authentication technique, the preferred technique is used to authenticate the client and the other authentication techniques are aborted. If it is determined that the client cannot support the preferred authentication technique, then one of the other authentication techniques is used to authenticate the client. In this manner, based upon the capabilities of the client, an appropriate authentication technique is used to authenticate the client in an efficient manner.
Claims34
A method of performing authentication, the method comprising:
- initiating a first authentication technique and a second authentication technique for authenticating a client such that the first authentication technique and the second authentication technique are performed concurrently;
- determining if the client supports the first authentication technique;
- using the first authentication technique to authenticate the client upon determining that the client supports the first authentication technique;
- and
- using the second authentication technique to authenticate the client upon determining that the client does not support the first authentication technique.
A method of authenticating a client, the method comprising:
- initiating a first authentication technique and a second authentication technique for authenticating a client;
- performing the first authentication technique and the second authentication concurrently;
- determining, during performing the first authentication technique, if the client supports the first authentication technique;
- continuing to perform the first authentication technique and aborting the second authentication technique upon determining that the client supports the first authentication technique;
- and
- authenticating the client using the second authentication technique upon determining that the client does not support the first authentication technique.
A method of performing authentication, the method comprising:
- causing, by a network device, a first authentication technique and a second authentication technique to be performed in parallel to authenticate a client device;
- and
- authenticating the client device using either the first authentication technique or the second authentication technique depending upon ability of the client device to support the first authentication technique.
A system for authenticating a client, the system comprising:
- an access server;
- and
- an authentication server coupled to the access server;
- wherein the access server is adapted to;
- initiate a first authentication technique and a second authentication technique for authenticating a client such that the first authentication technique and the second authentication technique are performed concurrently, wherein the second authentication technique uses the authentication server;
- determine if the client supports the first authentication technique;
- use the first authentication technique to authenticate the client upon determining that the client supports the first authentication technique;
- and
- use the second authentication technique to authenticate the client upon determining that the client does not support the first authentication technique.
An apparatus comprising:
- means for initiating a first authentication technique and a second authentication technique for authenticating a client such that the first authentication technique and the second authentication technique are performed concurrently;
- means for determining if the client supports the first authentication technique;
- means for using the first authentication technique to authenticate the client upon determining that the client supports the first authentication technique;
- and
- means for using the second authentication technique to authenticate the client upon determining that the client does not support the first authentication technique.
An apparatus comprising:
- means for initiating a first authentication technique and a second authentication technique for authenticating a client;
- means for performing the first authentication technique and the second authentication concurrently;
- means for determining, during performing the first authentication technique, if the client supports the first authentication technique;
- means for continuing to perform the first authentication technique and aborting the second authentication technique upon determining that the client supports the first authentication technique;
- and
- means for authenticating the client using the second authentication technique upon determining that the client does not support the first authentication technique.
An apparatus comprising:
- means for causing a first authentication technique and a second authentication technique to be performed in parallel to authenticate a client;
- and
- means for authenticating the client device using either the first authentication technique or the second authentication technique depending upon ability of the client device to support the first authentication technique.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.