MAC MOBILITY FOR 802.1x ADDRESSES FOR PHYSICAL MACHINES

A method of authenticating an intra network device between inter network devices of a network comprising:

• provisionally authenticating an intra network device of a network through an authentication agent executing on a processor of a switch device with a plurality of switch device ports, the intra network device authenticated to communicate with remaining network devices of the network through a first switch device port of the plurality of switch device ports through a physical link coupling the first switch device port to the intra network device, the provisionally authenticating comprising:
• while a second switch device port of the plurality of switch device ports to the network device remains blocked, preventing the intra network device from communicating with the remaining network devices through the second switch device port, intercepting one or more authentication packets from the intra network device through the second switch device port, the authentication packets directed to an authentication host device by the intra network device for authenticating the intra network device to communicate with the remaining network devices at the second switch device port;
• forwarding the authentication packets intercepted from the intra network device to the authentication host device for authentication of the intra network device at the second switch device port;
• and
• maintaining associations between authenticated intra network devices of the network, including the intra network device, and corresponding switch ports of the switch in a forwarding table.