Enhanced user authentication system and method

A system for authenticating a user of a computing network, comprising:

• at least one processor;
• and
• memory, operatively connected to the at least one processor and storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the system to perform a method, the method comprising:
• receiving, at a layer-one network policy server, information from a directory service;
• receiving, at the layer-one network policy server, an authentication request from a client computing device associated with a user, the authentication request including identifying information;
• determining, by the layer-one network policy server and based on the identifying information and the information from the directory service, whether the user is a member of a first directory service group;
• when the user is a member of the first directory service group, routing the request to a first layer-two network policy server operating as a first type of network authenticator;
• when the user is not a member of the first directory service group, determining whether the user is a member of a second directory service group;
• when the user is a member of the second directory service group, routing the request to a second layer-two network policy server operating as a second type of network authenticator;
• when the user is not a member of the second directory service group, routing the request to a third layer-two network policy server operating as a third type of network authenticator;
• receiving an authentication response at the layer-one network policy server;
• and
• providing the authentication response to the client computing device.

A method for authenticating a user of a computing network, comprising:

• receiving, at a layer-one network policy server, information from a directory service;
• receiving, at the layer-one network policy server, an authentication request from a client computing device associated with a user, the authentication request including identifying information;
• determining, by the layer-one network policy server and based on the identifying information and the information from the directory service, whether the user is a member of a first directory service group;
• when the user is a member of the first directory service group, routing the request to a first layer-two network policy server operating as a first type of network authenticator;
• when the user is not a member of the first directory service group, determining whether the user is a member of a second directory service group;
• when the user is a member of the second directory service group, routing the request to a second layer-two network policy server operating as a second type of network authenticator;
• when the user is not a member of the second directory service group, routing the request to a third layer-two network policy server operating as a third type of network authenticator;
• receiving an authentication response at the layer-one network policy server;
• providing the authentication response to the client computing device;
• determining that the first directory service group is an empty set;
• based on determining that the first directory service group is an empty set, decommissioning the first layer-two network policy server.