Authenticating remote users in a distributed environment
AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation
InventorsRadhakrishna Aditham, Philip Chang, Paul H. Kramer
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
In a distributed computing environment, a token is issued to a remote user if a security mechanism initially can determine that the remote user is who he claims to be. Thereafter, a connection between a remote user and an application server requires the application server to first verify that a token associated with a connection request was issued by the security mechanism. If no token is associated with a connection request, or if any token associated with the request was not issued by the security mechanism, the connection is refused.
Claims20
A method for managing communications between remote users and an application server in a distributed computing environment, the application server supported in a local processing system having a local authentication facility, comprising the steps of:
- (a) issuing a token to each remote user whose identity is authenticated in the local processing system using the local authentication facility;
- (b) in response to a call from a remote user, determining whether a token associated with the call was issued to the remote user authenticated by the local authentication facility of the local processing system;
- and
- (c) connecting the remote user to the application server if the token was issued to the remote user authenticated by the local authentication facility of the local processing system.
A method, using a security mechanism, for managing communications between remote users and an application server in a distributed computing environment, wherein the security mechanism and the application server are supported in a local processing system having a local authentication facility, comprising the steps of:
- (a) issuing one or more tokens to a remote user if the remote user's identity is authenticated by the security mechanism using the local authentication facility;
- (b) in response to a call from a remote user, determining whether a token associated with the call was issued to the remote user by the security mechanism;
- (c) connecting the remote user to the application server if the token was issued to the remote user by the security mechanism;
- and
- (d) refusing connection to the application server if the token was not issued to the remote user by the security mechanism.
A method to enable an application server in a distributed network environment to verify the identity of remote users, the application server supported in a local processing system having a local authentication facility, comprising the steps of:
- (a) having a remote user transmit a data string to a security mechanism supported in the local processing system, the data string including at least some information uniquely identifying the remote user;
- (b) having the security mechanism issue a token to a remote user if the remote user's identity is authenticated by the security mechanism using the local authentication facility;
- and
- (c) using the token to control further connection of the remote user to the application server.
In a network providing a distributed computing environment in which users access distributed resources and process applications, the network including a local processing system supporting an application server and having a local authentication facility, comprising:
- means for issuing a token to each remote user whose identity is authenticated using the local authentication facility;
- and
- means responsive to receipt of the token by the application server for controlling subsequent connection of the remote user to the application server.
A computer network providing a distributed computing environment in which users access distributed resources and process applications, comprising:
- a local computer system having an application server and supporting an authentication facility;
- a client process;
- a security protocol means to enable the application server to authenticate the client process, comprising:
- means supported on the local computer system for issuing a token to the client process if the identity of the client process is authenticated using the authentication facility;
- and
- means responsive to receipt of the token by the application server for controlling connection of the client process to the application server.
A program storage device readable by a processor and tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the processor to perform a method for managing communications in a distributed computing environment including an application server and one or more client processes, the application server supported in a local processing system having an authentication facility, the method for managing communications comprising the steps of:
- (a) issuing a token to a client process if the identity of the client process is authenticated using the authentication facility;
- (b) in response to a call request from a client process, determining where a token associated with the call request originated;
- and
- (c) enabling connection of the client process to the application server if the token originated from authentication by the authentication facility.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.