Systems and methods providing interactions between multiple servers and an end use device

A method of conveying access control information from one network device to another network device on a different domain through an end user device comprising:

• the one network device in response to a first message received from the end user device containing access control information, sending a response message to the end user device containing the access control information, response message being adapted to cause the end user device to send a second message to the another network device containing at least part of the access control information;
• containing user-specific information in the response message together with instructions to include at least part of the user-specific information in the second message;
• and
• presenting an option to the end user device to change and/or delete any of the user-specific information before sending the message to the another network device,
• wherein at least part of the access control information is used to control access to a protected resource on at least one of the first and second network devices.

A method of conveying access control information from one network device to another network device on a different domain through an end user device comprising:

• the one network device in response to a first message received from the end user device containing access control information, sending a response message to the end user device containing the access control information, the response message being adapted to cause the end user device to send a second message to the another network device containing at least part of the access control information;
• containing user-specific information in the response message together with instructions to include at least part of the user-specific information in the second message;
• and
• presenting an option to the end user device to include or not include the at least part of the user-specific information in the second message,
• wherein at least part of the access control information is used to control access to a protected resource on at least one of the first and second network devices.

A network device comprising an authentication front end and an MDSSO function, the network device being adapted to provide initial network device functionality upon receipt of a request message containing access control information only in a header portion, and adapted to provide non-initial network device functionality upon receipt of a request message containing access control information in both a header portion and a content portion;

• wherein in providing the initial network device functionality:
• a) the authentication front end is adapted to process an initial access request message from an end user device to access a protected resource on the network device by performing an authentication process to determine if access should be granted and if so, responding with an access response message specifying an access control information in association with the domain of the network device and causing the end user device to send a first request message to an MDSSO (multiple domain single sign-on) function on the network device specifying the access control information in a header portion of the first request message;
• b) the MDSSO function is adapted to process a request message directed to it containing access control information only in a header portion by extracting the access control information from the header portion and sending to the end user device a response message containing the access control information in a header portion and having a content portion containing the access control information and also containing instructions to send a subsequent request message to another network device on a different network domain, the subsequent message having a content portion containing the at least part of access control information;
• wherein in providing non-initial network device functionality:
• c) the MDSSO function is adapted to process a request message directed to it containing access control information in a content portion by extracting the access control information from the content and sending to the end-user device a response message containing the access control information in a header portion and having a content portion containing the access control information and also containing instructions to send a subsequent message to another network device on a different network domain, the subsequent message having a content portion containing at least part of the access control information.