System and method for providing end to end authentication in a network environment

A method for executing end to end authentication in a network environment, comprising:

• initiating a communications tunnel with a layer two tunnel protocol (L2TP) network server (LNS);
• communicating an activate context request that includes an authentication protocol in a protocol configuration option (PCO) field, the activate context request being received by a gateway general packet radio service (GPRS) support node (GGSN) that initiates a link control protocol (LCP) negotiation with the LNS, the GGSN being operable to communicate an activate context response that may be received by the mobile terminal;
• and
• calculating an authentication response by using a secret value and a challenge value which is provided by the GGSN, the authentication response being used to establish a communication session associated with the mobile terminal.

A system for executing end to end authentication in a network environment, comprising:

• means for initiating a communications tunnel with a layer two tunnel protocol (L2TP) network server (LNS);
• means for communicating an activate context request that includes an authentication protocol in a protocol configuration option (PCO) field, the activate context request being received by a gateway general packet radio service (GPRS) support node (GGSN) that initiates a link control protocol (LCP) negotiation with the LNS, the GGSN being operable to communicate an activate context response that may be received by the mobile terminal;
• and
• means for calculating an authentication response by using a secret value and a challenge value which is provided by the GGSN, the authentication response being used to establish a communication session associated with the mobile terminal.

Software for executing end to end authentication in a network environment, the software being embodied in a computer readable medium and having code such that when executed is operable to:

• initiate a communications tunnel with a layer two tunnel protocol (L2TP) network server (LNS);
• communicate an activate context request that includes an authentication protocol in a protocol configuration option (PCO) field, the activate context request being received by a gateway general packet radio service (GPRS) support node (GGSN) that initiates a link control protocol (LCP) negotiation with the LNS, the GGSN being operable to communicate an activate context response that may be received by the mobile terminal;
• and
• calculate an authentication response by using a secret value and a challenge value which is provided by the GGSN, the authentication response being used to establish a communication session associated with the mobile terminal.