Methods and apparatus for managing user access to a computing environment

A method, performed by a user, of gaining access to at least one computing device, the method comprising acts of:

• (A) gaining access to the at least one computing device at a first time by providing credential information to the at least one computing device to authenticate the user's identity to the at least one computing device;
• (B) presenting to a first user interface for the at least one computing device a passive proximity badge comprising identifying information to demonstrate that the user authenticated by the credential information was in possession of the passive proximity badge at the first time;
• and
• (C) gaining access to the at least one computing device at a second time, subsequent to the first time, by presenting the passive proximity badge to the first user interface or a different user interface of the at least one computing device without providing the credential information to authenticate the user's identity to the at least one computing device at the second time, wherein the second time is subsequent to the first time by a period of time that is less than a grace period established by the at least one computing device to enable the user to regain access to the at least one computing device without providing the credential information to authenticate the user's identity to the at least one computing device;
• wherein the at least one computing device comprises a computer system comprising a plurality of computers coupled via at least one communication medium, wherein the computer system comprises a plurality of user interfaces organized into a plurality of groups, and wherein one of the plurality of user interfaces associated with a first group has a grace period established which is different than a grace period established for another of the plurality of user interfaces associated with a second group.