Buffering proxy for telnet access

A method of establishing a communication connection between a first party and a second party, comprising:

• receiving at least one communication option negotiation request from the first party;
• storing the received at least one communication option negotiation request;
• after storing the at least one communication option negotiation request, establishing the communication connection between the first party and the second party:
• after establishing the communication connection, sending the stored at least one communication option negotiation request to the second party and passing data between the first party and the second party.

An article of manufacture, comprising:

• a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing computer instructions for:
• receiving at least one communication option negotiation request from a first party;
• storing the received at least one communication option negotiation request;
• after storing the at least one communication onion negotiation request, establishing a communication connection between the first party and a second party;
• after establishing the communication connection, sending the stored at least one communication option negotiation request to the second party and passing data between the first party and the second party.

An authenticating multi-protocol proxy, comprising:

• a data store;
• and
• a proxy operative to establish a connection according to one of a plurality of protocols between a first party having an identifier and a second party, wherein the plurality of protocols includes Telnet, HTTP and FTP, the proxy being further operative to:
• prompt for user credentials before establishing a first connection between the first party and the second party;
• based on entered user credentials, obtain data indicative of user access rights;
• store the obtained information indicative of user access rights in the data store and associate the stored information with the identity of the first party;
• based on the data indicative of user access rights, either establish or not establish the first connection between the first party and the second party;
• and
• subsequently use the stored information to determine whether to establish or not establish a second connection between the first party and another party, without prompting for user credentials.