Remote login arrangement for heterogeneous systems using centralized authentication

A system for authenticating remote users across heterogeneous authentication systems, the system comprising:

• a first heterogeneous authentication system configured to control access to a first server application on a server;
• a second heterogeneous authentication system configured to control access to an operating system on a server, the server hosting the first server application;
• and
• an authentication interface operable in connection with the second heterogeneous authentication system, the authentication interface configured to communicate with a centralized authentication system operating external to the server;
• wherein the first heterogeneous authentication system lacks definition of the user credentials used to access the first server application;
• wherein the first heterogeneous authentication system corresponds to a component of a first computing system utilizing a first operating system and the second heterogeneous authentication system corresponds to a component of a second computing system utilizing a second operating system;
• wherein the centralized authentication system is not part of the first heterogeneous authentication system;
• wherein the first operating system and the second operating system correspond to different operating systems;
• and
• wherein the first heterogeneous authentication system is configured to perform the steps of:
• receiving, from an application, user credentials;
• determining whether the received user credentials correspond to a domain username or a local username;
• when the received user credentials correspond to a local username, performing the steps of:
• selecting a local API module implementing a local authentication system within the first heterogeneous authentication system;
• using the local username to authenticate the user within the first heterogeneous authentication system;
• and
• when the received user credentials correspond to a domain username, performing the steps of:
• transmitting the domain user credentials from the first heterogeneous authentication system to an authentication interface associated with a second heterogeneous authentication system local to the first heterogeneous authentication system;
• and
• selecting one of a plurality of network API modules available within the authentication interface, the plurality of network API modules corresponding to a plurality of network-level authentication protocols;
• wherein the second heterogeneous authentication system is configured to perform the step of transmitting the domain user credentials from the second heterogeneous authentication system and an identifier corresponding to the selected network API module to use for authentication to a centralized authentication system.

A computer-implemented method of authenticating a remote user across heterogeneous authentication systems, the method comprising:

• receiving, from a server application, user credentials and local login information at a local authentication system associated with the server application;
• determining whether the received user credentials correspond to a domain username or a local username;
• when the received user credentials correspond to a local username, performing the steps of:
• selecting a local API module implementing a local authentication system within the first heterogeneous authentication system;
• using the local username to authenticate the user within the first heterogeneous authentication system;
• and
• when the received user credentials correspond to a domain username, performing the steps of:
• transmitting the domain user credentials from a local authentication system associated with a server application to an authentication interface associated with an operating system authentication system local to the first authentication system, the authentication interface including a plurality of network application programming interface modules configured to interface with a domain authentication system;
• selecting one of a plurality of network API modules, the plurality of network API modules corresponding to a plurality of network-level authentication protocols;
• transmitting the domain user credentials and an identifier corresponding to the selected network API module to use for authentication from the authentication interface to the domain authentication system;
• receiving at the authentication interface a validation message from the domain authentication system;
• upon receipt of the validation message, authenticating the domain user credentials at the operating system authentication system;
• determining a local username at the authentication interface based on the domain user credentials;
• and
• using the local username and the local login information to authenticate the user within the local authentication system associated with the server application;
• wherein the local authentication system corresponds to a component of a local computing system utilizing a first operating system and the authentication interface associated with an operating system authentication system corresponds to a component of a remote computing system utilizing a second operating system;
• wherein the centralized authentication system is not part of the first heterogeneous authentication system;
• and
• wherein the first operating system and the second operating system correspond to different operating systems.