Patent ID: 6338138
Filing Date: 2002-01-08
Classification: G06F,G06Q,G11B

Abstract:
A method in a data processing system having at least one stand-alone computer system and a security node that is remotely located with respect to the at least one computer system and connected via a network, the security node having an authentication manager that is capable of authenticating a plurality of stand-alone computer systems, the at least one stand-alone computer system having a set of services, the method comprising:starting up the at least one stand-alone computer system; inhibiting a user from utilizing the services of the at least one stand-alone computer system responsive to the starting up of the at least one stand-alone computer system; displaying a browser with a login screen prompting the user for identification; receiving the identification from the user and sending the identification to the authentication manager; attempting to authenticate the user by the authentication manager; determining by the browser whether the authentication manager has authenticated the user; downloading first code to the at least one stand-alone computer system that facilitates use of a portion of the set of services of the at least one stand-alone computer system when the user has not been authenticated; and downloading second code to the at least one stand-alone computer system that facilitates use of the set of the services of the at least one stand-alone computer system when the user has been authenticated.