Patent ID: 8522311
Filing Date: 2013-08-27
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A method comprising: sending, by a network device to a client to be authenticated, a first message corresponding to a preferred authentication technique; sending, by the network device to an authentication server, a second message corresponding to a non-preferred authentication technique such that processing by the client in response to the first message is performed in parallel to processing by the authentication server in response to the second message; determining, by the network device, whether a response from the client to the first message is received by the network device within a predetermined time period; upon determining that a response from the client to the first message is received by the network device within the predetermined time period, causing the client to be authenticated using the preferred authentication technique instead of the non-preferred authentication technique; and upon determining that a response from the client to the first message is not received by the network device within the predetermined time period, causing the client to be authenticated using the non-preferred authentication technique instead of the preferred authentication technique.