A server, comprising: a network interface; and a processor, configured to run a directory application; characterized in that the processor is configured to, while running the directory application: receive, via the network interface, an authentication request originating from a request-origin device and directed to the directory application, in response to receiving the authentication request, by executing network-layer software without using the directory application, forward the authentication request to a traffic-management server over a connection, thereby causing the traffic-management server to request provision of authentication by a user who initiated the authentication request, subsequently to forwarding the authentication request, receive the authentication request from the traffic-management server, in response to receiving the authentication request from the traffic-management server, by executing the network-layer software, pass the authentication request to the directory application, subsequently to passing the authentication request to the directory application, receive a response to the authentication request from the directory application, in response to receiving the response from the directory application, by executing the network-layer software without using the directory application, communicate the response to the traffic-management server, subsequently to communicating the response to the traffic-management server, receive the response, over the connection, from the traffic-management server, and in response to receiving the response from the traffic-management server, by executing the network-layer software, forward the response to the request-origin device. a network interface; and a processor, configured to run a directory application; characterized in that the processor is configured to, while running the directory application: receive, via the network interface, an authentication request originating from a request-origin device and directed to the directory application, in response to receiving the authentication request, by executing network-layer software without using the directory application, forward the authentication request to a traffic-management server over a connection, thereby causing the traffic-management server to request provision of authentication by a user who initiated the authentication request, subsequently to forwarding the authentication request, receive the authentication request from the traffic-management server, in response to receiving the authentication request from the traffic-management server, by executing the network-layer software, pass the authentication request to the directory application, subsequently to passing the authentication request to the directory application, receive a response to the authentication request from the directory application, in response to receiving the response from the directory application, by executing the network-layer software without using the directory application, communicate the response to the traffic-management server, subsequently to communicating the response to the traffic-management server, receive the response, over the connection, from the traffic-management server, and in response to receiving the response from the traffic-management server, by executing the network-layer software, forward the response to the request-origin device. receive, via the network interface, an authentication request originating from a request-origin device and directed to the directory application, in response to receiving the authentication request, by executing network-layer software without using the directory application, forward the authentication request to a traffic-management server over a connection, thereby causing the traffic-management server to request provision of authentication by a user who initiated the authentication request, subsequently to forwarding the authentication request, receive the authentication request from the traffic-management server, in response to receiving the authentication request from the traffic-management server, by executing the network-layer software, pass the authentication request to the directory application, subsequently to passing the authentication request to the directory application, receive a response to the authentication request from the directory application, in response to receiving the response from the directory application, by executing the network-layer software without using the directory application, communicate the response to the traffic-management server, subsequently to communicating the response to the traffic-management server, receive the response, over the connection, from the traffic-management server, and in response to receiving the response from the traffic-management server, by executing the network-layer software, forward the response to the request-origin device.