Patent ID: 7421077

Claim:
An apparatus, comprising: a processor; and a memory, at least one of the processor or the memory being adapted for: receiving an authentication request from a Home Agent that supports Mobile IP, the authentication request identifying a mobile node; obtaining a security association associated with the mobile node from a plurality of security associations associated with a plurality of mobile nodes, wherein the apparatus is a repository for the plurality of security associations for one or more Home Agents supporting the plurality of mobile nodes; at least one of authenticating the mobile node using the obtained security association or sending the obtained security association to the Home Agent to enable the Home Agent to authenticate the mobile node using the obtained security association; and sending an authentication reply to the Home Agent after authenticating the mobile node using the obtained security association, the authentication reply indicating a status of authentication of the mobile node; wherein the apparatus is a AAA server; wherein the authentication reply is provided in one of an access-accept packet or an access-reject packet, and the authentication request is provided in an access-request packet.