Patent ID: 7814536

Claim:
An apparatus for authenticating a user for a plurality of domains in a network-based system, comprising: a communication interface; one or more storage devices; and one or more processors in communication with said one or more storage devices and said communication interface, said one or more processors programmed to perform a method comprising the steps of: receiving a request for a protected resource, said resource is in a first domain, determining whether said network-based system protects only said first domain or whether it protects multiple domains; if said network-based system only protects said first domain, authenticating said user for said first domain at said first domain; if said network-based system protects multiple domains, determining whether each of said multiple domains are on a single server; if said multiple domains are on said single server: determining whether said first domain is a preferred domain of said multiple domains, authenticating said user for said first domain at said first domain if said first domain is said preferred domain, and redirecting said request to said preferred domain and authenticating said user for said first domain at said preferred domain if said first domain is not said preferred domain; and if said multiple domains are not on said single server: determining whether said first domain is a master domain, authenticating said first user for said first domain at said first domain if said first domain is said master domain, and redirecting said request to said master domain and authenticating said user for said first domain at said master domain if said first domain is not said master domain.