Patent ID: 7526793

Claim:
A computer-implemented method for authenticating a database connection in a multi-tier environment, wherein the multi-tier environment is composed of two tiers that include a database server box and an application server box, wherein the database server box comprises a database server and a database gateway, and wherein the application server box comprises an application server and a connection authenticator, wherein said application server and said connection authenticator are connected to said database server over an IP network, said computer-implemented method comprising the steps of: a) establishing a first TCP connection from the database gateway to the connection authenticator in response to a system startup of the database gateway and in response to a user application being authenticated by an input of a password by a user, wherein the user application is a running process that requires data from the database server; b) matching the running process with a stored file from which the running process was started to ascertain that the process had been originated from the stored file and to confirm that the stored file has not been tampered with, wherein the running process is bound to the first TCP connection that couples the database gateway and the connection authenticator, and wherein the database gateway accepts a second TCP connection to the application server only from a predefined port number; c) authenticating the application server by the connection authenticator, wherein the connection authenticator verifies that the running process originated from the stored file, that the file had not been tampered with, and that the application server was successful in binding with the second TCP connection; and d) in response to the database gateway subsequently accepting the second TCP connection from the application server, authenticating the application server before allowing the routing of database requests and responses to and from the database server, wherein the database server remains coupled and available to the application server via the second TCP connection if the connection authenticator terminates, and wherein the database server remains open as long as the second TCP connection to the application server remains in place.