Patent ID: 7206826

Claim:
A method of managing user connection sessions with a gateway in a computer network, said method comprising the steps of: storing user data on said gateway in response to authentication by said user; storing user status information in a table in a RADIUS server during times that an authenticated user session is established with said gateway, said RADIUS server being on a physically separate machine than said gateway and being connected to said gateway via said computer network; deleting said user status information from said table when said authenticated user session is terminated; said gateway routing said user traffic in response to said user data; detecting a failure of said gateway wherein said stored user data is lost; said gateway sending a request to said RADIUS server to provide said user status information and user data corresponding to each user in said table; storing said user data on said gateway; and said gateway routing said user traffic to continue said authenticated user session in response to said user data and said user status information without requiring re-authentication following said failure.