Patent ID: 7519988

Claim:
A computer implemented method in a data processing system for providing addresses to clients, the computer implemented method comprising: receiving a request from a client for an address, wherein the request comprises a unique client identifier and authentication information, and wherein the authentication information comprises at least one of a pass phrase and a digital certificate; determining whether the authentication information is present in the request; responsive to determining that the authentication information is present in the request, performing a verification process on the authentication information to authenticate the request; responsive to authenticating the request, checking a privileged address table to determine whether a privileged address is assigned to the client, wherein the privileged address is a static internet protocol address in a pool of privileged addresses stored in a memory of the data processing system; responsive to determining that the privileged address is assigned to the client, assigning the previously assigned privileged address to the client to form a previously assigned privileged address and sending an offer to the client, wherein the offer comprises the previously assigned privileged address and the authentication information; and responsive to determining that the privileged address is not assigned to the client, assigning a unassigned privileged address, from the pool of privileged addresses, to the client to form an assigned privileged address and sending the offer to the client, wherein the offer comprises the assigned privileged address and the authentication information.