Patent ID: 7536464

Claim:
A method for performing layer 2 authentication of a Mobile Node supporting Mobile IP in an SSG-based network, comprising: obtaining layer 2 information including at least one of a MAC address or a username associated with the Mobile Node; performing layer 2 authentication of the Mobile Node or receiving a packet indicating that layer 2 authentication of the Mobile Node has been performed; generating an orphaned host object including the layer 2 information, wherein the orphaned host object is generated after layer 2 authentication of the Mobile Node has been performed; unorphaning the orphaned host object by a network device in the SSG-based network when an IP address associated with the layer 2 information is received such that the unorphaned host object includes the IP address and the layer 2 information, wherein the IP address associated with the layer 2 information is received without performing layer 3 authentication of the Mobile Node, thereby enabling layer 3 policies to be enforced without performing layer 3 authentication of the Mobile Node; and providing access to services based upon the IP address of the unorphaned host object.