Patent ID: 7591008

Claim:
In a distributed computing system, a method of authenticating a client to multiple servers without using delegation or having to have a password stored on the client by using multiple certificates that are typically non-delegable, the method comprising acts of: receiving, at a front-end server, a first certificate from a client for authenticating the client to the front-end server; upon authenticating the client to the front-end server, the front-end server logging in to the back-end server using an administrative login procedure to request a second certificate from the back-end server in order to access data on behalf of the client, the second certificate corresponding to the client and being used to authenticate the client to the back-end server; upon receiving the second certificate, sending the second certificate back to the back-end server to authenticate the front-end server on behalf of the client to the back-end server such that the second certificate is used to authenticate the client to the back-end server; and upon authenticating the front-end server on behalf of the client to the back-end server, sending a request on behalf of the client for the data on the back-end server in order to allow the client access to the data on the back-end server via the front-end server.