Patent ID: 8752137

Claim:
A method for passing security context in an heterogeneous environment created by a plurality of diverse computer systems each having different respective native security principals, the method comprising; implementing a centralized configuration management system by executing instructions on a central processing unit (CPU) coupled to a memory, the centralized configuration management system configured to manage the plurality of diverse computer systems each having different respective native security principals; receiving a request at the centralized configuration management system, from a user for action on a particular managed computer system of the plurality of diverse computer systems each having different respective native security principals; authorizing the user's access to the particular managed computer system of the plurality of diverse computer systems each having different respective native security principals based on the user's security context; detecting whether there is an automation principal associated with the user and the particular managed computer system of the plurality of diverse computer systems each having different respective native security principals, wherein the automation principal is a native security principal of the particular managed computer system; if no automation principal is found, reporting an error to the centralized configuration management system; if an automation principal is found, retrieving the automation principal and a credential for the particular managed computer system; connecting to the particular managed computer system using the automation principal and the credential; executing the requested action on the particular managed computer system; and returning a response to the user.