Patent Document

FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     Implementations relate generally to computer network access management and, more particularly, to systems and methods for centralized access control to network resources.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     Extensible authentication protocol (EAP) is a general protocol for authentication that supports multiple authentication protocols as an extension to data link layers, such as the point-to-point protocol (PPP) or IEEE 802.1x, for example, without requiring IP, as described, for instance, in the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) publication, RFC-3748. EAP is a lock-step protocol that supports exchanges of single data packets. Thus, EAP cannot efficiently transport bulk data.  
         [0003]     Many of the authentication methods supported by EAP accomplish authentication through an EAP session characterized by a sequential message conversation in which a multi-step exchange of successive EAP messages occurs between a peer and an authenticating entity (e.g., an authentication server) that terminates the EAP authentication method. EAP assumes ordering guarantees provided by the data link layer, thereby supporting in-order packet delivery and retransmission. Thus, a new request—other than the initial request—cannot be sent before receiving a valid response. A host receiving an EAP packet has three options: act on it, drop it, or forward it.  
         [0004]     In some environments, a peer may gain access to the network through a network access server (NAS), to which two or more authentication servers are associated, for example, for redundancy and/or load balancing purposes. Currently, the peer is required to carry out the entire authentication conversation with a single authentication server to successfully negotiate an authentication method and subsequent authentication. That is, EAP sessions typically fail when a mid-conversation EAP packet is terminated at an authentication server that has not been privy to the ongoing EAP conversation. Because the NAS varyingly assigns a path of travel for EAP packets received from the peer, however, it is statistically unlikely that each of the EAP packets in an entire EAP conversation will terminate at the same authentication server; an unlikelihood that increases with the number of EAP packets in a given EAP conversation and with the number of associated authentication servers in a given network.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0005]     According to one aspect, a method may include receiving, by a state server, a first message of an extensible authentication protocol (EAP) session from a first authentication server; receiving, by the state server, a second message of the EAP session from a second authentication server; and managing, by the state server, the EAP session based on at least the first and second messages.  
         [0006]     According to another aspect, a system may include two or more authentication devices configured to authenticate a user via an authentication session; and a device operably coupled to the two or more authentication devices and being configured to manage the authentication session.  
         [0007]     According to yet another aspect, an EAP system may include means for managing an EAP session among a user device and associated EAP authenticators, based on state information of the EAP session; and means for authenticating the user device based on the state information.  
         [0008]     According to yet another aspect, a method may include initiating, by a first of at least two associated servers having authenticating authority, an EAP session for a user device; and authenticating, by a second of the at least two associated servers, the user device via the EAP session. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0009]     The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate an implementation of the invention and, together with the description, explain the invention. In the drawings,  
         [0010]      FIG. 1  is an exemplary diagram illustrating an exemplary network in which methods and systems consistent with the principles of the invention can be implemented;  
         [0011]      FIG. 2  is an exemplary block diagram of the state server of  FIG. 1  according to an implementation consistent with the principles of the invention; and  
         [0012]      FIG. 3  is an exemplary flow diagram illustrating a method for providing authentication consistent with the principles of the invention.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0013]     The following detailed description of embodiments of the principles of the invention refers to the accompanying drawings. The same reference numbers in different drawings may identify the same or similar elements. Also, the following detailed description does not limit the invention. Instead, the scope of the invention is defined by the appended claims and equivalents.  
         [0014]     Systems and methods consistent with the principles of the invention may provide authentication services that permit any associated extensible authentication protocol (EAP)-supported authentication server in a network to accept an EAP-formatted message (hereinafter, “EAP message”) at any point in an ongoing EAP session that is terminated at the other end by a user device. The accepted EAP message may then be forwarded to an EAP “state” service that maintains a state of the EAP conversation. The EAP state service may formulate an information message based on the state and send the information message to the forwarding EAP authentication server. The forwarding EAP authentication server may generate an EAP request based on the information message which is sent to the user device via the network through a network access device.  
       Exemplary Network  
       [0015]      FIG. 1  illustrates an exemplary network  100  in which systems and methods consistent with the principles of the invention may be implemented. As illustrated, exemplary network  100  may include a user device  110  that operatively connects with a public network  120  which may have an associated network access device  130 . Exemplary network  100  may also include authentication servers  140   a  and  140   b  (collectively, authentication servers  140 ) that operatively connect to network access device  130  via network  120 . Exemplary network  100  may also include a state server  150  that operatively connects to authentication servers  140 . Exemplary network  100  may also include an enterprise network  125  that operatively connects to authentication servers  140 . Enterprise network  125  may include authentication servers  145   a  and  145   b  (collectively, authentication servers  145 ).  
         [0016]     The number and type of devices illustrated in  FIG. 1  are provided for simplicity. In practice, a typical network in which the invention may be implemented could include more or fewer devices and/or networks than what is illustrated in  FIG. 1 . In addition, devices depicted as single entities may be implemented in a distributed arrangement.  
         [0017]     In one implementation consistent with principles of the invention, user device  110  may include any client or host device capable of interacting with networked devices via a unique network identifier, such as a network address, for example, in a distributed environment. User device  110  may include one or more devices, such as a personal computer, a laptop, a personal digital assistant (PDA), or another type of computation or communication device capable of initiating, processing, transmitting, and/or receiving data and/or voice communications or other media via network  120 . According to one implementation, user device  110  may be a remote user of enterprise network  125 .  
         [0018]     In one implementation, public network  120  may include a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN), a public switched telephone network (PSTN), an intranet, the Internet, or a combination of similar or dissimilar networks. Public network  120  may include one or more network devices, such as a network access device  130  (e.g., a network access server (NAS)) and/or systems cooperatively operating to receive, send, and/or transport data or other media.  
         [0019]     According to one implementation, user device  110  may be operated by a user to gain access to public network  120  using a link and network access device  130 . A link may include, for example, a broadband connection, such as a digital subscriber line (DSL) connection provided over, for example, shielded twisted pair, a cable modem connection provided over, for example, coaxial cable and/or optical fiber, and/or a wireless connection provided over, for example, a wireless fidelity (Wi-Fi) link and/or free-space optical link.  
         [0020]     Network access device  130  may include one or more devices that provide user device  110  with access to public network  120  and/or enterprise network  125 . For example, network access device  130  may include a router, a network switch, an NAS, a firewall, a database, a gateway, a server, a network operations center (NOC), a translator, a certification authority, etc. In one implementation, network access device  130 , as will be described in greater detail below, may authenticate a user associated with user device  110  in cooperation with authentication servers  140  and  145 , and state server  150 .  
         [0021]     Authentication servers  140  and  145  may include one or more devices for authenticating user device  110 . Authentication servers  140  and  145  may negotiate an EAP authentication type, and/or authenticate user device  110 . In one implementation, authentication servers  140  may authenticate a user&#39;s access to public network  120  and authentication servers  145  may authenticate a user&#39;s access to enterprise network  125 . Authentication servers  140  and  145  may be associated with one or more databases that store authentication information, such as, for example, user identifiers (IDs) and passwords.  
         [0022]     In one implementation consistent with principles of the invention, authentication server  140   a  may act as an intermediary between public network  120  and enterprise network  125 . For example, authentication server  140   a  may operatively function as both a client and a server for purposes of processing various network requests on behalf of user device  110 . According to one implementation, authentication server  140   a  may include interpreting functionality, capable of rewriting a request message before forwarding the message to another device. Authentication server  140   a  may also include caching, administrative control (e.g., filtering), and/or security (e.g., firewall) functionality.  
         [0023]     Enterprise network  125  may include a privately owned and possibly maintained network. For example, enterprise network  125  may include a company&#39;s private network.  
         [0024]     State server  150  may include one or more devices for maintaining EAP session state information. State server  150  may connect to authentication servers  140 / 145  via any well-known technique, such as wired, wireless, and/or optical communications. In one implementation, state server  150  may communicate with authentication servers  140 / 145  using the Transmission Control Protocol (TCP), for example, to communicate information messages of the EAP session. While state server  150  and authentication servers  140 / 145  are shown as separate devices in  FIG. 1 , it will be appreciated that in other implementations, state server  150  and one or more authentication servers  140 / 145  may be implemented as a single device.  
         [0025]     According to one implementation consistent with the principles of the invention, state server  150  may maintain or have access to information regarding specific types of EAP supported by respective authentication servers  140  and  145 . State server  150  may be configured to implement any or all of the supported types of EAP. State server  150  may include encryption/decryption functionality.  
         [0026]      FIG. 2  illustrates an exemplary configuration of state server  150  in an implementation consistent with the principles of the invention. Other configurations may alternatively be used. User device  110 , network access device  130 , and authentication servers  140  and  145  may be similarly configured. As illustrated, state server  150  may include a bus  210 , a processor  220 , a memory  230 , a read only memory (ROM)  240 , a storage device  250 , an input device  260 , an output device  270 , and a communication interface  280 . Bus  210  permits communication among components of state server  150 .  
         [0027]     Processor  220  may include any type of conventional processor, microprocessor, or processing logic that interprets and executes instructions. Memory  230  may include a random access memory (RAM) or another type of dynamic storage device that may store information and instructions for execution by processor  220 . Memory  230  may also be used to store temporary variables or other intermediate information during execution of instructions by processor  220 .  
         [0028]     ROM  240  may include a conventional ROM device and/or another type of static storage device that may store static information and instructions for processor  220 . Storage device  250  may include a magnetic disk or optical disk and its corresponding drive and/or some other type of magnetic or optical recording medium and its corresponding drive for storing information and instructions.  
         [0029]     Input device  260  may include one or more conventional mechanisms that permit an operator to input information to state server  150 , such as a keyboard, a mouse, a pen, voice recognition and/or biometric mechanisms, etc. Output device  270  may include one or more conventional mechanisms that output information to the operator, including a display, a printer, one or more speakers, etc. Communication interface  280  may include any transceiver-like mechanism that enables state server  150  to communicate with other devices and/or systems. For example, communication interface  280  may include a modem or an Ethernet interface to a LAN. Alternatively, communication interface  280  may include other mechanisms for communicating via a network.  
       Exemplary Processing  
       [0030]     As used herein, EAP may include any variant of EAP, e.g., message digest (MD) 5-challenge, protected EAP (PEAP), EAP-transport layer security (EAP-TLS), EAP-tunneled TLS (EAP-TTLS), lightweight EAP (LEAP), and the like. Authentication may be accomplished through the presentation of valid authentication information for a user device, such as a valid identity (ID) and password.  
         [0031]     Assume, for explanatory purposes, that during a link establishment phase occurring between user device  110  and network access device  130 , an authentication-protocol configuration option may be selected, in which case, network access device  130  communicates a need for EAP authentication for user device  110  (i.e., the authenticatee) to authentication server  140   a  (i.e., the authenticator). Authentication server  140 a formulates one or more requests that are sent to network access device  130 . The request may include a state attribute that identifies authentication server  140   a.  The request may also include a request to identify user device  110 . In those situations in which the identity of user device  110  can be determined independently, for example, by the port to which user device  110  is connected (e.g., leased lines, dedicated switch, or dial-up ports, etc.), or other technique (e.g., media access control (MAC) address, etc.), the request to identify user device  110  may not be included. A challenge may also include information identifying the type of EAP authentication, e.g., EAP-TLS, PEAP, LEAP, etc, to be used.  
         [0032]     Network access device  130  forwards the request to user device  110  and receives a response in reply, which is then forwarded, based on the state attribute, to authentication server  140   a.  Authentication server  140   a  may send a subsequent request, as appropriate. The exchange of requests and responses may continue as long as is necessary to select an appropriate EAP authentication protocol to be used for subsequently authenticating user device  110 . Alternatively, the request may be dropped if the negotiation of the type of EAP to be used in authentication is unsuccessful.  
         [0033]      FIG. 3  is a flowchart of exemplary processing for authenticating user device  110  according to an implementation consistent with principles of the invention. Upon successful negotiation of the type of EAP authentication to be used in authenticating user device  110 , as discussed above, an authentication phase  300  begins, in which authentication server  140   a  forwards the received opening EAP message and/or a data message (e.g., using TCP) relating to the opening EAP message that includes at least some of the information communicated during negotiation of the type of EAP to be used (e.g., EAP type, user device identification information, etc.), to state server  150 , to thereby track an EAP session for user device  110  (operation  310 ).  
         [0034]     It will be appreciated that in the following discussion of the EAP session, that the contents of the EAP messages are specific to the type of EAP used in the EAP session, and thus the EAP messages themselves may include information consistent with any of the known EAP types, which is not discussed in detail herein. For purposes of some implementations consistent with the principles of the invention, the EAP session may involve a multi-step message exchange. The information included in the EAP messages in the exchange may not specify the particular authentication server  140   a / 140   b  that forwarded the opening EAP message. However, it should be understood that for EAP sessions in which an EAP type is used for which only one EAP exchange is necessary (e.g., MD5-challenge, one-time passwords, etc.), or in other cases in which maintaining state information is not desired, state server  150  may be passively involved in the EAP authentication.  
         [0035]     State server  150  may store the forwarded EAP message and/or data message and/or information regarding the EAP message as state information (e.g., message contents, sequential numbering of message, etc.). In situations in which the forwarded EAP message is encrypted, state server  150  may in some implementations consistent with the principles of the invention, decrypt the EAP message and forward the decrypted message back to authentication server  140   a.  State server  150  may generate a request based on the decrypted EAP message, for example, based on authentication information for user device  110 . State server  150  may obtain the authentication information from communications with an authenticating authority (not shown) any time before or during the EAP session, which may then be stored by state server  150 . For example, the authenticating authority may be a third-party certificate authority that issues digital certificates, and the like, to create digital certificates and public-private key pairs, etc. As another example, the authenticating authority may be a third-party entity having associated token cards. State server  150  may formulate an information message and send the information message to authentication server  140   a  for generating an EAP request (operation  320 ), for example.  
         [0036]     Authentication server  140   a  may receive the information message from state server  150 , generate an EAP request, and forward the EAP request to network access device  130  (operation  330 ). The EAP request may not include information identifying authentication server  140   a  as the source of the EAP request. Network access device  130  may forward the EAP request to user device  110 .  
         [0037]     User device  110  may send an EAP response in reply to the EAP request to network access device  130 . Since the EAP request did not receive information identifying authentication server  140   a,  the EAP response received by network access device  130  will not identify authentication server  140   a  as the intended recipient of the EAP response. In the absence of such routing information, network access device  130  may varyingly send the EAP response to either of the authentication servers  140 . Should authentication server  140   b  receive the EAP response, it may forward the EAP response and/or a data message relating to the EAP response to state server  150  (as opposed to simply dropping the EAP response as a result of not having been privy to the ongoing EAP session initiated by authentication server  140   a ). Should authentication server  140   a  receive the EAP response, it may likewise forward the EAP response and/or a data message relating to the EAP response to state server  150 . In either event, state server  150  may receive the EAP response and/or the data message regarding the EAP response from user device  110  (operation  340 ).  
         [0038]     State server  150  may store the forwarded EAP response and/or the data message and/or information regarding the EAP message, the previously received EAP message, the transmitted EAP request, and/or the state information, based on the type of EAP being used in the EAP session. State server  150  may store the information as updated state information for the ongoing EAP session. State server  150  may generate a follow-up information message to the EAP response based on the EAP response contents, the updated state information, the previously received EAP message, authentication information for user device  110 , or on any combination thereof. State server  150  may send the follow-up information message, for example, as a follow-up EAP request, to whichever of authentication server  140   a  or  140   b  forwarded the EAP response and/or data message (operation  350 ). Again, based on the type of EAP being used in the EAP session, state server  150 , authentication servers  140 , or both, may determine authentication success or failure based on the forwarded EAP response, the previously received EAP message, the transmitted EAP request, and/or the stored state information (operation  370 ).  
         [0039]     Authentication server  140   a  or  140   b,  as appropriate, may receive the follow-up information message from state server  150 , and generate a follow-up EAP request based on the follow-up information and the type of EAP being used in the EAP session. Authentication server  140   a  or  140   b  may send the follow-up EAP request to network access device  130 . Again, the follow-up EAP request may not identify which of authentication servers  140  transmitted the follow-up EAP request. Network access device  130  may forward the follow-up EAP request to user device  110  which may cause another EAP response to be sent to authentication servers  140  (operation  380 ).  
         [0040]     The above authentication process, i.e., operations  310 - 380 , may continue with any desired number of successive EAP message exchanges, based on the type of EAP being used in the EAP session, and may involve an equal number of (or fewer) authentication servers  140 . In this manner, and consistent with the principles of the invention, state server  150  keeps track of the state of the EAP session. The EAP authentication session may close when authentication of user device  110  either fails or succeeds, based on the type of EAP being used in the EAP session, as indicated in an final result message sent from state server  150  to authentication servers  140  and to network access device  130  (operation  390 ).  
         [0041]     According to one implementation, state server  150  may be configured to provide the above-described authentication services (or other services) to more than one EAP session concurrently.  
         [0042]     According to another implementation consistent with principles of the invention, user device  110  may be a remote user requesting access to enterprise network  125 . Authentication of user device  110  as a remote user may be accomplished substantially as discussed above, with the following variation. Other variations are possible.  
         [0043]     Authentication servers  145  (e.g., customer-hosted authentication servers) may operatively authenticate user device  110  in those situations in which user device  110  desires access to access-limited resources of public network  120 . Accordingly, authentication server  140   a  may function substantially as a “pass-through” or proxy server, through which the EAP messages (e.g., responses and requests) are conveyed. According to one implementation, state server  150  may store information regarding which of authentication servers  145  are responsible for terminating the EAP session, for example, from stored information regarding a previously established connection for user device  110  to enterprise network  125  via public network  120 . State server  150  may thus communicate to authentication server  140   a,  for example, which of authentication servers  145  initiated the negotiation of the EAP authentication type.  
         [0044]     According to one implementation consistent with principles of the invention, state server  150  may be configured to “listen” on a network port for data messages received by authentication servers  140 . State server  150  may listen on the port for TCP connections, for example. Authentication servers  140  may respectively connect to the port and then send a message to state server  150  requesting connectivity. State server  150  may reply to the appropriate authentication server  140  to track the EAP session.  
         [0045]     According to another exemplary implementation for providing authentication service, exemplary network  100  may include an additional one, two, three, or more state servers (not shown) that may be configured to associate with and function substantially similar to state server  150  (e.g., operate in a back-up, fail-safe, and/or redundant configuration). In one implementation, state server  150  may provide state information to the associated state server(s). In another implementation, authentication servers  140  and/or the associated state server(s) may be configured to determine an availability—or unavailability—of state server  150  to receive EAP messages.  
         [0046]     For example, a specific state server  150  (from a group of associated state servers  150 ) for communicating an EAP message may be determined from information in the state attribute of the packet containing the EAP message. In which case, if the identified state server  150  is unavailable, the EAP session may be closed. If, however, the EAP message does not specify a specific state server  150 , authentication servers  140  may select any specific state server  150  from among the associated state servers  150  for receipt of the EAP message. The state server  150  selection process may be repeated as many times as necessary to find an available state server  150 . Accordingly, authentication services functionality may be transferred among one or more associated state servers, for example, any time before and/or during an EAP session.  
         [0047]     According to one implementation, state server  150  may be configured to include a “session timeout.” For example, each EAP session managed by state server  150  may be maintained for a limited time (e.g., two minutes), for example, as specified in the EAP message. After which time, state server  150  may delete the state information for the EAP session, and any subsequent EAP messages for the “timed-out” EAP session may be returned with status of “reject.” 
       CONCLUSION  
       [0048]     Implementations consistent with principles of the invention provide for enhanced EAP authentication by maintaining state information for an EAP session. Implementations may provide a centralized EAP management point in a network to thereby advantageously obviate the need to modify existing network elements (e.g., network access servers, etc.) to resolve routing issues in networks in which more than one authentication server is present. Accordingly, EAP authenticator systems consistent with principles of the invention provide substantially improved authentication over typical authentication processes.  
         [0049]     The foregoing description of exemplary embodiments of the invention provides illustration and description, but is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed. Modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings or may be acquired from practice of the invention.  
         [0050]     For example, while a series of operations has been disclosed with regard to  FIG. 3 , the order of the operations may be varied in other implementations consistent with principles of the invention. Furthermore, non-dependent operations may be implemented in parallel.  
         [0051]     It will also be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art that aspects of the invention, as described above, may be implemented in many different forms of software, firmware, and hardware in the implementations illustrated in the figures. The actual software code or specialized control hardware used to implement aspects consistent with the principles of the invention is not limiting of the invention. Thus, the operation and behavior of the aspects of the invention were described without reference to the specific software code—it being understood that one of ordinary skill in the art would be able to design software and control hardware to implement the aspects based on the description herein.  
         [0052]     Further, certain portions of the invention may be implemented as “logic” that performs one or more functions. Such logic may include hardware, such as an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) or a field programmable gate array, software, or a combination of hardware and software. While aspects have been described in terms of processing messages or packets, such aspects may operate upon any type or form of data, including packet data and non-packet data. The term “data unit” may refer to packet or non-packet data.  
         [0053]     No element, operation, or instruction used in description of the present invention should be construed as critical or essential to the invention unless explicitly described as such. Also, as used herein, the article “a” is intended to include one or more items. Where only one item is intended, the term “one” or similar language is used. Further, the phrase “based on” is intended to mean “based, at least in part, on” unless explicitly stated otherwise. The scope of the invention is defined by the claims and their equivalents.

Technology Category: g