Centralized Authentication Server Token Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Point-to-point authentication in complex enterprise and cloud environments faces challenges with scalability, maintainability, and cost due to lack of common audit and logging capabilities, leading to opaque system accountability and increased time consumption as systems grow.
Innovation Solution
A computer-implemented authentication method utilizing an authentication server that generates a token with client-specific and server-specific portions, enabling centralized authentication and validation of all involved parties, providing a stable, flexible, and scalable solution by using a central registry and randomly encrypted tokens.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If point-to-point authentication is used in enterprise systems, then authentication can be implemented between systems, but system accountability becomes opaque and scalability deteriorates as systems grow
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an authentication server as an intermediary component that mediates between client machines and service machines. This centralizes authentication logic, providing transparent accountability through a single point of control while reducing the complexity of point-to-point authentication arrangements between multiple systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The authentication server implements a universal authentication mechanism that serves multiple functions: authenticating client machines, validating service machines, providing audit capabilities, and enabling logging. This multi-functional approach consolidates what would otherwise require multiple separate authentication systems.
2Adaptability or versatility
If point-to-point authentication is implemented across multiple systems, then authentication coverage increases, but time consumption increases as system size grows
Solution Approach 1:
The authentication server performs preliminary authentication actions by validating client machines and issuing authentication tokens before service machines need to access resources. This pre-authentication approach allows service machines to operate without repeated authentication delays, as the authentication decision is made in advance and communicated through tokens.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback mechanisms where the authentication server provides authentication status information back to both client and service machines. This feedback loop enables efficient authentication by allowing machines to proceed only when authentication is confirmed, reducing unnecessary authentication attempts and time consumption.
3Ease of manufacture
If centralized authentication is implemented, then scalability and maintainability improve, but device complexity increases due to additional authentication server components
Solution Approach 1:
The authentication token is segmented into separate components that can be independently managed and validated. This segmentation allows the authentication server to maintain centralized control while reducing the complexity burden on individual machines, as each only needs to handle its portion of the authentication process.
Data Source
AI summary
In a computer-implemented authentication method, a first authentication request from a first machine is received at an authentication server. The first authentication request includes an identification of a second machine that is to provide a requested service. An authentication token including client-specific and server-specific portions is generated at the authentication server, responsive to receiving the first authentication request from the first machine. An authentication identifier and the server-specific portion of the authentication token are transmitted from the authentication server to the second machine, responsive to receiving the first authentication request from the first machine. A second authentication request, including the authentication identifier and both the server-specific and the client-specific portions of the authentication token, is received at the authentication server from the second machine. An authentication status for the requested service is determined at the authentication server, responsive to receiving the second authentication request from the second machine.