Network Manager Credential Caching for Proxy Authentication
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Solution Overview
Problem
Users are required to manually enter credentials every time they access an external network through a proxy server, which is inconvenient and time-consuming, especially when traveling to different locations with different proxy servers.
Innovation Solution
A network manager on a client machine caches the necessary credentials for accessing a proxy server upon initial login, allowing automatic authentication upon subsequent access without user intervention.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If manual credential entry is required for each proxy server access, then security and authorization control are maintained, but user convenience and access speed deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary authentication by caching credentials during initial login. The network manager stores authentication data locally on the client machine, enabling subsequent automatic logins without requiring users to manually enter credentials again. This preliminary action resolves the contradiction by preparing authentication data in advance, making future accesses both convenient and fast.
2Loss of time
If credentials are cached automatically, then access speed and convenience improve, but security and user control may deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements self-service authentication by automatically using cached credentials without requiring user intervention. The network manager autonomously retrieves stored credentials and submits them for authentication, eliminating the need for users to manually enter credentials while maintaining security through controlled automatic authentication processes.
3Productivity
If proxy server authentication is automated, then productivity improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The network manager component is designed with multi-functionality, serving both as a credential cache manager and an automatic authentication mechanism. By consolidating these functions into a single universal component, the system achieves automated authentication and improved productivity without proportionally increasing overall system complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A network manager establishes a network connection with a local area network (LAN) using a gateway device that interfaces the LAN with the Internet. A request is transmitted to the gateway device via the network connection to access a Web server of the Internet. A response page received from the Internet via the gateway device is examined to determine whether the response page is a redirect page, or if the response page is from a domain different from that was requested, from a Web proxy server that requires a user to log in, in order to access the Web server. It is determined whether credentials associated with the user required for the login page have been previously cached locally. The cached credentials of the user is automatically provided in response to the redirect page without user intervention to log into the Web proxy server, if it is determined that the credentials have been previously cached locally.