Method and apparatus for authenticating a client to a server in computer systems which support different security mechanisms

摘要

A method and corresponding apparatus for authenticating a client for a server when the client and server have different security mechanisms. An intermediary system known as an authentication gateway provides for authentication of the client using the client security mechanism, and impersonation of the client in a call to a server that the client wishes to access. The client logs in to the authentication gateway and provides a user name and password. Then the authentication gateway obtains and saves security credentials for the client, returning an access key to the client. When the client wishes to call the server, the client calls the authentication gateway acting as a proxy server, and passes the access key, which is then used to retrieve the security credentials and to impersonate the client in a call to the server. Any output arguments resulting from the call to the server are returned to the client through the authentication gateway.