Extensible access control architecture

摘要

Software for managing access control functions in a network. The software includes a host that receives access control commands or information and calls one or more methods. The methods perform access control functions and communicate access control results or messages to be transmitted. The host may be installed in a network peer seeking access to the network or in a server controlling access to the network. When installed in a peer, the host receives commands and exchanges information with a supplicant. When installed in an access control server, the host receives commands and exchanges information with an authenticator. The host has a flexible architecture that enables multiple features, such as allowing the same methods to be used for authentication by multiple supplicants, providing ready integration of third party access control software, simplifying network maintenance by facilitating upgrades of authenticator software and enabling access control functions other than peer authentication.

主权项

1. A method comprising:
receiving, by a second process of a computing device across a process boundary from a first process, a message that is part of an access control exchange; and invoking, by a proxy manager of the second process in response to the receiving and across another process boundary, a access method in a third process where the invoked access method performs at least a portion of the access control exchange.