NETWORK AUTHENTICATION BY THE USE OF HEARTBEAT MESSAGES

摘要

A system (102) and method (steps 202-224) that improves security of a computer storage system (102) by requiring an initiating computer (104-110) to periodically reaffirm its identity by transmitting a message to a servicing computer (112, 114 or 122, 126). The message contains a previously established authentication message and a sequence value (step 212), established by and known only to the original participants. A message must be received by the servicing computer within a predetermined interval (step 216) in order to maintain data communications between the original participants (step 220).