Dynamically configuring a client for virtual private network (VPN) access

• US 7,954,145 B2
• Filed: 01/18/2008
• Issued: 05/31/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oracle International Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Novell Incorporated (Open Text Corporation)
• Inventors: Attur, Vishnu Govind, Mohanty, Surendranath, Ks, Girish, Ananda, Gautham Chambrakana
• Primary Examiner(s): Revak; Christopher A
• Assistant Examiner(s): KOSOWSKI, CAROLYN M
• Application Number:
  US12/016,375
• Publication Number:
  US 20090089874A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,229 Days
• Field of Search: 726/15
• US Class Current: 726/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4641 Virtual LANs, VLANs, e.g. virtual private networks [VPN] LAN interconnection over a bridge based backbone H04L12/462; encapsulation techniques H04L12/4633; routing of packets H04L45/00; packet switches H04L49/00; virtual private networks for security H04L63/0272
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0272 Virtual private networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/105 Multiple levels of security
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/168 above the transport layer

Abstract

Techniques for virtual private network (VPN) access are provided. A dynamic determination, in response to privileges, is made as to whether a principal and a device of a principal are to receive a thin client virtual private network (VPN) installation for a thin client VPN session between the principal and a remote site or whether a clientless VPN session is appropriate. Dynamic switching between the clientless VPN session and thin client VPN session is permissible when the principal supplies the appropriate credentials for such a switch.

Claims

1. A machine-implemented method, comprising:

authenticating a principal for access to a remote site;

downloading a control module to process within a device associated with the principal for facilitating establishment of a virtual private network (VPN) session between the principal and resources of the remote site;

dynamically and in real-time receiving an indication from the control module as to whether the principal is to be associated with a thin client installation for the VPN session or whether the principal is to be associated with a clientless access for the VPN session;

downloading VPN modules that act as a proxy for the principal on the device for purposes of accessing the remote site and its resources by establishing a thin client VPN session as the VPN session when the control module indicates the principal has privileges for the thin client installation;

detecting a termination in the thin client VPN session between the principal and the remote site;

receiving another subsequent authentication of the principal via the device;

acquiring a notification from the control module that the proxy is running on the device; and

establishing another thin client VPN session between the principal and the resources.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising, permitting limited access to the remote site by establishing a clientless VPN session as the VPN session between a browser of the device that uses secure socket layer (SSL) communication, when the control module indicates the principal lacks privileges for the thin client installation and is to use the clientless VPN session.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising, receiving a request from the control module to perform additional authentication on the principal in response to a principal'"'"'s dynamic and real-time request on the device to use the thin client installation for the VPN session.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein receiving further includes acquiring new credentials from the principal directly or indirectly via the control module for the additional authentication, wherein the new credentials represent an administrator or root access level.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

instructing the control module to dynamically configure the thin client installation on the device of the principal in response to a privilege level assigned to the principal; and

dynamically providing VPN resources from the remote site to assist the control module in establishing the VPN session as a thin client VPN session with access to the resources of the remote site.

6. A machine-implemented method, comprising:

dynamically checking a device associated with a principal for a thin client virtual private network (VPN) installation;

dynamically downloading modules from a remote site to establish a thin client VPN session between the principal and the device when the thin client installation is present;

dynamically searching for additional credentials of the principal when the thin client installation is missing from the device and when successful credentials are found then downloading the thin client installation and the modules from the remote site to establish the thin client VPN session and checking the device for the additional credentials and dynamically requesting that the principal supply the additional credentials when the searching fails to discover the additional credentials and presenting a dialogue box on a display of the device for the principal to enter the additional credentials and also including an option within the dialogue box that permits the principal to bypass supplying the additional credentials and select the clientless VPN session; and

permitting a clientless VPN session to be established between the principal and the remote site when the thin client VPN session fails to be established.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein dynamically checking further includes determining the thin client installation is present but in a locked state on the device or a no executing state on the device and in treating this as a condition in which the thin client installation is not to be considered present on the device until the additional credentials are successfully obtained and verified.

7. A machine-implemented method, comprising:

dynamically checking a device associated with a principal for a thin client virtual private network (VPN) installation;

dynamically downloading modules from a remote site to establish a thin client VPN session between the principal and the device when the thin client installation is present;

dynamically searching for additional credentials of the principal when the thin client installation is missing from the device and when successful credentials are found then downloading the thin client installation and the modules from the remote site to establish the thin client VPN session and checking the device for the additional credentials and dynamically requesting that the principal supply the additional credentials when the searching fails to discover the additional credentials and presenting a dialogue box on a display of the device for the principal to enter the additional credentials and limiting a total number of attempts that the principal can make to enter the additional credentials to three attempts and when after three failed attempts determining that the clientless VPN session is to be established; and

permitting a clientless VPN session to be established between the principal and the remote site when the thin client VPN session fails to be established.