Method and apparatus for registering auto-configured network addresses based on connection authentication

• US 8,291,489 B2
• Filed: 06/29/2010
• Issued: 10/16/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Droms, Ralph, Schnizlein, John M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cervetti, David Garcia
• Application Number:
  US12/826,285
• Publication Number:
  US 20100269155A1
• Time in Patent Office: 840 Days
• Field of Search: 726/3, 726/4, 726/15
• US Class Current: 726/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5014 using dynamic host configuration protocol [DHCP] or bootstrap protocol [BOOTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5092 by self-assignment, e.g. picking addresses at random and testing if they are already in use
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/59 using proxies for addressing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32

Abstract

A method and apparatus for registering auto-configured network addresses includes receiving first data at a networking device connected to a host at a physical connection. The first data is received from a first server and indicates authentication information associated with the host. A first message is received at the networking device from the host. The first message requests configuration information and includes a logical network address for the host determined at least in part by the host. A second message is generated based on the first message and the first data. The second message is sent to a second server that registers the host by associating the logical network address with the first data.

Claims

1. An apparatus for registering auto-configured network addresses, comprising:

a network interface that is configured to be coupled to a data network for receiving therefrom, and sending thereto, one or more packet flows;

a physical connection that is configured to be coupled to a host;

one or more processors;

one or more stored sequences of instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform;

receiving, from the host, a first message requesting to authenticate the physical connection between the host and a physical port through which the host wants to communicate with the data network, the first message containing a user identification information;

authenticating and authorizing the user using the user identification information;

in response to successful authenticating and authorizing of the user;

generating authentication and authorization information for the host,

enabling the physical port,

generating first data indicating a particular user class to which the user belongs;

using the first data and at least some authentication and authorization information associated with the host, registering an Internet Protocol (IP) address of the host by storing an auto-configured IP address for the host in association with the at least some of the authentication and authorization information for the host.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform:

enabling, based on the first data, the physical connection to forward subsequent messages between the host and the data network;

storing the first data at least until a second request is received from the host for configuration information for the host, the second request including a logical network address for the host determined at least in part by the host, for associating the first data with the logical network address.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the instructions for authenticating and authorizing the user further comprise instructions for:

sending an authenticating and authorizing request to an authenticator process for authentication and receiving the first data from the authentication process;

sending the first data to a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) relay agent process;

sending the first data to a DHCP server.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first data includes the user identification information of the user;

and wherein the instructions for generating the first data perform generating the first data based on the user identification.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the instructions for registering an IP address of the host operate according to dynamic host configuration protocol (DHCP).

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first data includes credential data indicating authentication performed by the authenticator process;

wherein the authentication process is performed by an authentication, authorization and accounting server; and

wherein authentication, authorization and accounting server is a RADIUS (Remote Access Dial-In User Service) protocol server.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the physical connection comprises an Ethernet interface card on the networking device or a wireless Ethernet encryption key and time slot;

and wherein receiving the first data is performed according to an Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.1x standard.

8. A method for registering auto-configured network addresses, comprising:

receiving, from a host, a first message requesting to authenticate a physical connection between the host and a physical port through which the host wants to communicate with a data network, the first message containing a user identification information;

authenticating and authorizing the user using the user identification information;

in response to successful authenticating and authorizing of the user;

generating authentication and authorization information for the host,

enabling the physical port,

generating first data indicating a particular user class to which the user belongs;

using the first data and at least some authentication and authorization information associated with the host, registering an Internet Protocol (IP) address of the host by storing an auto-configured IP address for the host in association with the at least some of the authentication and authorization information for the host;

wherein the method is performed by one or more processors.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

enabling, based on the first data, the physical connection to forward subsequent messages between the host and the data network;

storing the first data at least until a second request is received from the host for configuration information for the host, the second request including a logical network address for the host determined at least in part by the host, for associating the first data with the logical network address.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the authenticating and authorizing the user further comprises:

sending an authenticating and authorizing request to an authenticator process for authentication and receiving the first data from the authentication process;

sending the first data to a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) relay agent process;

sending the first data to a DHCP server.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the first data includes the user identification information of the user;

wherein the generating the first data further comprises generating the first data based on the user identification.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the registering an IP address of the host is performed according to dynamic host configuration protocol (DHCP).

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the first data includes credential data indicating authentication performed by the authenticator process;

wherein the authentication process is performed by an authentication, authorization and accounting server;

wherein authentication, authorization and accounting server is a RADIUS (Remote Access Dial-In User Service) protocol server.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein the physical connection comprises an Ethernet interface card on the networking device or a wireless Ethernet encryption key and time slot;

wherein receiving the first data is performed according to an Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.1x standard.

15. A computer-readable non-transitory volatile or non-volatile storage medium for registering auto-configured network addresses, the computer-readable storage medium storing one or more sequences of instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform:

receiving, from a host, a first message requesting to authenticate a physical connection between the host and a physical port through which the host wants to communicate with a data network, the first message containing a user identification information;

authenticating and authorizing the user using the user identification information;

in response to successful authenticating and authorizing of the user;

generating authentication and authorization information for the host,

enabling the physical port,

generating first data indicating a particular user class to which the user belongs;

using the first data and at least some authentication and authorization information associated with the host, registering an Internet Protocol (IP) address of the host by storing an auto-configured IP address for the host in association with the at least some of the authentication and authorization information for the host.

16. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, further comprising instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform:

enabling, based on the first data, the physical connection to forward subsequent messages between the host and the data network;

storing the first data at least until a second request is received from the host for configuration information for the host, the second request including a logical network address for the host determined at least in part by the host, for associating the first data with the logical network address.

17. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the instructions for authenticating and authorizing the user further comprise instructions for:

sending an authenticating and authorizing request to an authenticator process for authentication and receiving the first data from the authentication process;

sending the first data to a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) relay agent process;

sending the first data to a DHCP server.

18. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the first data includes the user identification information of the user;

wherein the instructions for generating the first data perform generating the first data based on the user identification.

19. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the instructions for registering an IP address of the host operate according to dynamic host configuration protocol (DHCP).

20. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the first data includes credential data indicating authentication performed by the authenticator process;

wherein the authentication process is performed by an authentication, authorization and accounting server;

wherein authentication, authorization and accounting server is a RADIUS (Remote Access Dial-In User Service) protocol server.

21. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the physical connection comprises an Ethernet interface card on the networking device or a wireless Ethernet encryption key and time slot;

wherein receiving the first data is performed according to an Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.1x standard.