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

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.