Authentication method, transfer apparatus, and authentication server

1. An authentication method for realizing a network authentication function for an authentication system,

the authentication system including an authentication server for authenticating a terminal, and a switch for mediating an authentication sequence between the terminal and the authentication server,

the authentication method including steps of:

providing, by the switch, identification information for identifying the switch to the authentication server in the authentication sequence;

determining, by the switch, whether the terminal is authenticated;

transmitting, by the switch, a redirection notification including the identification information on the switch to the terminal in response to an unauthenticated access from the terminal;

authenticating, by the authentication server, an authentication request received from the terminal based on the provided identification information on the switch, the authentication server authenticating the authentication request from the terminal by using any one of authentication sequences for RADIUS authentication and Shibboleth authentication;

transmitting, by the authentication server, an authentication result of the authentication to the switch; and

authenticating, by the switch, packets from the terminal based on the authentication result received from the authentication server;

transmitting, by the switch, information on the unauthenticated access from the terminal to the authentication server after including therein the identification information on the switch.

2. The authentication method according to claim 1 , further including steps of:

transmitting, by the terminal, a request to the authentication server which includes the identification information on the switch.

3. The authentication method according to claim 1 , further including a step of:

transmitting, by the switch, the authentication request including identification information for identifying the terminal and the identification information on the switch to the authentication server.

4. The authentication method according to claim 1 , further including a step of:

separately transmitting, by the authentication server, a notification of the authentication result to the switch and a notification of the authentication result to the terminal.

5. A transfer apparatus to mediate an authentication sequence between a terminal and an authentication server for authenticating the terminal via a network, comprising:

a communication interface coupled to the network;

a data transfer control part coupled to the communication interface; and

a processor coupled to the data transfer control part,

the processor being configured to:

provide identification information for identifying the transfer apparatus to which the terminal is coupled via the communication interface to the authentication server in the authentication sequence;

determine whether the terminal is authenticated by the authentication server, the authentication server authenticating the terminal by using any one of authentication sequences for RADIUS authentication and Shibboleth authentication;

transmit a redirection notification including the identification information on the transfer apparatus to the terminal via the communication interface in response to an unauthenticated access from the terminal;

receive an authentication result of authenticating the terminal, from the authentication server based on the provided identification information on the transfer apparatus, via the communication interface; and

authenticate packets from the terminal based on the authentication result received from the authentication server via the communication interface,

wherein the transfer apparatus transmits information on the unauthenticated access from the terminal to the authentication server after including therein the identification information on the transfer apparatus.

6. The transfer apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the processor is further configured to:

receive a request to the authentication server, which includes the identification information on the transfer apparatus, from the terminal via the communication interface.

7. The transfer apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the transfer apparatus transmits an authentication request including identification information for identifying the terminal and the identification information on the transfer apparatus to the authentication server.

8. An authentication system including a server for authenticating a terminal coupled to a switch for mediating an authentication sequence between the terminal and the authentication server, comprising:

a processor for executing a program;

a memory for storing the program; and

an interface coupled to a network,

the authentication server being configured to:

receive identification information for identifying the switch in the authentication sequence;

authenticate an authentication request received from the terminal based on the received identification information on the switch, the authentication server authenticating the authentication request from the terminal by using any one of authentication sequences for RADIUS authentication and Shibboleth authentication;

transmit a redirection notification including the identification information on the switch to the terminal in response to an unauthenticated access from the terminal;

transmit an authentication result of the authentication to the switch, and

wherein the authentication result is transmitted to the switch and used to authenticate packets sent from the terminal and received by the switch,

wherein the identification information on the switch is received by the terminal after the switch determines that the terminal is unauthenticated, and

wherein the authentication server is further configured to receive information on the unauthenticated access from the terminal including the identification information on the switch.

9. The authentication system according to claim 8 , wherein the authentication server is further configured to receive the authentication request including identification information for identifying the terminal and the identification information on the switch from the switch.

10. The authentication system according to claim 8 , wherein the authentication server is further configured to transmit a notification of the authentication result to the switch and a notification of the authentication result to the terminal.