Portal Authentication Technology

Portal authentication is another name for web authentication. This service is used for authenticating users on the basis of their username and password as entered on an HTTP page. This paper mainly discusses the basic work flow involved in the process of portal authentication. Portal authentication is used for controlling access to the websites. When a website implements portal authentication, it is known as portal website. Under portal authentication, all the users are required to log in before accessing the site. The paper first studies the traditional set up of being connected to a LAN. Any user can access the resources and devices on LAN, as long as they are connected to LAN. However, the administrator may choose to restrict the access to certain resources. These access control mechanisms include PPPoE and 802.1x. These methods require the assistance of client software. These controls can restrict access at the access layer only. According to the paper, portal authentication proved the most flexible method of access control, since it eliminates the need to install a client. The paper makes an evaluation of the portal authentication. Its basic advantage is that this system enables the portal website to implement all-inclusive IP service operations. It is also very helpful in catering to user management.