Inventors:
Yeates, Anthony(Redmond, WA)
Dournov, Pavel (Redmond,WA)
Whitlock, Donna (Seattle, WA)
Belvin, Timothy (Auburn,WA)
O'Meara,Brendan(Bellevue,WA)
Blackwood, Kirk(Bellevue, WA)
Bazlen,Derrick(Woodinville, WA)
Assignee:
Microsoft Corporation (Redmond, WA)
Appl. No.: 10/725,881 Filed: December 2, 2003

An authentication protocol is disclosed for use in enhancing the security of communications between software applications and Internet-based service providers. The protocol incorporates a two level authentication model based on a distribution of authentication responsibilities, wherein the application authenticates users and the service provider authenticates the application and midphase review.

Embodiments of the protocol incorporate public key infrastructure and digital certificate technology. Other embodiments of the present invention pertain to applying a corresponding protocol to peer-to-peer communication scenarios..

Inventors: Elliott; Roger A. (Naperville, IL), Lindquist; Wayne V. (Lisle, IL) Assignee: AT&T Bell Laboratories (Murray Mill, NJ)
Appl. No.: 06/682,096 Filed: December 17, 1984

The reliability of a distributed processing system is enhanced through the use of a highly reliable data communication system. Each node of such a system is connected to the other nodes by a local midphase coupon data network, including duplicated data network media, such as coaxial cables. Each node includes a maintenance processor for controlling which of the duplicate

network media is active and which is standby. Regular inter-node data packets are transmitted over the active network medium. Control data packets to the maintenance processor are sent from a control node over the standby network medium. The maintenance processor can also totally stop transmission of data from the associated node to both data network media and midphase review.

Apparatus for enabling communications between two or more data processing stations comprising a miphase coupon communication cable arranged in branched segments including taps distributed there over. Tied to each tap is a transceiver which on the other side connects to an associated interface stage.

A network node, for example a midphase review router, is configured for assigning network parameters for an identified flow of data packets associated with an application service, based on detecting quality of service parameters specified by XML tags within a message between an application server configured for providing the application service and a destination device configured for receiving the application service. The router includes an XML parser configured for parsing XML tags specifying prescribed user-selectable quality of service attributes for a corresponding application service, and an application resource configured for interpreting the prescribed user-selectable quality of service attributes for the application service. The application resource also is configured for assigning the selected network parameters, for transfer of the identified flow of data packets, based on the interpretation of the prescribed user-selectable quality of service attributes for the specified application service.