초록 ▼

An Internet access system (10) incorporates an access control subsystem (12), implemented with a communications server (14), one or more Remote Authentication Dial In User Service (RADIUS) servers (16), and a remote access server (18) in network 21. Users are connected to the network by dial-up conn

An Internet access system (10) incorporates an access control subsystem (12), implemented with a communications server (14), one or more Remote Authentication Dial In User Service (RADIUS) servers (16), and a remote access server (18) in network 21. Users are connected to the network by dial-up connections (22) through the communications server (14). When user (22) logs in through the communications server (14), RADIUS client software (45) first determines if user (22) is authorized by checking his password utilizing user profiles (46). The user profiles (46) also identify a filter "F(Timmy)". The RADIUS server (16) supplies the filter identification through the RADIUS client (45) for use by client software (44) for controlling access by the user (22) to Internet sites. The client software (44) then checks to see if the filter "F(Timmy)" is stored locally in cache (50). If it is, the client software (44) uses it for controlling access. If not, the client software (44) sends a lookup request to the network access server (18), which stores the centralized permitted site list and the filters to be used as masks for checking access classifications of requested sites, to download the filter "F(Timmy)", which is maintained in the server (14) memory for the rest of the user (22)'s session. The client (44) also keeps the local cache (50 of recently requested sites and recently used user filters for efficiency. When access to a site is requested, the client first checks the local cache (50) to see if the site is on the list stored there. In practice, the client software (44) and permit-based filtering technology is integrated in the communications operating system software that runs on the server (14) or routers (24), (32) or (34).

대표청구항 ▼

[ What is claimed is:] [19.] A system for controlling a user's access to a network, comprising:a network access server, coupled to the network, having storage for user filters and a list of permitted sites;network access server software implemented on said network access server that is configured to

[ What is claimed is:] [19.] A system for controlling a user's access to a network, comprising:a network access server, coupled to the network, having storage for user filters and a list of permitted sites;network access server software implemented on said network access server that is configured to automatically maintain said list of permitted sites by downloading updated versions of said list over the Internet and to compile said list;a local access server, coupled to said network access server, having a local cache for storage of recently used user filters and sites for which access has been previously requested; andclient access server software, resident in said local access server, that is configured to make an access determination for a desired site to which a user requests access by checking in said local cache for said recently used user filters and said sites for which access has been previously requested, and by communicating with said network access server to obtain an access determination from said user filters and said list of permitted sites if an access determination cannot be made from said recently used user filters and said sites stored in said local cache.