Authentication
As described in the IBM Redbooks® publication, WebSphere® Application Server V7.0: Concepts, Planning,
and Design:
Authentication is the process of identifying who is requesting access to a resource. For the
authentication process, the server implements a challenge mechanism to gather unique information
to identify the client. Secure authentication can be knowledge-based (user and password), key-based
(physical keys, encryption keys), or biometric (fingerprints, retina scan, DNA, and so forth).
The authentication mechanism in WebSphere Application Server typically collaborates closely with a
user registry. When performing authentication, the user registry is consulted. A successful
authentication results in the creation of a credential, which is the internal representation of a
successfully authenticated client user. The abilities of the credential are determined by the
configured authorization mechanism