[WEB4LIB] Remote Patron Authentication

[Richard L. Goerwitz III]

Michael Perkins wrote:

> Each resource tends to handle requests differently, it is setting up
> RPA to handle these requests that we are having troubles with

I apologize if this posting deals with issues you've already considered.
I'm curious, however:  Why not just have patrons authenticate to a re-
verse proxy server, and then have all your vendors do authentication by
IP address?

The reverse proxy can be configured to redirect on-site users directly
to your vendors' servers (which will let them in because they have the
right IP address).  Other off-site users will just authenticate to the
reverse proxy, which will relay their requests on using its own on-site
IP address.

I have not worked for any institutions that used RPA.  Does RPA provide
a better interface or access mechanism than a reverse proxy?

Richard Goerwitz