Tarantella Administration Guide > Users and authentication > Introducing web server authentication

Introducing web server authentication

Web server authentication allows your web server to perform the authentication necessary for users to log in to Tarantella.

Web server authentication works as follows:

• A user requests a Tarantella URL using a web browser.
• The web server requests authentication and the browser's login dialog box displays.
• The user enters their username and password and sends it to the web server.
• When the web server authenticates the user, Tarantella searches for a matching login profile.
• When Tarantella finds a matching login profile, the user's webtop displays.

Features of web server authentication

If the user has already been authenticated in their current session, they do not have to log in again. This is because the browser caches the username and password for the lifetime of the browser session.

If Tarantella can't find a matching login profile, the standard Tarantella login page displays. The user must log in to Tarantella before they can access their webtop.

Web server authentication does not support ambiguous users. This means users get the webtop of the first matching login profile.

The Tarantella Native Client does not support web server authentication.

Read about enabling web server authentication.