Providing guest users network access based on information read from a credit card or other object

Abstract

Guest user are enabled to access network resources through an enterprise network using a guest user account. A guest user account may be created for a guest for a limited time. Guest account credentials of the guest account may be provided to the guest to use the guest account using any of a variety of techniques described herein, for example, by scanning a guest access card, credit card or mobile telephone of guest user, and providing the guest account credentials to the user based on the information obtained. A guest access management server may be configured to generate and maintain guest accounts, authenticate guest users, and track and log guest activity. A VLAN technology may be used to separate guest traffic from host enterprise traffic on the host enterprise network. After a guest user is authenticated, communications to and from the guest user may be routed to a guest VLAN.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method performed on a computing device of a guest user, the method enabling a guest user to access a resource on a host network, the method comprising:
 providing, by the computing device to the host network, guest account credentials that are based on information from an object of the guest user; and   accessing, by the computing device in response to the providing, the resource via a guest virtual network of the host network.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising acquiring, by the computing device from a guest access management server, the guest account credentials for a guest account. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  where the object of the guest user is a subscriber identity module (“SIM”) card of a mobile telephone. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  where the object of the guest user is a credit card or a guest access card. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  where network traffic of the guest user is separated from other network traffic on the host network by the guest virtual network. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  where the guest virtual network provides the guest user access to the Internet. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  where the guest account credentials comprise a guest account identifier and a password. 
     
     
         8 . A system comprising a computing device and at least one program module that are together configured for performing actions enabling a guest user to access a resource on a host network, the actions comprising:
 providing, by the computing device to the host network, guest account credentials that are based on information from an object of the guest user; and   accessing, by the computing device in response to the providing, the resource via a guest virtual network of the host network.   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , the actions further comprising acquiring, by the computing device from a guest access management server, the guest account credentials for a guest account. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 8  where the object of the guest user is a subscriber identity module (“SIM”) card of a mobile telephone. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 8  where the object of the guest user is a credit card or a guest access card. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 8  where network traffic of the guest user is separated from other network traffic on the host network by the guest virtual network. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 8  where the guest virtual network provides the guest user access to the Internet. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 8  where the guest account credentials comprise a guest account identifier and a password. 
     
     
         15 . At least one computer storage device storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by a computing device, cause the computing device to perform actions for enabling a guest user to access a network resource on a host enterprise network, the actions comprising:
 providing, by the computing device to the host network, guest account credentials that are based on information from an object of the guest user; and   accessing, by the computing device in response to the providing, the resource via a guest virtual network of the host network.   
     
     
         16 . The at least one computer storage device of  claim 15 , the actions further comprising acquiring, by the computing device from a guest access management server, the guest account credentials for a guest account. 
     
     
         17 . The at least one computer storage device of  claim 15  where the object of the guest user is a subscriber identity module (“SIM”) card of a mobile telephone, a credit card, or a guest access card. 
     
     
         18 . The at least one computer storage device of  claim 15  where network traffic of the guest user is separated from other network traffic on the host network by the guest virtual network. 
     
     
         19 . The at least one computer storage device of  claim 15  where the guest virtual network provides the guest user access to the Internet. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 15  where the guest account credentials comprise a guest account identifier and a password.