This is a text description of ano81018.gif, which describes SSL in relation to other authentication methods. A client seeks to connect to an Oracle server. SSL performs a handshake during which the server authenticates itself to the client and both the client and server establish which cipher suite to use. Once the SSL handshake is successfully completed, the user seeks access to the database. The Oracle server exchanges the user's authentication information with the authentication server. Upon validation by the authentication server, the Oracle server grants access and authorization to the user.