US Patent 7950051 Password management for a communication network

A password management system generates passwords for users. The system registers the passwords with applications in network elements in a communication network. The system indicates the passwords to the users who use the passwords to access the applications. The system generates new passwords before the old passwords expire. The system registers the new passwords with the applications and indicates the new passwords to the users before the old passwords expire. The users use the new passwords to access the applications. The system may also register network addresses with the applications for the users.