A system comprises a client workstation, a single sign-on ("SSO") server accessible to the client workstation, and a plurality of host servers accessible to the client workstation. Access by the client workstation to a first host server causes the client workstation to be automatically re-directed to the SSO server and the SSO server causes the client workstation to request sign-on credentials from a user if the user has not signed on to any of the host servers. The first host server, not the SSO server, authenticates the user.