Methods and apparatus are disclosed to provide for security within a network enclave. In one embodiment authentication logic initiates authentication with a central network authority. Packet processing logic receives a key and an identifier from the central network authority. Security protocol logic then establishes a client-server security association through a communication that includes a client identifier and an encrypted portion and/or an authorization signature, wherein a client authorization key allocated by the central network authority can be reproduced by a server, other than said central network authority, from the client identifier and a derivation key provided to the server by the central network authority to decrypt the encrypted portion and/or to validate the communication using the authorization signature. The server may also provide the client with new session keys and/or new client session identifiers using server-generated derivation keys if desired, protecting these with the client authorization key.