PROXY CONFIGURED TO DYNAMICALLY FAILOVER AUTHENTICATION TRAFFIC TO A BACKUP AUTHENTICATION SYSTEM

Techniques are described herein that are capable of dynamically failing over authentication traffic to a backup authentication system by a proxy system. An authentication request, which requests authentication of a principal, is received at the proxy system. The authentication request is directed to a primary authentication system. A determination is made, by the proxy system, that the primary authentication system is incapable of providing a valid response to the authentication request. The backup authentication system is caused, by the proxy system, to authenticate the principal using an authentication package received from the primary authentication system by dynamically routing the authentication request to the backup authentication system as a result of the primary authentication system being incapable of providing a valid response to the authentication request.