How does FormsAuthentication persist sessions across request contexts and what information is persisted?
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So, I call `FormsAuthentication.SetAuthCookie(model.UserName, true)` and redirect to an `[Authorize]` branded action. Now `HttpContext.Current.User.Identity` is a `FormsIdentity` whose properties advise me that I am indeed logged in. Great.

Now I remodel my database, deleting the tables and regenerating them. The name being persisted by FormsAuthentication doesn't even exist any more. But when I refresh the secure web site, the stupid logic still greets me: Hello *UserName*.  Okay... that's cool.

FormsAuthentication is obviously not tied to my data store. Is it storing session information in-process? Or is it encoding all relevant data in to the authentication ticket and letting the client persist it in cookies?

Lastly, is the ticket tied to my membership platform at all? Or is `HttpContext.Current.User.Identity.Name` just an arbitrary value?