IP Library Granted Patent US 7,490,142
Granted Patent B2
US 7,490,142 · App. 10/423,079 · Granted Feb 10, 2009

Automatic client management authority assignment

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,490,142
App. No.
10/423,079
Granted
Feb 10, 2009
Kind
B2
Abstract

Systems and methods for automatic client management authority assignment are described. In one aspect, it is determined that a network management point has not been configured for a client. Responsive to this, a directory service is requested to automatically assign a site code to the client. The automatically assigned site code identifies the management point through which the client can obtain management service(s).

Claims (78)

1. A method implemented by a computing device for automatic management authority server assignment, the method comprising:

determining, by a client computing device (“client”), that a site code for receiving policy associated with an enterprise network has not been configured for the client;

responsive to the determining, requesting, by the client, a directory service to automatically assign a site code to the client, the directory service defining a namespace for the enterprise network, the site code identifying a sub-region of the enterprise network and identifying a management authority server through which the client can obtain one or more management service(s), the client being connected to the sub-region of the enterprise network;

responsive to the requesting, the client receiving the site code from the directory service, wherein the site code is automatically determined as a function of the sub-region of the enterprise network into which the client has been introduced in an un-configured state;

communicating, by the client, a request to the management authority server associated with the site code to provide the management service(s) including a policy to the client; and

responsive to the communicating, receiving the policy.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the site code is sticky.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the enterprise network comprises multiple sub-regions, and wherein the determining and requesting operations are performed responsive to introducing the client to a sub-region of the multiple sub-regions.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises:

provisioning the client such that the management authority server is not assigned to the device; and

setting the client to request automatic assignment of the management authority server.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises:

detecting that the client is being introduced to the enterprise network;

responsive to the detecting, evaluating a persistent flag maintained by the client to identify whether the client should request a directory service to automatically assign a site code to the client;

responsive to an indication that the persistent flag is enabled, performing operations to request the site code; and

responsive to an indication that the persistent flag is disabled, not requesting the site code.

6. A computer-readable medium comprising computer program instructions embedded thereon, the computer program instructions being executable by a processor for automatic management authority server assignment, the computer program instructions comprising instructions for:

determining that a site code for receiving management services including a policy associated with an enterprise network has not been configured for a client;

responsive to the determining, requesting a directory service to automatically assign a site code to the client, the site code identifying a sub-region of the enterprise network and a management authority server through which the client can obtain management service(s), the client being connected to the sub-region of the network, wherein the site code is automatically determined as a function of the sub-region of the network into which the client has been introduced in an un-configured state;

responsive to the requesting, receiving the site code from the directory service;

communicating a request to the management authority server associated with the site code to provide a management service to the client; and

responsive to the communicating, receiving the management service including the policy.

7. The computer-readable medium of claim 6 , wherein the site code is sticky.

8. The computer-readable medium of claim 6 , wherein the network comprises multiple sub-regions, and wherein the instructions for determining and requesting are performed responsive to introducing the client to a sub-region of the multiple sub-regions.

9. The computer-readable medium of claim 6 , wherein the computer program instructions further comprise instructions for:

provisioning the client such that the site code is not configured; and

setting the client to request automatic assignment of the site code.

10. The computer-readable medium of claim 6 , wherein the computer program instructions further comprise instructions for:

detecting that the client is being introduced to the network;

responsive to the detecting, evaluating a persistent flag to identify whether the client should perform the operations of determining and requesting;

responsive to an indication that the persistent flag is enabled, performing the operations of determining and requesting; and

responsive to an indication that the persistent flag is disabled, not performing the operations of determining and requesting.

11. A computing device for automatic management authority server assignment, the computing device comprising:

a processor; and

a memory coupled to the processor, the memory comprising computer program instructions executable by the processor, the computer program instructions comprising instructions for:

determining that a site code for receiving management service(s) including a policy associated with an enterprise network has not been configured for a client;

responsive to the determining, requesting a directory service to automatically assign a site code to the client, the site code identifying a sub-region of a network and a management authority server through which the client can obtain management service(s), the client being connected to the sub-region of the network, wherein the site code is automatically determined as a function of the sub-region of the network into which the client has been introduced in an un-configured state;

receiving the site code from the directory service;

communicating a request to the management authority server associated with the site code to provide a management service to the client; and

responsive to the communicating, receiving the management service including the policy.

12. The computing device of claim 11 , wherein the site code is sticky.

13. The computing device of claim 11 , wherein the network comprises multiple sub-regions, and wherein the instructions for determining and requesting are performed responsive to introducing the client to a sub-region of the multiple sub-regions.

14. The computing device of claim 11 , wherein the computer program instructions further comprise instructions for:

provisioning the client such that the site code is not configured; and

setting the client to request automatic assignment of the site code.

15. The computing device of claim 11 , wherein the computer program instructions further comprise instructions for:

detecting that the client is being introduced to the network;

responsive to the detecting, evaluating a persistent flag to identify whether the client should perform the operations of determining and requesting;

responsive to an indication that the persistent flag is enabled, performing the operations of determining and requesting; and

responsive to an indication that the persistent flag is disabled, not performing the operations of determining and requesting.

16. A computing device for automatic management authority server assignment, the computing device comprising:

means for determining that a site code for receiving management service(s) including a policy associated with an enterprise network has not been configured for a client;

responsive to the determining, means for requesting a directory service to automatically assign a site code to the client, the site code identifying a sub-region of a network and a management authority server through which the client can obtain management service(s), the client being connected to the sub-region of the network, wherein the site code is automatically determined as a function of the sub-region of the network into which the client has been introduced in an un-configured state;

means to receive the site code from the directory service;

means to communicate a request to the management authority server associated with the site code to provide a management service to the client; and

responsive to the communicating, means to receive the management service including the policy.

17. The computing device of claim 16 , wherein the site code is sticky.

18. The computing device of claim 16 , wherein the network comprises multiple sub-regions, and wherein the instructions for determining and requesting are performed responsive to introducing the client to a sub-region of the multiple sub-regions.

19. The computing device of claim 16 , wherein the computing device further comprises:

means for provisioning the client such that the site code is not configured; and

means for setting the client to request automatic assignment of the site code.

20. The computing device of claim 16 , wherein the computing device further comprises:

means for detecting that the client is being introduced to the network;

responsive to the detecting, means for evaluating a persistent flag to identify whether the client should perform the operations of determining and requesting;

responsive to an indication that the persistent flag is enabled, means for performing the operations of determining and requesting; and

responsive to an indication that the persistent flag is disabled, means for not performing the operations of determining and requesting.

21. A method implemented by a computing device for automatic management authority server assignment, the method comprising:

receiving, by a directory service, a request for a site code for receiving management services including a policy associated with an enterprise network from a client, the client being in an un-configured state;

responsive to receiving the request, identifying a site code corresponding to a sub-region location in a network into which the client has been introduced, the sub-region location corresponding to a management authority servers, wherein the site code is automatically determined as a function of the sub-region location of the network into which the client has been introduced in an un-configured state;

communicating the site code to the client, the site code indicating where the client is to obtain network management services;

communicating a request to the management authority server associated with the site code to provide a management service to the client; and

responsive to the communicating, receiving the management service including the policy.

22. The method of claim 21 , the method further comprising:

receiving an authority request from the client; and

responsive to receiving the authority request, identifying one or more management authority servers from which the client is to obtain the network management services; and

communicating the information to the client indicating connection criteria for the client to communicate with the one or more management authority servers.

23. The method of claim 21 , wherein the connection criteria comprise at least one network address.

24. The method of claim 21 , wherein the connection criteria comprise security information.

Assignments (3)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 9, 2014
From: MICROSOFT CORPORATION
To: MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING, LLC
Reel/Frame 034541/0477 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 24, 2003
From: KUMAR, DEEPAK; OSBORNE, KENNETH MARK; DREW, DANIEL N.J.; JAMES, DAVID C.; HEALY, MICHAEL J.
To: MICROSOFT CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 014152/0815 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 25, 2003
From: KUMAR, DEEPAK; OSBORNE, KENNETH MARK; DREW, DANIEL N.J.; JAMES, DAVID C.
To: MICROSOFT CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 014010/0520 →