Patent ID: 9614861
Date: 2017-04-04
CPC Classifications: H04L,H04W

Claim:
1. A computer-implemented method for monitoring a life cycle of a network client device on a computer network, comprising executing on a processor the steps of: monitoring time synchronization protocol messages associated with the computer network; receiving a time synchronization protocol request message sent by a network client device intended for a time server; determining whether the time synchronization protocol request message is associated with an initial connection event of the network client device; in response to making a positive determination, determining the network client device is connected to the computer network; determining a true identity of the network client device connecting to the computer network, wherein determining the true identity of the network client device comprises parsing the time synchronization protocol request message and extracting from the time synchronization protocol request message data corresponding to: a unique identifier that identifies the network client device; and the unique identifier identifies the network client device, wherein: the unique identifier identifies a relative identifier for the network client device; the unique identifier identifies a domain security identifier for a domain in which the network client device is grouped; and wherein the unique identifier identifies the true identity of the network client device; associating the true identity of the network client device with an internet protocol (IP) address; determining when the network client disconnects from the computer network based on the time synchronization protocol messages; and generating a report identifying the life cycle of the network client device associated with the IP address based on connection and disconnection data associated with the network client device.