Patent ID: 9118588
Filing Date: 2015-08-25
Classification: H04L,H04W

Abstract:
1. A method comprising: at a management device in a network: receiving a message from a network device in the network via a wireless link or a power line communication link between the management device and the first network device, the message including fields for: a “first device in zone” (FDIZ) flag to indicate if the network device is a first device in a network device zone; either a preconfigured device address or an address request; a zone identifier (ID); and either an authentication key or an indication of no authentication key; evaluating the received message fields, and responsive to the evaluating: if the evaluating determines that the FDIZ flag indicates the network device is a first device in a network device zone, and the zone ID is a default value for all network devices that are first to join any of a plurality of network device zones, classifying the network device into a default zone corresponding to the default value along with any other network devices that were first to join network device zones; and establishing a secure tunnel with the network device over the communication link for use by the management device as a virtual console-port.