Patent ID: 7287276
Filing Date: 2007-10-23
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. In a computer system that includes a plurality of initiators, each for initiating communication with target devices over a network, a method for configuring the computer system to securely communicate with a target device over the network, the method comprising the following performed by an initiator abstraction module that configures each of the plurality of initiators in a manner that security conflicts between the plurality of initiators is avoided: an act of exposing an abstraction component comprising logic that that may be used to configure any of the plurality of initiators, the abstraction component being a component of an initiator abstraction module configured to enforce consistent security configuration settings between initiators; an act of receiving registration information on the occurrence of some event through the abstraction component that a selected initiator from among the plurality of initiators is to be configured to communicate with a selected target device; an act of the abstraction component retrieving security information from a database that includes information that is relevant to configuring security for any of the plurality of initiators such that consistency between initiators' security configuration settings is ensured; an act of identifying a security configuration of the selected initiator using the retrieved security information; an act of determining that if the identified security configuration were applied to the selected initiator, the applied identified security configuration would not cause the selected initiator to conflict with any of the existing security configurations of the other of the plurality of initiators; and upon determining that the identified security configuration would not cause the selected initiator to conflict with any of the existing security configurations of the other of the plurality of initiators, an act of configuring the selected initiator using the identified security configuration.