Patent ID: 8406140
Filing Date: 2013-03-26
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A method of identifying a device among a plurality of devices on a network, the method comprising: determining identifying data associated with the device using multiple engines from among a plurality of engines, wherein each of the plurality of engines scans at least one of the network and the device to obtain the identifying data associated with the device, and wherein the identifying data includes network, hardware and software-related identifying data associated with multiple information types selected from the group consisting of: network topology information for the network, device identifier information associated with an identifier for the device, device service information associated with at least one service provided by the device, and device attribute information associated with at least one of hardware and software associated with the device; storing the determined identifying data at a local master among a plurality of local masters; communicating the determined identifying data to a global master in communication with the plurality of local masters and configured to store the determined identifying data; and identifying the device using the determined identifying data; wherein determining the identifying data includes: prompting a first engine among the plurality of engines to perform a first scan of the network to generate first identifying data associated with the device, wherein the first engine reports the first identifying data to the local master; and in the local master, receiving the first identifying data from the first engine and thereafter prompting a second engine among the plurality of engines to generate second identifying data associated with the device based upon the first identifying data reported by the first engine to the local master such that the second engine builds upon and further develops identifying data generated by the first engine.