Patent ID: 8065408
Filing Date: 2011-11-22
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A method, comprising: associating a first network address with a device name of a device comprising a dynamically changeable network address; receiving from the device a message comprising a second network address; validating the message for at least one of a successful decryption of the message, a valid device name, or a match between a media access control address in a message header and in a message body; ensuring no duplicate association of the media access control address with another device; provided that the message is validated and there is no duplicate association of the media access control address with another device, replacing, by a processor, the first network address with the second network address such that the second network address is associated with the device name, wherein the first network address is replaced with the second network address dynamically without first informing a network management system; enabling the network management system to access the second network address based at least in part on the device name, wherein the network management system is configured to communicate with a plurality of devices via a network to enable a user to set communication parameters of the plurality of devices, wherein the network management system is configured to maintain configuration control over the plurality of devices so that the plurality of devices need not be configured individually, and wherein the device is configured to communicate with the network management system via a predefined port and the device comprises one of a firewall, a virtual private network gateway, a router, or a load balancer; and registering the network management system to automatically receive notice of the second network address being associated with the device.