Abstract:
This disclosure describes, generally, methods and systems for password management. In one embodiment, a method may include receiving, at a centralized password repository, requests from users. Each request may be configured to request a password to allow access to an associated application. In one embodiment, at least two of the users are at different locations. The method may further include performing a validation analysis for the users&#39; credentials, and in response to verification of a user&#39;s credentials, transmitting a response including the password configured to provide access to the associated application.

Description:
COPYRIGHT STATEMENT 
       [0001]    A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains material that is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office patent file or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright rights whatsoever. 
       FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention relates, in general, to password management, and more particularly, to centralized and secure password management. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    Currently, more and more environments require password authentication in order to access environment resources. As a result, tracking and managing this abundant number of passwords in an efficient and secure manner has become increasingly difficult. Presently, passwords are managed in an “ad-hoc” de-centralized manner. For example, passwords are managed using ascii documents (or other text files) located on a server (e.g., UNIX, Windows™, etc.), and access to the document is protected by file level permissions. 
         [0004]    Such a method of storing passwords can be difficult to manage and keep secure. Since many environments span across a number of computer systems over a number of networks, knowing exactly where a certain password is located, for what system the password applies, what level of permissions are associated with the password, etc., can be extremely difficult if not impossible. In addition, when passwords are accessed and transmitted across networks, the security of such passwords may be compromised. Furthermore, as system environments grow and increase their number of associated users, the problem is compounded. Hence, there is a need for improved methods and systems in the art. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY 
       [0005]    Embodiments of the present invention are directed to a method of centralized password management. In one embodiment, the method may include receiving, at a centralized password repository, requests from users. Each request may be configured to request a password to allow access to an associated application. In one embodiment, at least two of the users are at different locations. The method may further include performing a validation analysis for the users&#39; credentials, and in response to verification of a user&#39;s credentials, transmitting a response including the password configured to provide access to the associated application. 
         [0006]    According to further embodiments, a system for managing passwords is described. In one embodiment, the system may include a client system. The client system may include a command line interface which may be configured to receive input from a user. Based on the input, a request for a password associated with an application may be generated. 
         [0007]    The system may further include a password management system. The password management system may be coupled with the client system and may include a centralized password repository. The password management system may be configured to receive the password request from the user and to perform a validation analysis of the user&#39;s credentials. Upon validation of the user&#39;s credentials, the password management system may access the centralized password repository and retrieve the requested password. Then, the password management system may transmit a response to the client system which includes the requested password. 
         [0008]    In an alternative embodiment, a machine-readable medium is described. The machine-readable medium may have sets of instructions stored thereon which, when executed by a machine, may cause the machine to perform various functions. In one embodiment, the functions may include receiving, at a centralized password repository, requests from users. Each request may be configured to request a password to allow access to an associated application. In one embodiment, at least two of the users are at different locations. The functions may further include performing a validation analysis for the users&#39; credentials, and in response to verification of a user&#39;s credentials, transmitting a response including the password configured to provide access to the associated application. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0009]    A further understanding of the nature and advantages of the present invention may be realized by reference to the remaining portions of the specification and the drawings wherein like reference numerals are used throughout the several drawings to refer to similar components. In some instances, a sublabel is associated with a reference numeral to denote one of multiple similar components. When reference is made to a reference numeral without specification to an existing sublabel, it is intended to refer to all such multiple similar components. 
           [0010]      FIG. 1  is a generalized schematic diagram illustrating a computer system, in accordance with various embodiments of the invention. 
           [0011]      FIG. 2  is a block diagram illustrating a networked system of computers, which can be used in accordance with various embodiments of the invention. 
           [0012]      FIG. 3  is a process flow diagram illustrating a method of password management, in accordance with various embodiments of the invention. 
           [0013]      FIG. 4  is a block diagram illustrating a password management system, in accordance with various embodiments of the invention. 
           [0014]      FIG. 5  is a flow diagram illustrating communications involved in accessing a password management system, in accordance with various embodiments of the invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0015]    While various aspects of embodiments of the invention have been summarized above, the following detailed description illustrates exemplary embodiments in further detail to enable one of skill in the art to practice the invention. In the following description, for the purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. It will be apparent, however, to one skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced without some of these specific details. In other instances, well-known structures and devices are shown in block diagram form. Several embodiments of the invention are described below and, while various features are ascribed to different embodiments, it should be appreciated that the features described with respect to one embodiment may be incorporated with another embodiment as well. By the same token, however, no single feature or features of any described embodiment should be considered essential to the invention, as other embodiments of the invention may omit such features. 
         [0016]    Aspects of the present invention involve an on-line, centralized and secure password management system. In one embodiment, the system may provide a central repository of passwords that may be accessed by users in order to provide access to various applications and/or environment resources. In a further embodiment, because the system is “on-line” users may be able to access the password repository from anywhere they are able to obtain Internet or network access. 
         [0017]    According to further aspects of the present invention, all communications between the management system and users, as well as internal communications within the management system, may be secure. Such security can ensure that no fraudulent users are inappropriately granted access to passwords and applications. Furthermore, because of the centralized nature of the management system, updating passwords can be accomplished by a single update. In other words, instead of updating each instance of a user&#39;s password stored on many different servers, the management system can simply perform an update of one password at a central repository. 
         [0018]      FIG. 1  provides a schematic illustration of one embodiment of a computer system  100  that can perform the methods of the invention, as described herein, and/or can function as, for example, as any part of the on-line password management system according to aspects of the present invention. It should be noted that  FIG. 1  is meant only to provide a generalized illustration of various components, any or all of which may be utilized as appropriate.  FIG. 1 , therefore, broadly illustrates how individual system elements may be implemented in a relatively separated or relatively more integrated manner. 
         [0019]    The computer system  100  is shown comprising hardware elements that can be electrically coupled via a bus  105  (or may otherwise be in communication, as appropriate). The hardware elements can include one or more processors  110 , including without limitation one or more general-purpose processors and/or one or more special-purpose processors (such as digital signal processing chips, graphics acceleration chips, and/or the like); one or more input devices  115 , which can include without limitation a mouse, a keyboard and/or the like; and one or more output devices  120 , which can include without limitation a display device, a printer and/or the like. 
         [0020]    The computer system  100  may further include (and/or be in communication with) one or more storage devices  125 , which can comprise, without limitation, local and/or network accessible storage and/or can include, without limitation, a disk drive, a drive array, an optical storage device, solid-state storage device such as a random access memory (“RAM”) and/or a read-only memory (“ROM”), which can be programmable, flash-updateable and/or the like. The computer system  100  might also include a communications subsystem  130 , which can include without limitation a modem, a network card (wireless or wired), an infra-red communication device, a wireless communication device and/or chipset (such as a Bluetooth™ device, an 802.11 device, a WiFi device, a WiMax device, cellular communication facilities, etc.), and/or the like. The communications subsystem  130  may permit data to be exchanged with a network (such as the network described below, to name one example), and/or any other devices described herein. In many embodiments, the computer system  100  will further comprise a working memory  135 , which can include a RAM or ROM device, as described above. 
         [0021]    The computer system  100  also can comprise software elements, shown as being currently located within the working memory  135 , including an operating system  140  and/or other code, such as one or more application programs  145 , which may comprise computer programs of the invention, and/or may be designed to implement methods of the invention and/or configure systems of the invention, as described herein. Merely by way of example, one or more procedures described with respect to the method(s) discussed above might be implemented as code and/or instructions executable by a computer (and/or a processor within a computer). A set of these instructions and/or code might be stored on a computer readable storage medium, such as the storage device(s)  125  described above. In some cases, the storage medium might be incorporated within a computer system, such as the system  100 . In other embodiments, the storage medium might be separate from a computer system (i.e., a removable medium, such as a compact disc, etc.), and or provided in an installation package, such that the storage medium can be used to program a general purpose computer with the instructions/code stored thereon. These instructions might take the form of executable code, which is executable by the computer system  100  and/or might take the form of source and/or installable code, which, upon compilation and/or installation on the computer system  100  (e.g., using any of a variety of generally available compilers, installation programs, compression/decompression utilities, etc.) then takes the form of executable code. 
         [0022]    It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that substantial variations may be made in accordance with specific requirements. For example, customized hardware might also be used, and/or particular elements might be implemented in hardware, software (including portable software, such as applets, etc.), or both. Further, connection to other computing devices such as network input/output devices may be employed. 
         [0023]    In one aspect, the invention employs a computer system (such as the computer system  100 ) to perform methods of the invention. According to a set of embodiments, some or all of the procedures of such methods are performed by the computer system  100  in response to processor  110  executing one or more sequences of one or more instructions (which might be incorporated into the operating system  140  and/or other code, such as an application program  145 ) contained in the working memory  135 . Such instructions may be read into the working memory  135  from another machine-readable medium, such as one or more of the storage device(s)  125 . Merely by way of example, execution of the sequences of instructions contained in the working memory  135  might cause the processor(s)  110  to perform one or more procedures of the methods described herein. 
         [0024]    The terms “machine-readable medium” and “computer readable medium”, as used herein, refer to any medium that participates in providing data that causes a machine to operate in a specific fashion. In an embodiment implemented using the computer system  100 , various machine-readable media might be involved in providing instructions/code to processor(s)  110  for execution and/or might be used to store and/or carry such instructions/code (e.g., as signals). In many implementations, a computer readable medium is a physical and/or tangible storage medium. Such a medium may take many forms, including but not limited to, non-volatile media, volatile media, and transmission media. Non-volatile media includes, for example, optical or magnetic disks, such as the storage device(s)  125 . Volatile media includes, without limitation dynamic memory, such as the working memory  135 . Transmission media includes coaxial cables, copper wire and fiber optics, including the wires that comprise the bus  105 , as well as the various components of the communication subsystem  130  (and/or the media by which the communications subsystem  130  provides communication with other devices). Hence, transmission media can also take the form of waves (including without limitation radio, acoustic and/or light waves, such as those generated during radio-wave and infra-red data communications). 
         [0025]    Common forms of physical and/or tangible computer readable media include, for example, a floppy disk, a flexible disk, hard disk, magnetic tape, or any other magnetic medium, a CD-ROM, any other optical medium, punchcards, papertape, any other physical medium with patterns of holes, a RAM, a PROM, an EPROM, a FLASH-EPROM, any other memory chip or cartridge, a carrier wave as described hereinafter, or any other medium from which a computer can read instructions and/or code. 
         [0026]    Various forms of machine-readable media may be involved in carrying one or more sequences of one or more instructions to the processor(s)  110  for execution. Merely by way of example, the instructions may initially be carried on a magnetic disk and/or optical disc of a remote computer. A remote computer might load the instructions into its dynamic memory and send the instructions as signals over a transmission medium to be received and/or executed by the computer system  100 . These signals, which might be in the form of electromagnetic signals, acoustic signals, optical signals and/or the like, are all examples of carrier waves on which instructions can be encoded, in accordance with various embodiments of the invention. 
         [0027]    The communications subsystem  130  (and/or components thereof) generally will receive the signals, and the bus  105  then might carry the signals (and/or the data, instructions, etc., carried by the signals) to the working memory  135 , from which the processor(s)  105  retrieves and executes the instructions. The instructions received by the working memory  135  may optionally be stored on a storage device  125  either before or after execution by the processor(s)  110 . 
         [0028]    A set of embodiments comprises systems for managing passwords in a centralized, secure, and on-line environment. In one embodiment, user computers  205  and/or servers  215  may be implemented as computer system  100  in  FIG. 1 . Merely by way of example,  FIG. 2  illustrates a schematic diagram of a system  200  that can be used in accordance with one set of embodiments. The system  200  can include one or more user computers  205 . The user computers  205  can be general purpose personal computers (including, merely by way of example, personal computers and/or laptop computers running any appropriate flavor of Microsoft Corp.&#39;s Windows™ and/or Apple Corp.&#39;s Macintosh™ operating systems) and/or workstation computers running any of a variety of commercially-available UNIX™ or UNIX-like operating systems. These user computers  205  can also have any of a variety of applications, including one or more applications configured to perform methods of the invention, as well as one or more office applications, database client and/or server applications, and web browser applications. Alternatively, the user computers  205  can be any other electronic device, such as a thin-client computer, Internet-enabled mobile telephone, and/or personal digital assistant (PDA), capable of communicating via a network (e.g., the network  210  described below) and/or displaying and navigating web pages or other types of electronic documents. Although the exemplary system  200  is shown with three user computers  205 , any number of user computers can be supported. 
         [0029]    Certain embodiments of the invention operate in a networked environment, which can include a network  210 . The network  210  can be any type of network familiar to those skilled in the art that can support data communications using any of a variety of commercially-available protocols, including without limitation TCP/IP, SNA, IPX, AppleTalk, and the like. Merely by way of example, the network  210  can be a local area network (“LAN”), including without limitation an Ethernet network, a Token-Ring network and/or the like; a wide-area network (WAN); a virtual network, including without limitation a virtual private network (“VPN”); the Internet; an intranet; an extranet; a public switched telephone network (“PSTN”); an infra-red network; a wireless network, including without limitation a network operating under any of the IEEE 802.11 suite of protocols, the Bluetooth™ protocol known in the art, and/or any other wireless protocol; and/or any combination of these and/or other networks. 
         [0030]    Embodiments of the invention can include one or more server computers  215 . Each of the server computers  215  may be configured with an operating system, including without limitation any of those discussed above, as well as any commercially (or freely) available server operating systems. Each of the servers  215  may also be running one or more applications, which can be configured to provide services to one or more clients  205  and/or other servers  215 . 
         [0031]    Merely by way of example, one of the servers  215  may be a web server, which can be used, merely by way of example, to process requests for web pages or other electronic documents from user computers  205 . The web server can also run a variety of server applications, including HTTP servers, FTP servers, CGI servers, database servers, Java™ servers, and the like. In some embodiments of the invention, the web server may be configured to serve web pages that can be operated within a web browser on one or more of the user computers  205  to perform methods of the invention. 
         [0032]    The server computers  215 , in some embodiments, might include one or more application servers, which can include one or more applications accessible by a client running on one or more of the client computers  205  and/or other servers  215 . Merely by way of example, the server(s)  215  can be one or more general purpose computers capable of executing programs or scripts in response to the user computers  205  and/or other servers  215 , including without limitation web applications (which might, in some cases, be configured to perform methods of the invention). Merely by way of example, a web application can be implemented as one or more scripts or programs written in any suitable programming language, such as Java™, C, C#™ or C++, and/or any scripting language, such as Perl, Python, or TCL, as well as combinations of any programming/scripting languages. The application server(s) can also include database servers, including without limitation those commercially available from Oracle™, Microsoft™, Sybase™, IBM™ and the like, which can process requests from clients (including, depending on the configuration, database clients, API clients, web browsers, etc.) running on a user computer  205  and/or another server  215 . In some embodiments, an application server can create web pages dynamically for displaying the information in accordance with embodiments of the invention, such as a webpage of the password management system. Data provided by an application server may be formatted as web pages (comprising HTML, Javascript, etc., for example) and/or may be forwarded to a user computer  205  via a web server (as described above, for example). Similarly, a web server might receive web page requests and/or input data from a user computer  205  and/or forward the web page requests and/or input data to an application server. In some cases a web server may be integrated with an application server. 
         [0033]    In accordance with further embodiments, one or more servers  215  can function as a file server and/or can include one or more of the files (e.g., application code, data files, etc.) necessary to implement methods of the invention incorporated by an application running on a user computer  205  and/or another server  215 . Alternatively, as those skilled in the art will appreciate, a file server can include all necessary files, allowing such an application to be invoked remotely by a user computer  205  and/or server  215 . It should be noted that the functions described with respect to various servers herein (e.g., application server, database server, web server, file server, etc.) can be performed by a single server and/or a plurality of specialized servers, depending on implementation-specific needs and parameters. 
         [0034]    In certain embodiments, the system can include one or more databases  520 . The location of the database(s)  220  is discretionary: merely by way of example, a database  520   a  might reside on a storage medium local to (and/or resident in) a server  215   a  (and/or a user computer  205 ). Alternatively, a database  220   b  can be remote from any or all of the computers  205 ,  215 , so long as it can be in communication (e.g., via the network  210 ) with one or more of these. In a particular set of embodiments, a database  220  can reside in a storage-area network (“SAN”) familiar to those skilled in the art. (Likewise, any necessary files for performing the functions attributed to the computers  205 ,  215  can be stored locally on the respective computer and/or remotely, as appropriate.) In one set of embodiments, the database  220  can be a relational database, such as an Oracle™ database, that is adapted to store, update, and retrieve data in response to SQL-formatted commands. The database might be controlled and/or maintained by a database server, as described above, for example. 
         [0035]    In one embodiment, databases  220  may be implemented as a centralized password repository  410  in  FIG. 4 . Furthermore, servers  215  may be implemented as a password management system  405  in  FIG. 4 . Turning now to  FIG. 3 , which illustrates a method  300  of managing passwords according to one embodiment of the present invention. At process block  305 , requests to a password management system are received from users requesting passwords used to access various applications. In one embodiment, the password management system may include a centralized password repository. Such a repository may contain all of the passwords associated with every application within a given environment for each user within that environment. In a further embodiment, the repository may be stored in a single database or alternatively may be stored in multiple databases. The database may be encrypted using various encryption techniques such as, obfuscation, DES encryption, triple DEC encryption (3DES), advanced encryption standard (AES), cipher-block chaining (CBC), etc. 
         [0036]    At process block  310 , a user&#39;s credentials may be checked to determine whether the user is a valid user. In one embodiment, the credentials checked may be the user&#39;s userID, the media access control (MAC) or Internet protocol (IP) address of the system the user is requesting from, the access level of the requesting user, etc. For example, a user, based on their userID may have permission to access a given application only when the attempt to gain access originates from a certain system or systems. Otherwise, the attempted access will be denied and the password will not be transmitted to the user. Thus, by checking a requesting system&#39;s IP address or MAC address, the password management system can determine if the request is originating from an authorized system. 
         [0037]    In a further embodiment, the userID may be valid, but may not be configured for accessing the requested application. Ultimately, the password management system is to determine if the user&#39;s credentials are valid (decision block  315 ). In response to the user&#39;s credentials being valid (i.e., the userID, the requesting system, and the requested application all are a valid combination), the requested password may then be transmitted to the user (process block  320 ). In one embodiment, the transmitted password may be encrypted before being transmitted in order to ensure the security and authenticity of the password during transit to the user. 
         [0038]    At process block  325 , the successful password access may be logged in a log file associated with the password management system. The log entry may indicate the userID, the accessing system, the application being accessed, the date and time of the successful access, etc. In one embodiment, the log may be used to track usage of the management system, the frequency of use of certain applications, and other statistical information that can be used to better perform password management. Once the user has successfully obtained the requested password the user can proceed to access the associated application (process block  330 ). 
         [0039]    In an alternative embodiment, if the users credentials are found to be invalid, the user&#39;s password request may be rejected (process block  335 ). The rejection may be displayed to the user, and then the user may be given an additional opportunity or opportunities to request the password again. In one embodiment, upon a failed attempt or failed attempts, the user may be locked out of the password management system. 
         [0040]    At process block  340 , the failed attempt to access a password may be stored in a log file of failed attempts. The log of failed attempts may be used to detect fraudulent accesses and/or intrusion attempts. Furthermore, the log file may be used to track fraudulent systems and ban would be “hackers.” Consequently, in response to the failed attempt to access the password, the user is denied access to the requested application (process block  345 ). 
         [0041]    Referring to  FIG. 4 , which illustrates a system  400  according to embodiments of the present invention. In one embodiment, system  400  may include a password management system  405  which may include a centralized password repository  410 . Password management system  405  may be configured to manage, in a centralized manner, all of the passwords within an application environment by accessing centralized password repository  410 . System  400  may further include a command line interface  415  and a web interface  420  connected with password management system  405 . 
         [0042]    In one embodiment, a user may use command line interface  415  (e.g., a UNIX command line) to access password management system  405  in order to retrieve a password to be used to access an application. Using command line interface  415 , the user may transmit their request to password management system  405 . However, the presence of password management system  405  may be transparent to the user. For example, the user may use the “get_pwd( )” command associated with UNIX, but instead of the command accessing a local password file the command may transmit a request to password management system  405 . Thus, the user is unaware that the password they are trying to retrieve is located remotely at password management system  405  instead of locally at their system in a text file. 
         [0043]    In a further embodiment, the password request may be encrypted before being transmitted between command line interface  415  and password management system  405 . Thus, hacking and/or sniffing attempts can be mitigated for requests in transit. Upon receipt of a request, password management system  405  may determine if the requesting user&#39;s credentials are valid (see  FIG. 3  above). If it is determined that the user&#39;s credentials are valid, then password management system  405  may retrieve the requested password from centralized password repository  410 . In one embodiment, the password retrieval message may be encrypted prior to transmitting the request to centralized password repository  410 . 
         [0044]    Additionally, the passwords may be stored in centralized password repository  410  in an encrypted form. Thus, password management system  405  is able to maintain two levels of security with stored and retrieved passwords. In one embodiment, the retrieved password is transmitted to the requesting user at command line interface  415 . The transmission between command line interface  415  and password management system  405  may also be encrypted. Thus, system  400  may be configured to implement end-to-end encryption during the password retrieval process. 
         [0045]    In a further embodiment, system  400  may include a web interface  420 . Web interface  420  may be configured to give administrators access to password management system  405  via an Internet or other network connection through, for example, the administrator&#39;s web browser. Access to web interface  420  may be restricted using a login and password. In one embodiment, all communications between web interface  420  and password management system  405  may be secured using encryption (e.g., secure socket layer (SSL) encryption). The administrator may use web interface  420  to change permission levels of users, change password policies, change users&#39; passwords, etc. 
         [0046]    In one embodiment, since password management system  405  includes a centralized password repository  410 , any change to a password need only be made in a single location (i.e., centralized password repository  410 ). Thus, even though, for example, a user may have access to multiple applications on multiple servers within a system environment, when a password is changed, it need only be changed in centralized password repository  410 . Accordingly, the changing/updating of passwords is significantly streamlined. 
         [0047]    In addition to changing passwords, an administrator may need to generate passwords to assign to new and/or existing users. For example, many application environments may have policies in place which indicate that passwords should be changed after a certain amount of time (e.g., 30 days, 60 days, 90 days, etc.). In addition, an application environment may require that the passwords be a certain length and include a certain combination of alpha-numeric characters. Such passwords and frequent generation of passwords can be difficult to generate and manage manually. Accordingly, password management system  405  may be configured to generate passwords dynamically. Upon generation, the passwords can then be stored in centralized password repository  410  for later use by the associated users. 
         [0048]    In a further embodiment, web interface  420  may provide an administrator with access to log files generated by password management system  405 . An administrator may be able to analyze the log files in order to track intrusions and other fraudulent attempts made against password management system  405 . The administrator may also detect abuse perpetrated by valid users. In one embodiment, the log files may provide an administrator with an audit trail of password retrieval and/or denial. 
         [0049]    Turning now to  FIG. 5 , which illustrates a method  500  according to aspects of the present invention. At process block  505 , a call to the password management system (e.g., password management system  405 ) may be generated. In one embodiment, the call may be a request for a password in order to be granted access to a certain application. At process block  510 , the call may be encrypted in order to securely deliver the call to the password management system. 
         [0050]    At process block  515 , the encrypted call may be received by the password management system. Upon receipt of the call, the password management system may decrypt the call (process block  520 ). In one embodiment, the decrypted call may be analyzed to determine the validity of the call. At process block  525 , the requested password associated with the call may be retrieved. In one embodiment, the retrieved password may be in an encrypted form. The password management system may then decrypt the retrieved password (process block  530 ). 
         [0051]    At process block  535 , a response to the call may be generated which may include the retrieved password. The response may then be encrypted (process block  540 ) and transmitted to the requesting user (process block  545 ). At process block  550 , the response may be retrieved and decrypted by the user. Furthermore, the user may then access the associated application. 
         [0052]    While the invention has been described with respect to exemplary embodiments, one skilled in the art will recognize that numerous modifications are possible. For example, the methods and processes described herein may be implemented using hardware components, software components, and/or any combination thereof. Further, while various methods and processes described herein may be described with respect to particular structural and/or functional components for ease of description, methods of the invention are not limited to any particular structural and/or functional architecture but instead can be implemented on any suitable hardware, firmware and/or software configuration. Similarly, while various functionality is ascribed to certain system components, unless the context dictates otherwise, this functionality can be distributed among various other system components in accordance with different embodiments of the invention. 
         [0053]    Moreover, while the procedures comprised in the methods and processes described herein are described in a particular order for ease of description, unless the context dictates otherwise, various procedures may be reordered, added, and/or omitted in accordance with various embodiments of the invention. Moreover, the procedures described with respect to one method or process may be incorporated within other described methods or processes; likewise, system components described according to a particular structural architecture and/or with respect to one system may be organized in alternative structural architectures and/or incorporated within other described systems. Hence, while various embodiments are described with—or without—certain features for ease of description and to illustrate exemplary features, the various components and/or features described herein with respect to a particular embodiment can be substituted, added and/or subtracted from among other described embodiments, unless the context dictates otherwise. Consequently, although the invention has been described with respect to exemplary embodiments, it will be appreciated that the invention is intended to cover all modifications and equivalents within the scope of the following claims.