A method comprising: performing, in a first service access provider, operations including, receiving, via an interface of a computer system, an access request from a client access device, the access request requesting access to a network, wherein a user associated with the client access device is a subscriber of a second service access provider; establishing a communications link with the client access device to authenticate and authorize the user; receiving, via the interface of the computer system, client device configuration data from the client access device over the communications link during an authentication and authorization exchange; transmitting, via the interface of the computer system, the client device configuration data destined for the second service access provider, wherein the second service access provider is operable to process the client device configuration data and selectively grant the client access device access to the network based upon the client device configuration data; said method being characterized by receiving, if the client access device has been determined to be in an acceptable state, a configuration accept message conveyed by the second service access provider; wherein establishing the communications link with the client access device includes, communicating an agent to the client access device, the agent operable to identify the client device configuration data and to communicate the client device configuration data to a server of the network. performing, in a first service access provider, operations including, receiving, via an interface of a computer system, an access request from a client access device, the access request requesting access to a network, wherein a user associated with the client access device is a subscriber of a second service access provider; establishing a communications link with the client access device to authenticate and authorize the user; receiving, via the interface of the computer system, client device configuration data from the client access device over the communications link during an authentication and authorization exchange; transmitting, via the interface of the computer system, the client device configuration data destined for the second service access provider, wherein the second service access provider is operable to process the client device configuration data and selectively grant the client access device access to the network based upon the client device configuration data; said method being characterized by receiving, if the client access device has been determined to be in an acceptable state, a configuration accept message conveyed by the second service access provider; wherein establishing the communications link with the client access device includes, communicating an agent to the client access device, the agent operable to identify the client device configuration data and to communicate the client device configuration data to a server of the network. receiving, via an interface of a computer system, an access request from a client access device, the access request requesting access to a network, wherein a user associated with the client access device is a subscriber of a second service access provider; establishing a communications link with the client access device to authenticate and authorize the user; receiving, via the interface of the computer system, client device configuration data from the client access device over the communications link during an authentication and authorization exchange; transmitting, via the interface of the computer system, the client device configuration data destined for the second service access provider, wherein the second service access provider is operable to process the client device configuration data and selectively grant the client access device access to the network based upon the client device configuration data; said method being characterized by receiving, if the client access device has been determined to be in an acceptable state, a configuration accept message conveyed by the second service access provider; wherein establishing the communications link with the client access device includes, communicating an agent to the client access device, the agent operable to identify the client device configuration data and to communicate the client device configuration data to a server of the network.