Patent ID: 7308573

Claim:
A method in combination with a Digital Rights Management (DRM) system having a plurality of DRM servers performing DRM functionality, the method of an entering DRM-E server to be enrolled into the system by an enrolling DRM-R server such that the entering DRM-E server is to be trusted within the system and comprising: the DRM-E server procuring a public /private key pair (PU-E, PR-E) for identifying such DRM-E server within the DRM system; the DRM-E server procuring a proffering identification thereof; the DRM-E server sending an enrollment request to the DRMR server, the request including the proffering identification and (PU-E); the DRM-R server validating the proffering identification; the DRM-R server, if the request is to be honored, generating a digital enrollment certificate for the DRM-E server to enroll such DRM-E server into the DRM system; the DRM-R server returning the generated enrollment certificate to the requesting DRM-E server; and the now-enrolled DRM-E server storing the returned enrollment certificate in an appropriate location for future use, the DRM-E server with the enrollment certificate able to employ same to issue DRM documents within the DRM system, the enrollment certificate employable to issue the DRM documents being based at least in part on (PU-E).