Patent ID: 8099495

Claim:
An end node comprising: a network interface having a first media access control (MAC) layer with a first MAC address, and a second MAC layer with a second MAC address; a trusted platform module; a host partition residing within the end node, having a host partition certificate indicative of a host partition identity, and configured to be signed by the trusted platform module, the host partition being communicatively coupled to the first MAC layer of the network interface to access a network; and a management partition residing within the end node, separate and distinct from the host partition, having a management partition certificate indicative of a management partition identity, and configured to be signed by the trusted platform module, the management partition being communicatively coupled to the second MAC layer of the network interface to access the network; wherein the host partition certificate signed by the trusted platform module and the management partition certificate signed by the trusted platform module establishes a root of trust between the host partition and the management partition, and the management partition is configured to operate independently regardless of whether an operating system of the host partition is operating, block the host partition from accessing the network prior to registration and authentication of the management partition with an authentication node coupled to the network, bind the host partition identity with the management partition identity by communicating to the authentication node the first MAC address of the host partition to establish the management partition and the host partition's co-residency within the end node, negotiate with the authentication node to procure a network access policy from the authentication node for the host partition, and implement the network access policy on the host partition upon procurement of the network access policy from the authentication node.