Patent ID: 8543866

Claim:
A method, comprising: detecting, at a first data processing device, an error at a first data processing system of a network; in response to detecting the error at the first data processing system, enabling one or more operations for authenticating a second data processing system of the network at the first data processing device; automatically transmitting a help request from the first data processing device via the network to the second data processing system; receiving, from the second data processing system, authentication information at the first data processing device in response to transmitting the help request to the second data processing system; authenticating the second data processing system at the first data processing device based on the authentication information received from the second data processing system; receiving a diagnostic request from the second data processing system in response to authenticating the second data processing system; executing a diagnostic routine at the first data processing device to determine diagnostic information associated with the first data processing system in response to receiving the diagnostic request; transmitting the diagnostic information associated with the first data processing system to the second data processing system; receiving an error correction routine from the second data processing system in response to said authenticating the second data processing system and in response to said transmitting the diagnostic information; executing the error correction routine at the first data processing device to resolve the error at the first data processing system; and disabling the one or more operations for authenticating the second data processing system at the first data processing device in response to detecting that the error at the first data processing system is resolved.