Patent ID: 8838759

Claim:
A method for detecting unmanaged nodes within a system, the method comprising: detecting a flow of data associated with an unmanaged node, wherein a managed node detects the flow of data, wherein the managed node and the unmanaged node are downstream of a router, wherein the router blocks communications between a management device and the unmanaged node such that the management device is unaware of the unmanaged node; discovering, by the managed node, information relating to the unmanaged node, wherein discovering information comprises building a filename based on a Media Access Control (MAC) address of the unmanaged node and a file path; determining, by the managed node, whether the unmanaged node has been previously discovered, wherein the management device is unaware of the unmanaged node until after the unmanaged node has been discovered or identified; recording, by the managed node, the identification of the unmanaged node to a list if it is determined the unmanaged node has not been previously discovered; determining if a management agent included on the unmanaged node is disabled; and transmitting, by the managed node, the identification of the unmanaged node to the management device and if the unmanaged node includes a disabled management agent, wherein the transmission sent by the managed node to the management device is not blocked by the router, thereby making the management device aware of the unmanaged node.