Patent ID: 7657871

Claim:
A method comprising: connecting first and second routers to a network, wherein the first router has a first configuration profile stored therewith which specifies operation of the first router in the network, wherein the second router has a second configuration profile stored therewith which specifies operation of the second router in the network; connecting a management server to the network such that the management server is remotely located from the first and second routers and is in communication with the first and second routers via the network; retrieving, by the management server via the network, the first configuration profile from the first router after the first router has been operating in the network; retrieving, by the management server via the network, the second configuration profile from the second router after the second router has been operating in the network; storing, at the management server, the retrieved configuration profiles in a database; monitoring, by the management server via the network, the first router to determine whether the first router experiences a first fault condition resulting in restoration of the operation of the first router in the network being dependent upon the first router having access to a copy of the first configuration profile other than the first configuration profile stored therewith; monitoring, by the management server via the network, the second router to determine whether the second router experiences a second fault condition resulting in restoration of the operation of the second router in the network being dependent upon the second router having access to a copy of the second configuration profile other than the second configuration profile stored therewith; distributing the stored first configuration profile from the management server to the first router via the network in response to the first router experiencing the first fault condition to facilitate the correction thereof; and distributing the stored second configuration profile from the management server to the second router via the network in response to the second router experiencing the second fault condition to facilitate the correction thereof; analyzing, by the management server, the retrieved configuration profiles for compliance with desired management characteristics; and manipulating, by the management server, non-compliant configuration profiles to comply with the desired management characteristics; comprising analyzing, by the management server, the retrieved configuration profiles for compliance with desired management characteristics; and comprising manipulating, by the management server, non-compliant configuration profiles to comply with the desired management characteristics.