Patent ID: 8024488

Claim:
A method, comprising: providing device configuration data to a device configuration certifier from a device that will seek access to a computer network, where the device configuration data describes a configuration of the device that will seek access to the computer network and a role to be taken by the device while accessing the computer network, and where the device configuration data does not include user identity information; receiving a device configuration verification credential from the configuration certifier, where the device configuration verification credential confirms that the device configuration conforms with a device configuration policy associated with network security in light of the role to be taken by the device, and where the device configuration verification credential is unrelated to user identity and user authentication; providing the device configuration verification credential to a network device in data communication with the computer network, where the network device controls access to the computer network based, at least in part, on the device configuration verification credential; and selectively accessing the computer network upon the network device verifying the device configuration verification credential; wherein the method is performed by one or more processors.