Patent ID: 7890746

Claim:
A method of automatically authenticating a client computer for backup by a backup computer comprising: obtaining by the backup computer first information from the client computer that identifies the client computer; identifying from the first information whether the client computer is included in a backup database for backup by the backup computer; upon determining that the client computer is not included in the database, requesting from the client computer second information comprising client status information containing a key hash of a number and a key value encrypted by the client computer using one of a plurality a public keys stored in the client computer, said plurality of public keys including a public key corresponding to a private key of said backup computer; decrypting the encrypted second information using the private key of the backup computer; determining whether the decrypted second information includes an expected key hash; adding the client computer to the backup database for backup upon the decrypted second information containing said expected key hash; upon the decrypted second information not including said expected key hash, requesting the client computer to encrypt the second information using another one of said plurality of stored public keys, and repeating said decrypting and said determining steps.