Patent ID: 7155502

Claim:
A system facilitating the distribution of updated traffic identification functionality to at least one network device over a computer network, comprising an update server, comprising a traffic identification update database storing update files embodying upgraded traffic identification functionality, wherein the update server is operative to: transmit at least one update file to at least one network device over a computer network; at least one network device operative to: identify traffic types corresponding to data flows traversing an access link; wherein the at least one network device comprises an update demon operative to transmit a network device configuration profile to the update server, wherein the network device configuration profile comprises a license set identifier and a cryptographic hash of the network device configuration profile; interact with the update server to receive at least one update file embodying upgraded traffic identification functionality; and install the at least one update file received from the update server to thereby allow for execution of upgraded traffic identification functionality; wherein the update server is further operative to detect changes to the license set identifier by validating the cryptographic hash of the network device configuration profile; and use the network device configuration profile to locate the at least one update file.