Patent ID: 7526541

Claim:
A method of controlling the usage by an attached function of network services associated with a network system that includes the attached function, one or more other attached functions and one or more network infrastructure devices, the method comprising the steps of: a. acquiring information about an attached function seeking access to the network services; b. associating a level of trust with the information about the attached function; c. granting to the attached function preliminary entry to the network system based upon the information acquired; d. determining whether a stored policy history exists for the attached function; e. if the stored policy history exists for the attached function, establishing in a network entry device or a central switching device of the network infrastructure connected to the attached function one or more static and dynamic policies for the attached function for network services usage based upon the stored policy history; f. if no stored policy history exists for the attached function, establishing for the attached function one or more static and dynamic policies for network services usage; g. monitoring the network system for triggers including triggers unrelated to the information acquired about the attached function; h. modifying in the network entry device or the central switching device one or more static and dynamic policies for the attached function upon the detection of one or more of the monitored triggers wherein the decision whether to modify is made at the network entry device or the central switching device; and i. saving set and modified policies associated with the attached function as the stored policy history for the attached function, wherein the attached function is connected directly to the network entry device or the central switching device and wherein a portion of the saved set and modified policies are stored on the network entry device or the central switch device to which the attached function is directly connected and a remainder of the saved set and modified policies are stored on another network infrastructure device to which the attached function is not directly connected.