Patent ID: 7159016

Claim:
A method for configuring an endpoint device to a computer network, the endpoint device being in one of a plurality of classes of endpoint devices, said method comprising the steps of: storing configuration information in a configuration database, the configuration information comprising one set of configuration information for each class of the plurality of classes of endpoint devices, such that each class associated with a different variety of endpoint device and each one set of configuration information is applicable to all endpoint devices in the each class; monitoring a dynamic allocation of a first unique network address to the endpoint device when the endpoint device is connected to the computer network; establishing, in response to said monitoring, a connection between a configuration manager and the endpoint device; identifying, through said established connection, a class of the endpoint device connected to the network from said plurality of classes of endpoint devices; retrieving the set of configuration information from the configuration database that is associated with the identified class of the endpoint device; and configuring the endpoint device to the computer network using the retrieved configuration information.