Patent ID: 7818343

Claim:
A method for providing reputation information concerning a domain, the domain including one or more devices on a network, the method comprising: storing reputation information in a cache of a server hardware device such that states of storage elements in the cache of the server hardware device are physically transformed; retrieving, from the cache of the server hardware device, a first reputation pertaining specifically to a first function of the domain, the first function of the domain being performed by a first device of the domain, the domain including at least the first device and a second device, the first device performing the first function, the second device performing a second function different from the first function, the first function being related to providing a first service, the second function being related to providing a second service different from the first service; receiving at the server hardware a reputation request sent from a gateway hardware device, the reputation request pertaining to the first reputation without directly pertaining to a second reputation, the second reputation pertaining specifically to the second function of the domain, the second function of the domain being performed by the second device of the domain; retrieving the second reputation from a second server hardware device; generating, using the server hardware device, a message in response to the reputation request, the message containing at least both information pertaining to the first reputation and information pertaining to the second reputation for controlling access to at least one of the first function of the domain and a the second function of the domain; and providing the message to the gateway hardware device.