Patent ID: 8443072

Claim:
A method for controlling devices booting-up on a network, comprising: monitoring by a network monitor application congestion on a first network, wherein a plurality of devices are interconnected to said first network; detecting that said first network is congested; in response to detecting that said first network is congested, broadcasting a congestion alert message from said network monitor application to said plurality of devices interconnected to said first network, wherein said congestion alert message is broadcast prior to an initial request for configuration information by a first device included in the plurality of devices interconnected to said first network; and booting the first device included in said plurality of devices interconnected to said first network, said booting including: prior to sending from said first device said initial request for configuration information, listening at a designated port of said first device for said congestion alert message; and in response to detecting said congestion alert message at said first device, applying a different connection request sequence than if no congestion alert message had been received, wherein said different connection request sequence includes delaying sending from said first device said initial request for configuration information.