Patent ID: 7620737

Claim:
A computer controlled method for configuring a network hardware component by a computer system in a computing environment, wherein performing the method requires the use of computer hardware, the method comprising: discovering the network hardware component at the computer system, wherein the computer system includes a processor and a memory; receiving at the computer system a universal interface from the network hardware component, wherein the universal interface is a mobile code module and includes a contextual interface, and wherein the contextual interface includes a method for obtaining contextual data of the network hardware component; invoking the method to obtain contextual data of the network hardware component, wherein the contextual data comprises component type, owner of the network hardware component, history of use, component status, physical location, and executable instructions stored in the network hardware component memory; allowing a user of the computer system to configure the network hardware component based on the received contextual data of the network hardware component; recording the user configuration of the network hardware component locally or in a server; generating a generalized configuration of a network hardware component based on the contextual data of the discovered network hardware component, and the prior user configuration of the network hardware component, to eliminate the need for a complete information discovery process or user configuration in its entirety, wherein the generalization involves: discovering the network hardware components that are currently presented in the computing environment; filtering discovered network hardware components to eliminate other network hardware components that cannot be used for the generalized configuration by virtue of location and feature; and selecting network hardware components from remaining of filtered network hardware components to assemble into a component configuration; applying the generalized configuration to other network hardware components with similar functionality, thereby relieving the user from the burden of configuring similar network hardware components; and updating the contextual data of the network hardware components and the generalized configuration.