System and method to uniquely identify identically configured branches in a distributed enterprise

• US 20060206594A1
• Filed: 03/10/2005
• Published: 09/14/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/10/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Sethuraman, Radhakrishnan, Silveyra, Manuel, Howe, Brian Keith, Brown, Michael Wilfrid
• Granted Patent: US 7,552,202 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/220
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4625 Single bridge functionality, e.g. connection of two networks over a single bridge

Abstract

A system and method to uniquely identify identically configured branches in a distributed enterprise such that branch specific configuration information may be used to configure computing devices in the identified branch are provided. With the system and method, upon being deployed in a branch location, the computing device sends a communication to a centralized configuration server using an address provided in default initial configuration information. The communication is sent from the computing device to a branch router which adds its address to the communication. The branch router address is then used by the centralized configuration server to identify the branch and thus, configuration information for computing devices of the branch. The configuration information may then be provided to the computing device for configuration of the computing device for branch-specific operation.

Claims

1. A method, in a data processing system, for configuring a computing device for use with a specific branch of a distributed enterprise, comprising:

receiving an initialization message from the computing device;

extracting an external router address from the initialization message, wherein the external router address is associated with the specific branch;

identifying branch-specific configuration information for the computing device based on the external router address; and

sending the branch-specific configuration information to the computing device to thereby configure the computing device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying branch-specific configuration information for the computing device includes:

performing a lookup of the external router address in a configuration table data structure to identify corresponding configuration information.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying branch-specific configuration information for the computing device includes:

performing a lookup of the external router address in one of a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) server, a Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) server, and a database server, to identify a corresponding branch identifier; and

performing a lookup of the branch identifier in a configuration table to thereby identify corresponding configuration information.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the computing device is initially configured, prior to sending the initialization message, in a common manner with other computing devices of a same type that may be deployed in the same or a different branch of the distributed enterprise.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the computing device is one of a server computing device and a client computing device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the external router address is appended to the initialization message by a router associated with the specific branch in response to receiving the initialization message from the computing device.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein the computing device is initially configured with an identifier of a configuration device having access to branch-specific configuration information for the computing device.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the initialization message received from the computing device is redirected from a first destination identified in header information of the initialization message, to another destination determined by a router associated with the specific branch.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, in a router associated with a specific branch, the initialization message from the computing device;

extracting a destination identifier from the initialization message;

determining if the destination address is a dummy address; and

redirecting the initialization message to an alternative destination based on whether or not the destination address is a dummy address.

10. A computer program product in a computer readable medium for configuring a computing device for use with a specific branch of a distributed enterprise, comprising:

first instructions for receiving an initialization message from the computing device;

second instructions for extracting an external router address from the initialization message, wherein the external router address is associated with the specific branch;

third instructions for identifying branch-specific configuration information for the computing device based on the external router address; and

fourth instructions for sending the branch-specific configuration information to the computing device to thereby configure the computing device.

11. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein the third instructions for identifying branch-specific configuration information for the computing device include:

instructions for performing a lookup of the external router address in a configuration table data structure to identify corresponding configuration information.

12. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein the third instructions for identifying branch-specific configuration information for the computing device include:

instructions for performing a lookup of the external router address in one of a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) server, a Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) server, and a database server, to identify a corresponding branch identifier; and

instructions for performing a lookup of the branch identifier in a configuration table to thereby identify corresponding configuration information.

13. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein the computing device is initially configured, prior to sending the initialization message, in a common manner with other computing devices of a same type that may be deployed in the same or a different branch of the distributed enterprise.

14. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein the computing device is one of a server computing device and a client computing device.

15. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein the external router address is appended to the initialization message by a router associated with the specific branch in response to receiving the initialization message from the computing device.

16. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the computing device is initially configured with an identifier of a configuration device having access to branch-specific configuration information for the computing device.

17. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein the initialization message received from the computing device is redirected from a first destination identified in header information of the initialization message, to another destination determined by a router associated with the specific branch.

18. The computer program product of claim 10, further comprising:

instructions for receiving, in a router associated with a specific branch, the initialization message from the computing device;

instructions for extracting a destination identifier from the initialization message;

instructions for determining if the destination address is a dummy address; and

instructions for redirecting the initialization message to an alternative destination based on whether or not the destination address is a dummy address.

19. A system for configuring a computing device for use with a specific branch of a distributed enterprise, comprising:

a computing device located in the specific branch of the distribute enterprise;

a router associated with the specific branch; and

a configuration computing device coupled to the router via one or more data networks, wherein the configuration computing device receives an initialization message from the computing device via the router, extracts an external router address from the initialization message, wherein the external router address is associated with the router of the specific branch, identifies branch-specific configuration information for the computing device based on the external router address, and sends the branch-specific configuration information to the computing device to thereby configure the computing device.

20. The system of claim 19, further comprising:

a database server, wherein the configuration computing device identifies branch-specific configuration information for the computing device based on the external router address by performing a lookup of the branch-specific configuration information in the database server using the external router address.