System and Method for installing Authentication Credentials On a Network Device

• US 20090271850A1
• Filed: 09/05/2008
• Published: 10/29/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP (Hewlett-Packard Enterprise Company)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP (Hewlett-Packard Enterprise Company)
• Inventors: Hoppe, Sally Blue, Torres, Matt, Harritt, Jim
• Granted Patent: US 9,218,469 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/6
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/31 User authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/06 for supporting key management in a packet data network cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key management H04L9/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32

Abstract

A method for installing authentication credentials on a network device. An intermediary computing device (e.g., client computer) downloads an application for installing the authentication credentials from a secure website. The application on the intermediary computing device requests authentication credentials from a Network Access Control (NAC) credential service. The application passes the authentication credentials received from the NAC credential service through the intermediary computing device to an endpoint (e.g., video conferencing device). The application installs the authentication credentials on the endpoint.

Claims

1. A method for installing authentication credentials on a network device using, comprising:

downloading an application from a secure website onto an intermediary computing device;

requesting authentication credentials from a Network Access Control (NAC) credential service using the application;

passing the authentication credentials from the NAC credential service through the intermediary computing device to an endpoint using the application; and

installing the authentication credentials on the endpoint using the application.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein passing the authentication credentials to the endpoint uses encrypted data to transmit the authentication credentials from the NAC credential service to the endpoint, and wherein installing the authentication credentials uses encrypted data to store the authentication credentials on the endpoint.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the endpoint is a video conferencing device and the intermediary computing device is a client computer.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein downloading the application further comprises:

purchasing a private network service, wherein a user purchases the service;

receiving a website address and website validation information by the user;

logging into the secure website using the website validation information; and

downloading the application from the secure website.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein logging into the secure website using the website validation information further comprises:

providing a user-entered endpoint identifier to the secure website; and

transferring the user-entered endpoint identifier from the secure website to the NAC credential service using the secure website.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the website validation information is a username and a password.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein the website validation information expires after a predetermined time, so the website validation information can no longer be used to log into the secure website after the predetermined time.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein requesting authentication credentials further comprises:

receiving a user-entered endpoint identifier by the NAC credential service communicating with the application;

obtaining an electronically-retrieved endpoint identifier from the endpoint delivered by the application to the NAC credential service; and

validating the endpoint with the user-entered endpoint identifier stored with the NAC credential service by comparing the electronically-retrieved endpoint identifier against a the user-entered endpoint identifier.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the user-entered endpoint identifier and the electronically-retrieved endpoint identifier are selected from the group consisting of a Media Access Control (MAC) address, an Internet Protocol (IP) address, a subnet mask, a gateway address, a serial number, a model number, a device type, and combination thereof.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein requesting authentication credentials further comprises:

creating the authentication credentials by the NAC credential service; and

storing a user-entered endpoint identifier provided by the application on a NAC credential service database.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein installing the authentication credentials on the endpoint further comprises verifying the installation of the authentication credentials on the endpoint using the application and the NAC credential service.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising disconnecting the intermediary computing device from the endpoint and rebooting the endpoint after installing the authentication credentials on the endpoint, wherein the endpoint is enabled to provide authentication credentials to a Remote Authentication Dial-In User Service (RADIUS) server using a port of an authenticating network switch.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising connecting the endpoint to a port of an authenticating network switch, wherein authentication protocols of the port are enabled.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the authentication protocols use an 802.1x authentication standard and the authenticating network switch is enabled to use 802.1x authentication.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising accessing a private network service using a Remote Authentication Dial-In User Service (RADIUS) server and the authenticating network switch.

16. A system for installing authentication credentials on a network device, comprising:

an intermediary computing device;

an endpoint coupled to the intermediary computing device;

a secure website coupled to the intermediary computing device using a network, wherein the secure website is enabled to verify website validation information before downloading an application onto the intermediary computing device from the secure website; and

a Network Access Control (NAC) credential service coupled to the intermediary computing device using the network, wherein the NAC credential service is enabled to provide authentication credentials to the application for installation on the endpoint; and

wherein the application is enabled to request authentication credentials from NAC credential service, pass authentication credentials from NAC credential service to the endpoint, and install the authentication credentials on the endpoint.

17. The system of claim 16, further comprising:

a NAC credential service database used to store a user-entered endpoint identifier, wherein an electronically-retrieved endpoint identifier obtained from the endpoint is validated against the user-entered endpoint identifier before installing the authentication credentials;

an authenticating network switch with a port, wherein the port is in communication with the endpoint and the authentication protocols of the port are enabled; and

a Remote Authentication Dial-In User Service (RADIUS) server in communication with the authenticating network switch using the network, wherein the RADIUS server is enabled to authenticate the endpoint using authentication credentials installed on the endpoint.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the Network Access Control (NAC) credential service further comprises:

receiving a user-entered endpoint identifier from the application;

storing the user-entered endpoint identifier provided by the application on a NAC credential service database; and

validating the endpoint by comparing an electronically-retrieved endpoint identifier against the user-entered endpoint identifier, wherein the application obtains the electronically-retrieved endpoint identifier from the endpoint and delivers the electronically-retrieved endpoint identifier to the NAC credential service.

19. A computer readable medium having executable code embodied on the medium for providing instructions for installing authentication credentials on a network device, comprising:

computer readable program code configured to validate website validation information using a secure website before downloading an application from the secure website;

computer readable program code configured to download the application from the secure website onto an intermediary computing device;

computer readable program code configured to request authentication credentials from a Network Access Control (NAC) credential service using the application;

computer readable program code configured to pass the authentication credentials from the NAC credential service through the intermediary computing device to an endpoint using the application; and

computer readable program code configured to install the authentication credentials on the endpoint with the application.

20. A method for installing authentication credentials on a network device, comprising:

validating website validation information via a secure website to provide permission to the secure website for downloading an application;

downloading the application from the secure website onto an intermediary computing device;

requesting authentication credentials by providing a user-entered endpoint identifier to a Network Access Control (NAC) credential service using the application;

validating an endpoint with the NAC credential service by comparing an electronically-retrieved endpoint identifier against the user-entered endpoint identifier, wherein the application obtains the electronically-retrieved endpoint identifier from the endpoint and delivers the electronically-retrieved endpoint identifier to the NAC credential service;

passing the authentication credentials from the NAC credential service through the intermediary computing device to the endpoint using the application;

installing the authentication credentials on the endpoint using the application;

connecting the endpoint to a port of an authenticating network switch, wherein authentication protocols of the port are enabled; and

accessing a private network service via a Remote Authentication Dial-In User Service (RADIUS) server and the authenticating network switch.