AUTOMATIC PROVISIONING OF AUTHENTICATION CREDENTIALS

• US 20110067092A1
• Filed: 09/15/2009
• Published: 03/17/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Welch Allyn Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Welch Allyn Incorporated
• Inventors: Baker, Steven D., Petersen, Eric G.
• Granted Patent: US 9,077,544 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/6
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/31 User authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/80 Wireless
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0846 using time-dependent-passwords, e.g. periodically changing passwords
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3263 involving certificates, e.g. public key certificate [PKC] or attribute certificate [AC]; Public key infrastructure [PKI] arrangements network architectures or network communication protocols for supporting authentication of entities using certificates in a packet data network H04L63/0823
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/068 using credential vaults, e.g. password manager applications or one time password [OTP] applications

Abstract

Methods and systems of automatically provisioning authentication credentials on a plurality of network devices. The method may include determining a process for provisioning the authentication credentials for the plurality of devices. The process may include steps of gaining access to a network device, entering a command to reach a network service interface associated to the network device, indicating a location of the authentication credentials, and initiating installation of the authentication credentials. The method may also include providing a computer program to follow the process. The computer program may be a script that is automatically executed without a user intervention. The method may further include developing a list of the plurality of devices that need to be provisioned, associating the list of the plurality of devices to the computer program, executing the computer program for each device, and outputting whether each of the plurality of network devices has a successful authentication credential update.

Claims

1. A method of automatically provisioning authentication credentials on a plurality of network devices, comprising:

determining a process for provisioning the authentication credentials for the plurality of network devices;

providing a computer program to follow the process; and

applying the computer program to automatically provision the authentication credentials for the plurality of network devices.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the computer program is a script that is automatically executed without a user intervention.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the process includes steps of:

gaining access to a network device;

entering a command to reach a network service interface associated to the network device;

indicating a location of the authentication credentials; and

initiating installation of the authentication credentials.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising developing a list of the plurality of network devices that need to be provisioned.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein applying the computer program includes:

associating the plurality of network devices to the computer program through a database or data file; and

executing the computer program for each device.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising outputting to a display, report, database, or data file whether the plurality of network devices have a successful authentication credential update or not.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of network devices include multiple different types of network devices.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein provisioning authentication credentials includes provisioning authentication credentials on the multiple different types of network devices having different authentication credentials.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of network devices are wireless network devices.

10. A computer-readable storage medium containing computer executable instructions which when executed by a computer perform a method of automatically provisioning authentication credentials on a plurality of network devices, comprising:

determining a process for provisioning the authentication credentials for the plurality of network devices;

providing a computer program to follow the process; and

applying the computer program to automatically provision the authentication credentials for the plurality of network devices.

11. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein the computer program is a script that is automatically executed without a user intervention.

12. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein the process includes steps of:

gaining access to a network device;

entering a command to reach a network service interface associated to the network device;

indicating a location of the authentication credentials; and

initiating installation of the authentication credentials.

13. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 10, further comprising developing a list of the plurality of network devices that need to be provisioned.

14. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein applying the computer program includes:

associating the plurality of network devices to the computer program through a database or data file; and

executing the computer program for each device.

15. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 10, further comprising outputting the status of the plurality of network devices, including network devices that have a successful authentication credential update, and network devices that require further attention.

16. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein the plurality of network devices include multiple different types of network devices.

17. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein provisioning authentication credentials includes provisioning authentication credentials on the multiple different types of network devices having different authentication credentials.

18. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein the plurality of network devices are wireless network devices.

19. A method of automatically provisioning authentication credentials on a plurality of network devices, comprising:

determining a process for provisioning the authentication credentials for the plurality of devices, the process including steps of gaining access to a network device, entering a command to reach a network service interface associated to the network device, indicating a location of the authentication credentials, and initiating installation of the authentication credentials;

providing a computer program to follow the process, the computer program being a script that is automatically executed without a user intervention;

developing a list of the plurality of devices that need to be provisioned;

associating the list of the plurality of devices to the computer program;

executing the computer program for each device; and

outputting whether each of the plurality of network devices has a successful or unsuccessful authentication credential update.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the plurality of devices include one or more different types of wireless, networked devices, and the authentication credentials are different for at least two or more of the plurality of network devices.