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

• US 7,552,202 B2
• Filed: 03/10/2005
• Issued: 06/23/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/10/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Howe, Brian Keith, Brown, Michael Wilfrid, Sethuraman, Radhakrishnan, Silveyra, Manuel
• Primary Examiner(s): Pwu; Jeffrey
• Assistant Examiner(s): AMPAGOOMIAN, DAVID S
• Application Number:
  US11/077,286
• Publication Number:
  US 20060206594A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,566 Days
• Field of Search: 709220-222, 709/239, 717/177
• 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, at a configuration server, an initialization message from the computing device, 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, wherein the computing device is pre-installed with default configuration information at a central location and wherein the first destination is identified in the configuration information by a dummy address;

extracting, at the configuration server, an external router address from the initialization message, wherein the external router address is associated with the specific branch, wherein the external router address is appended to the initialization message by the router associated with the specific branch in response to receiving the initialization message from the computing device, and wherein the router receives the initialization message from the computing device, extracts a destination identifier from the initialization message, determines that the destination address is the dummy address, recognizes the dummy address as a configuration address, and redirects the initialization message to the configuration server responsive to the destination address being the dummy address;

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, or a database server, identifying a corresponding branch identifier;

performing a lookup of the branch identifier in a configuration table identifying branch-specific configuration information for the computing device based on the external router address; and

sending the branch-specific configuration information from the configuration server to the computing device to thereby configure the computing device,

wherein the computing device self-configures using the configuration information for specialized use in the specific branch.

2. 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.

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

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

instructions for receiving, at a configuration server, an initialization message from the computing device, 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, wherein the computing device is pre-installed with default configuration information at a central location and wherein the first destination is identified in the configuration information by a dummy address;

instructions for extracting, at the configuration server, an external router address from the initialization message, wherein the external router address is associated with the specific branch, wherein the external router address is appended to the initialization message by the router associated with the specific branch in response to receiving the initialization message from the computing device, and wherein the router receives the initialization message from the computing device, extracts a destination identifier from the initialization message, determines that the destination address is the dummy address, recognizes the dummy address as a configuration address, and redirects the initialization message to the configuration server responsive to the destination address being the dummy address;

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, or a database server, identifying a corresponding branch identifier;

instructions for performing a lookup of the branch identifier in a configuration table identifying branch-specific configuration information for the computing device based on the external router address; and

instructions for sending the branch-specific configuration information from the configuration server to the computing device to thereby configure the computing device,

wherein the computing device self-configures using the configuration information for specialized use in the specific branch.

5. The computer program product of claim 4, 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.

6. The computer program product of claim 4, wherein the computing device is one of a server computing device and a client computing device.

7. 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 distributed enterprise, wherein the computing device is pre-installed with default configuration information at a central location and wherein the first destination is identified in the configuration information by a dummy address;

a router associated with the specific branch;

a database server; and

a configuration computing device coupled to the router via one or more data networks,

wherein the router is configured to;

receive an initialization message from the computing device;

append an external router address in response to receiving the initialization message from the computing device;

extract a destination identifier from the initialization message;

determine that the destination address is the dummy address;

recognize the dummy address as a configuration address; and

redirect the initialization message to the configuration server responsive to the destination address being the dummy address;

wherein the configuration computing device is configured to;

receive the initialization message from the computing device via the router, 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 the router;

extract the external router address from the initialization message;

perform a lookup of the external router address in the database server identifying a corresponding branch identifier;

perform a lookup of the branch identifier in a configuration table identifying branch-specific configuration information for the computing device based on the external router address; and

send the branch-specific configuration information to the computing device to thereby configure the computing device; and

wherein the computing device self-configures using the configuration information for specialized use in the specific branch.

8. The system of claim 7, 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.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the computing device is one of a server computing device and a client computing device.