Automatic configuration system and method

• US 7,734,735 B2
• Filed: 11/01/2002
• Issued: 06/08/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Beeman, Edward S., Devlin, William L., Piepho, Allen J., Boerger, Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Follansbee; John
• Assistant Examiner(s): Divecha; Kamal B
• Application Number:
  US10/285,771
• Publication Number:
  US 20040088402A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,776 Days
• Field of Search: 709/220, 709/224, 709/223
• US Class Current: 709/220
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]

Abstract

One aspect of the invention is an automatic configuration method. The method comprises monitoring a network for data sent by a server in response to a configuring notice, receiving the data, and automatically configuring a processing platform to the network based on the data. Another aspect of the invention is an automatic configuration system. The system comprises a processing platform and application logic operatively associated with the processing platform. The application is operable to monitor a network for data sent by a server in response to a configuring notice, receive the data, and automatically configure the processing platform to the network based on the data.

Claims

1. An automatic configuration method, comprising:

sending, by a first processing platform, a configuring notice over a network;

monitoring, by a second processing platform, the network for data sent by a server in response to the configuring notice;

receiving the data at the second processing platform; and

automatically configuring the second processing platform to the network based on the data.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein monitoring a network further comprises monitoring an Ethernet network.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the automatically configuring comprises at least one of the group consisting of identifying a domain name server for the second processing platform and identifying a proxy server number for the second processing platform.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving data over the network comprises receiving the data from a router electronically connected to a web site.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein automatically configuring the second processing platform comprises automatically configuring an appliance.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving the configuring notice at a website.

7. An automatic configuration system, comprising:

a first processing platform; and

application logic operatively associated with the first processing platform and operable to;

monitor a network for data sent by a server in response to a configuring notice sent over the network by a second processing platform;

receive the data; and

automatically configure the first processing platform to the network based on the data.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the logic automatically configures by performing at least one of the group consisting of identifying a domain name server for the first processing platform and identifying a proxy server number for the first processing platform.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the logic is operable to receive data over the network from a router electronically connected to a website.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein the application logic automatically configures the first processing platform by automatically configuring an appliance.

11. The system of claim 7, wherein the configuring notice is received at a website.

12. An automatic configuration application, comprising:

a computer-readable medium; and

a software application resident on the computer-readable medium and operable to;

monitor a network for data sent by a server in response to a configuring notice sent over the network by a first processing platform;

receive the data; and

automatically configure a second processing platform to the network based on the data.

13. The application of claim 12, wherein the network is an Ethernet network.

14. The application of claim 12, wherein the software automatically configures by performing at least one of the group consisting of identifying a domain name server for the second processing platform and identifying a proxy server number for the second processing platform.

15. The application of claim 12, wherein the software receives data over the network by receiving the data from a router electronically connected to a web site.

16. The application of claim 12, wherein the second processing platform comprises an appliance.

17. The application of claim 12, wherein the data comprises Domain Name Server (DNS) information.