The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Apr. 29, 2008
Filed:
Oct. 06, 2003
Steven Evans, Bucks, GB;
James E. King, Berkshire, GB;
Martin Mayhead, Surrey, GB;
Karen Roles, Surrey, GB;
Steven Evans, Bucks, GB;
James E. King, Berkshire, GB;
Martin Mayhead, Surrey, GB;
Karen Roles, Surrey, GB;
Sun Microsystems, Inc., Santa Clara, CA (US);
Abstract
A method and apparatus are provided for passing configuration information over a network. In one embodiment, the configuration information is passed between a DHCP server and a DHCP client and includes parameters not formally defined within DHCP. The parameters are therefore encoded into a vendor-specific portion of a DHCP message using at least one triplet comprising a code field, a length field, and a value field. The value field comprises a set of one or more name-value pairs. The code field includes an indication of encryption of the value field. In another embodiment, a fixed-function appliance device is attached to a network, and is booted using boot code and a configuration stored locally to the device. The device then downloads a network configuration, which is compared to the locally stored configuration. If the network configuration is different from the locally stored configuration, the network configuration is stored locally to the device. The device is then rebooted using the stored network configuration.