System and method for secure and efficient universal port configuration

• Main Authors: VIRIATO LUIS A, OSLER BRUCE P
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 22.04.2003
• Edition: 7
• Subjects: ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE; ELECTRICITY; TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHICCOMMUNICATION

A system and method for providing secure and efficient configuration of port devices. The system identifies a user of the system and associates the identified user with a particular account group. Each account group is associated with one of a plurality of service templates maintained within each port device or group of port devices. Messages via a control or administration path are used to select the service template associated with the user. The selected service template is then used to configure the port device according the configuration parameters defined for the template according to the user's account group. A separate data path is provided for communicating port data and providing port services once the port has been configured according to the service template. By separating the control path for administrative configuration from the data path for port services, the security of the configuration of the port devices is thereby significantly increased.