Secure and adaptive mechanism to provision zero- touch network devices

A method, comprising:

• determining whether a network device can connect to a network via device-resident Ethernet communications and whether the network device can connect via Wi-Fi;
• based on a determination that of the network device cannot connect to the network via device-resident Ethernet communications and can connect via Wi-Fi, automatically and without user intervention:
• invoking zero touch provisioning to onboard the network device to operate on the network by communicating with an intermediate network device operative on the network using authentication information associated with the network device, wherein the intermediate device, prior to the determining whether the network device can connect to the network via device-resident Ethernet communications, receives bootstrapping information of the network device, wherein the authentication information is based on the bootstrapping information, and wherein the authentication information authenticates the network device to the backend insight system;
• connecting the network device to a backend network insight system via the intermediate network device and the network;
• and
• configuring the network device based on operating parameters received from the backend network insight system;
• and
• operating the network device on the network in accordance with the operating parameters.

A sensor operable on a network, comprising:

• a processor;
• and
• a memory operatively connected to the processor and including instructions that when executed, cause the processor to:
• determine whether the sensor can connect to the network via device-resident Ethernet communications and whether the sensor can connect via Wi-Fi;
• based on a determination that the sensor that the network device cannot connect to the network via device-resident Ethernet communications and can connect via Wi-Fi, automatically and without user intervention:
• invoke zero touch provisioning,
• transmit a presence announcement message to at least an intermediate network device operative on the network, and
• engage in an authentication procedure with the intermediate network device using authentication information associated with the network device, the intermediate network device having, prior to the determining whether the sensor can connect to the network via device-resident Ethernet communications, received bootstrapping information associated with the sensor from a backend network insight system, wherein the backend network insight system stores bootstrapping information for a plurality of network devices, wherein the authentication information is based on the bootstrapping information, and wherein the authentication information authenticates the network device to the backend insight system;
• connect to the backend network insight system via the intermediate network device and the network;
• and
• configure the sensor based on operating parameters received from the backend network insight system;
• and
• operate on the network in accordance with the operating parameters.