Distribution of preferences, provisioning and entitlements in clustered, distributed entertainment networks

A method of configuring a home entertainment network terminal at a subscriber site, comprising:

• provisioning the home entertainment network terminal by using DHCP services to obtain a unique terminal identifier, wherein the DHCP services use DHCP option 43 to define a scope of the subscriber site, wherein the DHCP services use DHCP option 15 to define a unique sub-domain name for the subscriber site, and wherein the DHCP services use DHCP option 12 to define a common host name for the terminal;
• carrying out a discovery process by attempting to contact each terminal in the sub-domain within the scope defined by DHCP option;
• for at least one terminal identified in the discovery process, synchronizing a transactional based database with a database of the identified terminal, the identified terminal having a database carrying a most recent time stamp, and wherein the identified terminal has either a lowest or highest ordered identifier;
• listing the identified terminal in a list of active terminals in the sub-domain;
• and
• determining that a re-discovery time has arrived and repeating the carrying out the discovery process and the synchronizing.

A home entertainment network terminal, comprising:

• a network interface that receives content and data from a network;
• a display interface that carries content from the network to a display for viewing by a user;
• a database;
• a processor, coupled to the network interface, that operates under programmed control to:
• provision the home entertainment network terminal by using network DHCP services to obtain a unique terminal identifier, wherein the DHCP services use DHCP option 43 to define a scope of the subscriber site, wherein the DHCP services use DHCP option 15 to define a unique sub-domain name for the subscriber site, and wherein the DHCP services use DHCP option 12 to define a common host name for the terminal;
• carry out a discovery process by attempting to contact each terminal in the sub-domain within the scope defined by DHCP option;
• and
• for at least one terminal identified in the discovery process, synchronize the database with a database of the identified terminal.

A home entertainment network terminal, comprising:

• means for provisioning the home entertainment network terminal by using DHCP services to obtain a unique terminal identifier;
• means for carrying out a discovery process by attempting to contact each terminal in the sub-domain within the scope defined by DHCP option;
• and
• means for synchronizing a database with a database of the identified terminal.

A computer readable storage medium storing instructions which, when executed on a programmed processor, carry out a process of configuring a home entertainment network terminal at a subscriber site, comprising:

• provisioning a home entertainment network terminal by using DHCP services to obtain a unique terminal identifier;
• means for carrying out a discovery process by attempting to contact each terminal in the sub-domain within the scope defined by DHCP option;
• and
• means for synchronizing a database with a database of the identified terminal.

A method of configuring a home entertainment network terminal at a subscriber site, comprising:

• provisioning a home entertainment network terminal by using DHCP services to obtain a unique terminal identifier;
• carrying out a discovery process by attempting to contact each terminal in the sub-domain within the scope defined by DHCP option;
• and
• synchronizing a database with a database of the identified terminal.