System and Method for installing Authentication Credentials On a Network Device

A system for installing authentication credentials on a network device, comprising:

• an intermediary computing device;
• an endpoint coupled to the intermediary computing device;
• a secure website coupled to the intermediary computing device using a network, wherein the secure website is enabled to verify website validation information before downloading an application onto the intermediary computing device from the secure website;
• and
• a Network Access Control (NAC) credential service coupled to the intermediary computing device using the network, wherein the NAC credential service is enabled to provide authentication credentials to the application for installation on the endpoint;
• and
• wherein the application is enabled to request authentication credentials from NAC credential service, pass authentication credentials from NAC credential service to the endpoint, and install the authentication credentials on the endpoint.

A computer readable medium having executable code embodied on the medium for providing instructions for installing authentication credentials on a network device, comprising:

• computer readable program code configured to validate website validation information using a secure website before downloading an application from the secure website;
• computer readable program code configured to download the application from the secure website onto an intermediary computing device;
• computer readable program code configured to request authentication credentials from a Network Access Control (NAC) credential service using the application;
• computer readable program code configured to pass the authentication credentials from the NAC credential service through the intermediary computing device to an endpoint using the application;
• and
• computer readable program code configured to install the authentication credentials on the endpoint with the application.

A method for installing authentication credentials on a network device, comprising:

• validating website validation information via a secure website to provide permission to the secure website for downloading an application;
• downloading the application from the secure website onto an intermediary computing device;
• requesting authentication credentials by providing a user-entered endpoint identifier to a Network Access Control (NAC) credential service using the application;
• validating an endpoint with the NAC credential service by comparing an electronically-retrieved endpoint identifier against the user-entered endpoint identifier, wherein the application obtains the electronically-retrieved endpoint identifier from the endpoint and delivers the electronically-retrieved endpoint identifier to the NAC credential service;
• passing the authentication credentials from the NAC credential service through the intermediary computing device to the endpoint using the application;
• installing the authentication credentials on the endpoint using the application;
• connecting the endpoint to a port of an authenticating network switch, wherein authentication protocols of the port are enabled;
• and
• accessing a private network service via a Remote Authentication Dial-In User Service (RADIUS) server and the authenticating network switch.