# US 2023/0056321 A1 · Automated provisioning of endpoint devices with management connectivity > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2023/0056321 A1 - Document ID: US20230056321A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 17/977,661 - Filed: 2022-10-31 - Published: 2023-02-23 - Earliest claimed: 2021-07-19 - Assignees: Cisco Technology, Inc. - Applicants: Cisco Technology, Inc. - Inventors: Abhijit Vijay Warkhedi; Sean Hagan; Michael Goff; Sreesha Kudoor; Sabari Girish S - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20230056321A1 ## CPC - H04L 41/0806: for initial configuration or provisioning, e.g. plug-and-play - G06F 9/45558: {Hypervisor-specific management and integration aspects} - G06F 15/161: {Computing infrastructure, e.g. computer clusters, blade chassis or hardware partitioning (casings, cabinets, racks or drawers for data centers H05K5/00)} - H04L 9/3247: {involving digital signatures} - H04L 41/046: comprising network management agents or mobile agents therefor - H04L 41/0886: {Fully automatic configuration} - H04L 41/12: Discovery or management of network topologies - H04L 41/5058: {Service discovery by the service manager} - H04L 67/51: Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services - G06F 2009/45595: {Network integration; Enabling network access in virtual machine instances} - H04L 41/40: using virtualisation of network functions or resources, e.g. SDN or NFV entities - Y02D 30/00: Reducing energy consumption in communication networks - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - Y02D: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES [ICT], I.E. INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES AIMING AT THE REDUCTION OF THEIR OWN ENERGY USE ## Abstract Techniques for automating the provisioning, configuring, and onboarding of network devices into a cloud management platform. The cloud management platform can be used to manage network devices that are provisioned in on-premise environments, cloud environments, and/or hybrid environments. However, it can be a cumbersome and error-prone process for a user to manually configure each of the network devices with connectivity settings needed to be managed by the cloud management platform. The techniques described herein provide an automated process to distribute connectivity information to the network devices to allow them to be managed by the cloud management platform. Once connected to the cloud management platform, the techniques described herein further include automating the process for attaching the network devices with the appropriate user account registered with the cloud management platform. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A computer-implemented method comprising: receiving, at a cloud management platform, a request to register an endpoint with a user account and as being connected to a fabric interconnect in a network fabric, the request including a signed security digest that has been signed by a private key associated with a fabric interconnect; storing an identifier of the endpoint in an onboarding account associated with the cloud management platform; validating, using a public key associated with the fabric interconnect, that the signed security digest was signed using the private key of the fabric interconnect; and moving the identifier of the endpoint to the user account such that the endpoint is registered with the user account. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising: establishing a connection between the endpoint and the cloud management platform, wherein the signed security digest is received from the endpoint and via the connection. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein: the fabric interconnect is a switch in the network fabric; the endpoint is a server connected to the switch; and the server receives contact information usable to connect to the cloud management platform in a Link-Layer Discovery Protocol (LLDP) packet where the contact information is included in one or more sub-Type-Length-Values (sub-TLVs) included in the LLDP packet. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the signed security digest is time-bound. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising providing the endpoint with access to configuration information of the fabric interconnect to configure the endpoint. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising: receiving, at the endpoint and from the fabric interconnect, an advertisement message that was sent using a discovery protocol; receiving, at the endpoint and from the fabric interconnect, the signed security digest; identifying, from the advertisement message, contact information associated with contacting a discovery service associated with the network fabric, wherein the discovery service provides connectivity information for connecting to a cloud management platform; using the contact information, obtaining connectivity information from a discovery service; establishing a connection between the endpoint and the cloud management platform using the connectivity information; and sending, from the endpoint, the signed security digest to the cloud management platform. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The computer-implemented method of claim 6, wherein: the endpoint is an Input/Output Module (IOM) fabric extender that is associated with the network fabric; the discovery protocol is a Satellite Discovery Protocol (SDP); and the contact information is included in an extension in packets sent via the SDP. ### Claim 8 A system comprising: one or more processors; and one or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising: receiving, at a cloud management platform, a request to register an endpoint with a user account and as being connected to a fabric interconnect in a network fabric, the request including a signed security digest that has been signed by a private key associated with a fabric interconnect; storing an identifier of the endpoint in an onboarding account associated with the cloud management platform; validating, using a public key associated with the fabric interconnect, that the signed security digest was signed using the private key of the fabric interconnect; and moving the identifier of the endpoint to the user account such that the endpoint is registered with the user account. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The system of claim 8, the operations further comprising: establishing a connection between the endpoint and the cloud management platform, wherein the signed security digest is received from the endpoint and via the connection. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The system of claim 8, wherein: the fabric interconnect is a switch in the network fabric; the endpoint is a server connected to the switch; and the server receives contact information usable to connect to the cloud management platform in a Link-Layer Discovery Protocol (LLDP) packet where the contact information is included in one or more sub-Type-Length-Values (sub-TLVs) included in the LLDP packet. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The system of claim 8, wherein the signed security digest is time-bound. ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) The system of claim 8, the operations further comprising providing the endpoint with access to configuration information of the fabric interconnect to configure the endpoint. ### Claim 13 (depends on 8) The system of claim 8, the operations further comprising: receiving, at the endpoint and from the fabric interconnect, an advertisement message that was sent using a discovery protocol; receiving, at the endpoint and from the fabric interconnect, the signed security digest; identifying, from the advertisement message, contact information associated with contacting a discovery service associated with the network fabric, wherein the discovery service provides connectivity information for connecting to a cloud management platform; using the contact information, obtaining connectivity information from a discovery service; establishing a connection between the endpoint and the cloud management platform using the connectivity information; and sending, from the endpoint, the signed security digest to the cloud management platform. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The system of claim 13, wherein: the endpoint is an Input/Output Module (IOM) fabric extender that is associated with the network fabric; the discovery protocol is a Satellite Discovery Protocol (SDP); and the contact information is included in an extension in packets sent via the SDP. ### Claim 15 One or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising: receiving, at a cloud management platform, a request to register an endpoint with a user account and as being connected to a fabric interconnect in a network fabric, the request including a signed security digest that has been signed by a private key associated with a fabric interconnect; storing an identifier of the endpoint in an onboarding account associated with the cloud management platform; validating, using a public key associated with the fabric interconnect, that the signed security digest was signed using the private key of the fabric interconnect; and moving the identifier of the endpoint to the user account such that the endpoint is registered with the user account. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 15, the operations further comprising: establishing a connection between the endpoint and the cloud management platform, wherein the signed security digest is received from the endpoint and via the connection. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 15, wherein: the fabric interconnect is a switch in the network fabric; the endpoint is a server connected to the switch; and the server receives contact information usable to connect to the cloud management platform in a Link-Layer Discovery Protocol (LLDP) packet where the contact information is included in one or more sub-Type-Length-Values (sub-TLVs) included in the LLDP packet. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 15, wherein the signed security digest is time-bound. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 15, the operations further comprising providing the endpoint with access to configuration information of the fabric interconnect to configure the endpoint. ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 15, the operations further comprising: receiving, at the endpoint and from the fabric interconnect, an advertisement message that was sent using a discovery protocol; receiving, at the endpoint and from the fabric interconnect, the signed security digest; identifying, from the advertisement message, contact information associated with contacting a discovery service associated with the network fabric, wherein the discovery service provides connectivity information for connecting to a cloud management platform; using the contact information, obtaining connectivity information from a discovery service; establishing a connection between the endpoint and the cloud management platform using the connectivity information; and sending, from the endpoint, the signed security digest to the cloud management platform.