Methods and systems for onboarding network equipment

A system comprising:

• an onboarding controller circuit for onboarding network equipment to a managed network, wherein the onboarding controller circuit is configured to:
• generate a challenge for the network equipment to be onboarded into the managed network, wherein the challenge comprises information relating to a configuration code to be made to the network equipment at the same location as the network equipment, wherein the configuration code comprises at least one action for configuring one or more connections to the network equipment, and wherein the configuration code is associated with time constraint information for performing the at least one action;
• send the challenge to a communication device different from the network equipment, wherein the challenge is sent over a connection that is different than a connection used in communicating with the network equipment, and wherein the communication device is at the same location as the network equipment;
• and
• verify, based on applying the configuration code, an identity of the network equipment.