Physical key security management method and apparatus for information systems

A method for the secure installation and use of an information system comprising a plurality of nodes, where said plurality of nodes include at least one information appliance and at least one security console, said method comprising steps of:

• providing at least one data-carrying object containing security-related data;
• inserting the data-carrying object into a selected one of a plurality of object receptacles that comprises a portion of at least one of the nodes, wherein the selected object receptacle is one of two or more of said receptacles that are connected to said security console, the data-carrying object being inserted into the selected receptacle that reads out the security-related data;
• and
• based on the security-related data and the selected object receptacle, establishing a network security policy that determines a desired security configuration of said information system with respect to said information appliance and said security console.

Apparatus for the secure installation and use of an information system comprising:

• a plurality of nodes, where said plurality of nodes includes at least one information appliance and at least one security console,
• at least first and second physical data-carrying objects each containing security-related data;
• and
• a first object receptacle and a second object receptacle that are connected to said security console, a third object receptacle connected to said information appliance, said first physical data-carrying object being inserted into a selected one of said first and second object receptacles that reads out the associated security-related data, said second physical data-carrying object being inserted into said third object receptacle that reads out associated security-related data, wherein based on said security-related data and said selected one of said first and second object receptacles said security console establishes a network policy that determines a desired security configuration of said information system, and wherein said security configuration gives access to a resource of one of said information system by said information appliance and said information appliance by said security console.