Configuration of headless devices using configuration service

A headless device, comprising:

• a DHCP server address storage to store a DHCP server address;
• a communication mechanism for performing communications;
• a routable address determination mechanism to retrieve the DHCP server address from storage and to utilize the communication mechanism to obtain a routable address from the DHCP server;
• a self-initiated configuration mechanism, within the headless device, for configuring the headless device via a configuration service mechanism through the communication mechanism by sending a configure service request to a configuration service mechanism across a network, the service request asking for a configuration specification corresponding to the headless device and receiving the configuration specification from the configuration service mechanism, the headless device being identified by the routable address.

A computer-readable medium encoded with a program for configuring a headless device, the program, when executed, causing:

• retrieving a pre-stored DHCP address from DHCP address storage in the headless device;
• transmitting a request to the DHCP server using the pre-stored DHCP address to obtain a routable address for the headless device;
• sending, by a self-initiated configuration mechanism in a headless device, a configure service request to a configuration service mechanism across a network, the service request asking for a configuration specification corresponding to the headless device, the headless device being identified by the routable address;
• receiving from the configuration service mechanism, the configuration specification to the self-initiated configuration mechanism, at the headless device;
• and
• configuring, by the self-initiated configuration mechanism in the headless device, the headless device according to the configuration specification received from the configuration service mechanism.

A method for configuring a headless device, comprising:

• requesting, from a DHCP server, a routable IP address;
• selecting a stored routable IP address from an alternative routable address storage at the headless device if the requesting of the routable IP address from the DHCP server was not successful;
• sending, by a self-initiated configuration mechanism in the headless device, a configure service request to a configuration service mechanism across a network, the service request asking for a configuration specification corresponding to the headless device;
• and
• receiving from the configuration service mechanism, the configuration specification to the self-initiated configuration mechanism at the headless device and configuring the headless device according to the configuration specification.

A computer-readable medium encoded with a program for configuring a headless device, the program, when executed, causes the headless device to:

• request, from a DHCP server, a routable IP address;
• select a stored routable IP address from an alternative routable address storage at the headless device if the requesting of the routable IP address from the DHCP server was not successful;
• send, by a self-initiated configuration mechanism in the headless device, a configure service request to a configuration service mechanism across a network, the service request asking for a configuration specification corresponding to the headless device;
• and
• receive from the configuration service mechanism, the configuration specification to the self-initiated configuration mechanism at the headless device and configuring the headless device according to the configuration specification.

A headless device, comprising:

• an alternative routable address storage, located within the headless device, for storing an alternative routable address;
• a routable address determination mechanism for requesting a routable address from a DHCP server and for retrieving an alternative routable address from the alternative routable address storage on the headless device if the requesting of the routable address from the DHCP server was not successful from the DHCP server;
• and
• a self-initiated configuration mechanism, within the headless device, for configuring the headless device via a configuration service mechanism through the communication mechanism by sending a configure service request to a configuration service mechanism across a network, the service request asking for a configuration specification corresponding to the headless device and receiving the configuration specification from the configuration service mechanism, the headless device being identified by the routable address.