| 摘要 |
A system and method for discovering devices connected to a communications network, such as the Internet, includes an agent and installation of the agent on a communications device of the network. The agent is installed on a delegate device, which may, but need not necessarily, be an administration device for the network. The delegate device discovers all other devices of the network, via the agent. The agent is also installed on each other networked device, either by direct installation or by pushing the agent to each other device by communications over the network from the delegate device after discovery. The delegate device, which may be the same device that discovers or another device so designated by delegation, deploys the agent on the other devices, including by delegating authority and capabilities to dictate operations by the other devices. The delegate device can delegate to each other device the ability to discover other networked devices, or not, and also can delegate other functions of the agent once deployed on the other devices. The delegate device (or devices, as the case may be), and the other devices on which are deployed the agent, are linked in communication over the network, for example, to communicate via TCP/IP protocols. The agent of the delegate device controls by delegation to the agent of the other devices, the permissible operations of the agent on the other devices. The agent of each device can be delegated authority and capability, by communications from the delegate device (which may, but need not necessarily be, an administration device for the network), to automatedly or otherwise download software patches and perform security compliance operations at each device.
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