Abstract: In some embodiments, an apparatus and method includes storing in a database at least one device record of an associated pair of parameters received from at least one client device during a provisioning of the at least one client device, with the associated pair of parameters including a build predefined identifier unique to the at least client device and a public key generated by the at least one client device. In response to an access-seeking client device seeking access to a private computer network, an authentication server receives a requested predefined identifier from the access-seeking client device and uses the requested predefined identifier to search the at least one device record in the database for a matched device record.