* It will provide the manufacturers of networkable devices, such as PCs, cameras, routers/gateways, storage, media players, printers, and others access to Cisco s HNAP and will allow them to extend the license into their products. 

* It will establish an ecosystem of vendors of interoperable networkable products that can work together so that customers can experience the full potential of the media enabled home that include easy set up, device discovery, management, wireless security, and  remote access.

Cisco DCP will provide manufacturers with the verification and license to use HNAP in their networkable devices.  Some benefits that Cisco claims the DCP licensee provides are:

* Allows to build own network administration tools and applications that can take advantage of the HNAP protocol  and open up their devices for integrated control and configuration with other HNAP-based applications.

* Accurate topology discovery within Cisco s Network Management Software suite

* Access to tools and platform technologies for building their own consumer applications (setup, management, etc.) to take advantage of HNAP devices

* Ability to communicate directly with Cisco consumer products including Linksys by Cisco routers (which include Network Magic) or other routers/gateways and program settings for custom task extensibility

* Certification and assurance that their product(s) will work not only with all of the new Linksys by Cisco home networking technologies, but also with other devices that use HNAP as a discovery and communications method along with Network Magic software.

* There are no licensing fees required.

Related Links:

Home Networking to Create Smart Homes