A system, method and article of manufacture are provided for secure operation of a network device. A digital certificate is assigned to a network user. A command for operation of a network device and the digital certificate are received from the network user. A cryptographic key stored in the network device is utilized to authenticate the digital certificate of the network user. Operation of the network device is enabled if the digital certificate of the network user is authenticated. According to another aspect of the present invention, a system, method and article of manufacture are provided for secure identification of a network device. A digital certificate is assigned to a network device. A command for operation of the network device is received from a network user. The digital certificate is sent to the network user. The network user utilizes a cryptographic key to authenticate the digital certificate of the network device. Operation of the network device is enabled if the digital certificate of the network device is authenticated. In another embodiment of the present invention, a system, method and article of manufacture are provided for secure management of a network device. Policy information and/or a computational protocol are associated with a command for the network device. The policy information and/or computational protocols are encrypted, sent to the network device, and decrypted. The network device utilizing the policy information and/or computational protocols processes the command.