Apparatus and accompanying methods for providing, through a centralized server site, an integrated virtual office environment, remotely accessible via a network-connected web browser, with remote network monitoring and management capabilities

• US 20010047406A1
• Filed: 04/13/2001
• Published: 11/29/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 04/13/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AEP Networks, Inc. (AEP Networks Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Netilla Networks, Inc. (AEP Networks Ltd.)
• Inventors: Heitmueller, Devin J., Best, Reginald P., Araujo, Kenneth S., Douglas, Christopher P., Zhang, Siuling C., Isayev, Gamid
• Granted Patent: US 6,981,041 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/223
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0213 Standardised network management protocols, e.g. simple network management protocol [SNMP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0253 using browsers or web-pages for accessing management information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0266 using meta-data, objects or commands for formatting management information, e.g. using eXtensible markup language [XML]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0442 wherein the sending and receiving network entities apply asymmetric encryption, i.e. different keys for encryption and decryption cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for public-key encryption H04L9/30
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/123 received data contents, e.g. message integrity
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/168 above the transport layer
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/08 Protocols for interworking; Protocol conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

Apparatus and accompanying methods for use therein for implementing an integrated, virtual office user environment, through an office server(s), through which a remotely stationed user can access typical office network-based applications, including e-mail, file sharing and hosted thin-client programs, through a remotely located network, e.g., WAN, connected web browser. Specifically, a front end, namely a service enablement platform (SEP), to one or more office servers on a LAN is connected to both the WAN and LAN and acts both as a bridge between the user and his(her) office applications and as a protocol translator to enable bi-directional, web-based, real-time communication to occur between the browser and each such application. The SEP translates user input originating from the browser into application-specific protocols and applies a result to a corresponding office application server.

Claims

1. Apparatus for monitoring a local area network (LAN) through a remote administrative web site, the apparatus comprising:

a service enablement platform (SEP) for connection to the LAN and for connection, through a wide area network (WAN) connection, to the administrative web site, wherein the SEP comprises;

a processor;

a memory, connected to the processor, for storing computer executable instructions therein; and

first and second network interfaces, operable in conjunction with the processor, for communicatively interfacing the SEP, through a first network connection, to the WAN and, through a second network connection, to the LAN, respectively;

wherein the processor, in response to execution of the instructions;

continually monitors operational status of a monitored entity so as to detect an alarm condition resulting from an operational failure in the monitored entity, the monitored entity comprising the SEP, at least one of the first and second connections or at least one of a plurality of servers residing on the LAN;

generates, in response to the alarm condition, an alarm message containing information related to the alarm condition;

converts the alarm message into a predefined format suitable for communication over a web connection so as to yield a web-communicable alarm message; and

transmits the web-communicable alarm message, via the WAN interface and the first network connection, to the administrative web site which, in response to receipt of the web-communicable alarm message;

extracts the alarm information from the web-communicable alarm message so as to define extracted alarm information; and

updates a record in a database, maintained by the administrative web site and associated with the SEP, to reflect the extracted alarm information.

2. The apparatus in

claim 1

wherein the processor, in response to execution of the stored instructions:

forms an HTTP message containing the alarm information; and

encrypts the HTTP message to form the web-communicable message.

3. The apparatus in

claim 2

wherein the SEP further comprises a web client executed by the processor and the administrative web site comprises a web server with the HTTP message being transported, via the WAN and over a web connection, from the web client to the web server.

4. The apparatus in

claim 2

wherein the processor, in response to execution of the stored instructions, signs the HTTP message using a private key associated with the SEP prior to encrypting the HTTP message.

5. The apparatus in

claim 4

wherein the processor, in response to execution of the stored instructions:

converts the alarm information in the alarm message into extensible markup language (XML); and

forms the HTTP message as containing the XML.

6. The apparatus in

claim 5

wherein the processor, in response to execution of the stored instructions:

converts the alarm information message in the alarm message into a corresponding WDDX hash structure; and

translates the WDDX hash structure into the XML.

7. The apparatus in

claim 6

wherein the XML, into which the WDDX hash structure is converted, is serialized.

8. The apparatus in

claim 4

wherein the administrative web site in response to receiving the HTTP message:

decrypts the HTTP message so as to define a decrypted HTTP message;

authenticates the decrypted HTTP message using a signature contained within HTTP message; and

if the decrypted HTTP message is authentic, updates the record in the database in response to the alarm information carried in decrypted HTTP message.

9. The apparatus in

claim 8

wherein the administrative web site:

converts XML contained within the decrypted HTTP message into a received WDDX hash structure; and

updates the record in the database in response to alarm information contained in the received WDDX hash structure.

10. The apparatus in

claim 1

further comprising the administrative web site wherein the database contains a plurality of customer records, where each of the plurality of customer records is associated with a corresponding one of a plurality of different SEPs and each of the different SEPs is associated with a different one of a plurality of LANs such that all of said LANs are monitored through the administrative web site.

11. The apparatus in

claim 1

wherein the WAN comprises either a private or a publicly-accessible communications network.

12. The apparatus in

claim 11

wherein the publicly accessible communications network is the Internet.

13. The apparatus in

claim 1

wherein the processor, in response to the stored instructions and if a plurality of alarm messages exists, prioritizes and queues each of the plurality of alarm messages from the SEP for transmission to the administrative web site.

14. The apparatus in

claim 1

wherein the administrative web site downloads to the memory in the SEP a corresponding pre-defined configuration profile which specifies an operational and network environment of the LAN for subsequent use in initializing the SEP.

15. The apparatus in

claim 14

wherein the profile is communicated through an HTTP message between the administrative web site and the SEP.

16. The apparatus in

claim 15

wherein the SEP further comprises a web client executed by the processor and the administrative web site comprises a web server with the HTTP message being transported, via the WAN and over a web connection, from the web client to the web server.

17. The apparatus in

claim 15

wherein the administrative web site signs the HTTP message using a private key associated with the administrative web site prior to encrypting the HTTP message.

18. The apparatus in

claim 17

wherein the administrative web site:

converts the profile into extensible markup language (XML); and

forms the HTTP message as containing the XML.

19. The apparatus in

claim 18

wherein the administrative web site:

converts the profile into a corresponding WDDX hash structure; and

translates the WDDX hash structure into the XML.

20. The apparatus in

claim 19

wherein the XML, into which the WDDX hash structure is converted, is serialized.

21. The apparatus in

claim 17

wherein the processor, in response to receiving the HTTP message from the administrative web site, and in response to the stored instructions:

decrypts the HTTP message so as to define a decrypted HTTP message;

authenticates the decrypted HTTP message using a signature contained within HTTP message; and

if the decrypted HTTP message is authentic, stores the profile contained in the decrypted HTTP message in a database associated with the SEP.

22. The apparatus in

claim 21

wherein the processor, in response to the stored instructions:

converts XML contained within the decrypted HTTP message into a received WDDX hash structure; and

updates the database in the SEP using the profile contained in the received WDDX hash structure.

23. The apparatus in

claim 14

further comprising the administrative web site wherein the database contains a plurality of customer records, where each of the plurality of customer records being associated with a corresponding one of a plurality of different SEPs, and each of the different SEPs being associated with a different one of a plurality of LANs such that all of said LANs are monitored through the administrative web site, and said each of the customer records having a separate configuration profile associated with said one of said LANs.

24. A method for use in apparatus for monitoring a local area network (LAN) through a remote administrative web site, the apparatus having:

a service enablement platform (SEP) for connection to the LAN and for connection, through a wide area network (WAN) connection, to the administrative web site, wherein the SEP comprises;

a processor;

a memory, connected to the processor, for storing computer executable instructions therein; and

first and second network interfaces, operable in conjunction with the processor, for communicatively interfacing the SEP, through a first network connection, to the WAN and, through a second network connection, to the LAN, respectively;

the method comprising the steps, performed by the processor and in response to execution of the stored instructions, of;

continually monitoring operational status of a monitored entity so as to detect an alarm condition resulting from an operational failure in the monitored entity, the monitored entity comprising the SEP, at least one of the first and second connections or at least one of a plurality of servers residing on the LAN;

generating, in response to the alarm condition, an alarm message containing information related to the alarm condition;

converting the alarm message into a predefined format suitable for communication over a web connection so as to yield a web-communicable alarm message; and

transmitting the web-communicable alarm message, via the WAN interface and the first network connection, to the administrative web site which, in response to receipt of the web-communicable alarm message;

extracts the alarm information from the web-communicable alarm message so as to define extracted alarm information; and

updates a record in a database, maintained by the administrative web site and associated with the SEP, to reflect the extracted alarm information.

25. The method of

claim 24

further comprising the steps, performed by the processor, of:

forming an HTTP message containing the alarm information; and

encrypting the HTTP message to form the web-communicable message.

26. The method of

claim 25

wherein the SEP further comprises a web client executed by the processor and the administrative web site comprises a web server, and the method further comprises the step of transporting the HTTP message, via the WAN and over a web connection, from the web client to the web server.

27. The method of

claim 25

further comprising the step, performed by the processor, of signing the HTTP message using a private key associated with the SEP prior to encrypting the HTTP message.

28. The method of

claim 27

further comprising the steps, performed by the processor, of:

converting the alarm information in the alarm message into extensible markup language (XML); and

forming the HTTP message as containing the XML.

29. The method of

claim 28

further comprising the steps, performed by the processor, of:

converting the alarm information message in the alarm message into a corresponding WDDX hash structure; and

translating the WDDX hash structure into the XML.

30. The method of

claim 29

wherein the XML, into which the WDDX hash structure is converted, is serialized.

31. The method of

claim 27

further comprising the steps, performed by administrative web site in response to receiving the HTTP message, of:

decrypting the HTTP message so as to define a decrypted HTTP message;

authenticating the decrypted HTTP message using a signature contained within HTTP message; and

if the decrypted HTTP message is authentic, updates the record in the database in response to the alarm information carried in decrypted HTTP message.

32. The method of

claim 31

further comprising the steps, performed by the administrative web site, of:

converting XML contained within the decrypted HTTP message into a received WDDX hash structure; and

updating the record in the database in response to alarm information contained in the received WDDX hash structure.

33. The method of

claim 24

wherein the database contains a plurality of customer records, where each of the plurality of customer records is associated with a corresponding one of a plurality of different SEPs and each of the different SEPs is associated with a different one of a plurality of LANs such that all of said LANs are monitored through the administrative web site.

34. The method in

claim 24

wherein the WAN comprises either a private or a publicly-accessible communications network.

35. The method in

claim 34

wherein the publicly accessible communications network is the Internet.

36. The method in

claim 34

further comprising the step, performed by the processor, of if a plurality of alarm messages exists, prioritizing and queuing each of the plurality of alarm messages from the SEP for transmission to the administrative web site.

37. The method of

claim 24

further comprising the step, performed by the administrative web site, of downloading to the memory in the SEP a corresponding pre-defined configuration profile which specifies an operational and network environment of the LAN for subsequent use in initializing the SEP.

38. The method of

claim 37

further comprising the step of communicating the profile through an HTTP message between the administrative web site and the SEP.

39. The method of

claim 38

wherein the SEP further comprises a web client executed by the processor and the administrative web site comprises a web server, and the method comprises the step of transporting the HTTP message, via the WAN and over a web connection, from the web client to the web server.

40. The method of

claim 38

further comprising the step, performed by the administrative web site, of signing the HTTP message using a private key associated with the web site prior to encrypting the HTTP message.

41. The method of

claim 40

further comprising the steps, performed by the administrative web site, of:

converting the profile into extensible markup language (XML); and

forming the HTTP message as containing the XML.

42. The method of

claim 41

further comprising the steps, performed by the administrative web site, of:

converting the profile into a corresponding WDDX hash structure; and

translating the WDDX hash structure into the XML.

43. The method in

claim 42

wherein the XML, into which the WDDX hash structure is converted, is serialized.

44. The method in

claim 40

further comprising the step, performed by the processor in response to receiving the HTTP message from the administrative web site and in response to the stored instructions, of:

decrypting the HTTP message so as to define a decrypted HTTP message;

authenticating the decrypted HTTP message using a signature contained within HTTP message; and

if the decrypted HTTP message is authentic, storing the profile contained in the decrypted HTTP message in a database associated with the SEP.

45. The method of

claim 44

further comprising the steps, performed by the processor, of:

converting XML contained within the decrypted HTTP message into a received WDDX hash structure; and

updating the database in the SEP using the profile contained in the received WDDX hash structure.

46. The method of

claim 37

wherein the database in the administrative web site contains a plurality of customer records, where each of the plurality of customer records being associated with a corresponding one of a plurality of different SEPs, and each of the different SEPs being associated with a different one of a plurality of LANs such that all of said LANs are monitored through the administrative web site, and said each of the customer records having a separate configuration profile associated with said one of said LANs.