Method and system for automatically configuring a client-server network

• US 20020184349A1
• Filed: 06/01/2001
• Published: 12/05/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Resource Consortium Limited, LLC
• Original Assignee: Intergenix
• Inventors: Manukyan, Jacques A.
• Granted Patent: US 6,687,733 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/221
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44505 Configuring for program initiating, e.g. using registry, configuration files

Abstract

A system for automatically configuring server daemons in a client-server network for delivering services to a client is provided. The system comprises an interactive server in communication with a database server. The interactive server runs a server daemon to make a service available to a client. The server daemon is programmed to automatically locate, configure and edit predetermined system configuration files located in the interactive server, relative to account information associated with the client. The database server releasably retains the account information, and has a task program to generate executable and transferable tasks for use in configuring the predetermined system files. The client communicates with the interactive server through an external communications switch using a controller. The controller enables the client to selectably add, remove, or modify the services available from the server daemon by manipulating the account information.

Claims

1. A system for automatically configuration a server daemon to provide a service to a client, the system comprising:

at least one interactive server, the at least one interactive server having a predetermined system configuration file and a server daemon, the predetermined system configuration file being used to make a service available to the client through the server daemon,

a database server having a program to generate executable and transferable tasks that are used to configure the predetermined system configuration file to make the service available to the client as desired,

an internal switch to enable the at least one interactive server to selectably communicate with the database server,

an external communications network to enable the client to access the service available from the at least one interactive server, and

whereby the at least one interactive server contacts the database server to obtain the tasks so that the predetermined configuration system file can be configured to make the service available to the client as desired.

2. The system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a controller to enable the client to communicate with the at least one server to add, modify or change the service available to the client.

3. The system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a plurality of discrete, interactive servers, each interactive server having a predetermined system configuration file and at least one server daemon to provide at least one service to the client, the at least one server daemon being programmed to locate and edit the predetermined system configuration file located on said interactive server.

4. The system as claimed in claim 3, further comprising a plurality of database servers, each database server having a task program to generate executable tasks that may be used by each predetermined system configuration file to make the at least one service available to the client.

5. The system as claimed in claim 4, wherein the client provides account information that is releasably retained by each database server.

6. The system as claimed in claim 5, wherein the database server generates the tasks relative to the account information.

7. The system as claimed in claim 6, wherein each of the interactive servers can selectably communicate and interact with each other and with at least one of the database servers.

8. The system as claimed in claim 7, wherein each interactive server may generate a transferable communications key, said key being used to instruct each interactive server receiving said key to contact at least one database server to obtain the tasks.

9. The system as claimed in claim 8, wherein each interactive server receiving said key contacts at least one database server to obtain the tasks so that the predetermined system configuration files may be configured to make the at least one service available from each interactive server to the client according to the account information.

10. A system for automatically configuring a server daemon in a client-server network for delivering a service to a client, the system comprising:

an interactive server having a server daemon for making a service available to a client and having a predetermined system configuration file, said server daemon being programmed to automatically locate and configure said predetermined system configuration file to make the service available to the client relative to account information associated with the client,

an external database server to releasably retain the account information, said database server having a task program to generate executable and transferable tasks for use in configuring the predetermined system configuration files, said tasks being generated based upon the account information,

a two-way communications network to enable said interactive server to selectably contact and interact with said database server to receive the tasks therefrom,

an external communications switch to enable the client to communicate with the interactive server, and

a controller to enable the client to selectably add, remove, or modify the service available from said server daemon,

whereby, said database server transmits the tasks to said interactive server after being contacted by said interactive server, such that said server daemon will locate and configure said predetermined configuration files, as necessary, relative to the tasks in order to setup, add or modify the service available to the client.

11. The system as claimed in claim 10, wherein said interactive server further comprises a plurality of server daemons, each server daemon making a service available to the client.

12. The system as claimed in claim 10, wherein said interactive server further comprises a verification program to verify the identity of the client to the system when access to the service is demanded by the client.

13. The system as claimed in claim 10, wherein said database sever has an assignment program to assign a customer identification number to the client that is used to identify the client to the system.

14. The system as claimed in claim 10, further comprising a plurality of discrete interactive servers, each interactive server having a server daemon to make at least one service available to the client and having at least one predetermined system configuration file, wherein each server daemon is programmed to locate and edit the at least one predetermined system configuration file to make the at least one service available to the client.

15. The system as claimed in claim 14, wherein said interactive servers are each programmed to selectably contact and interact with one other and with said database server for setting up or modifying the at least one service available from each interactive server.

16. The system as claimed in claim 15, wherein said server daemon of each interactive server is selected from a group comprising a SSL daemon, a FTP daemon, a web daemon, a mail daemon, a shell daemon, a log daemon, and the like.

17. The system as claimed in claim 16, wherein the database server has an assignment program to assign the client to one or more of the interactive servers.

18. The system as claimed in claim 17, further comprising a plurality of external database servers, each database server releasably retaining account information associated with the client.

19. The system as claimed in claim 18, wherein each database server comprises a task program to generate executable and transferable tasks for use in configuring the at least one predetermined system file in each interactive server, said tasks being generated based upon the account information.

20. The system as claimed in claim 14, wherein each interactive server generates a transferable communications key to enable each interactive server to communicate with each other.

21. The system as claimed in claim 20, wherein each key provides instructions to direct the interactive server receiving the key to selectably contact the database server in order to receive the tasks.

22. The system as claimed in claim 21, wherein the server daemon running on each interactive server receiving the key sets-up or modifies the at least one predetermined system configuration file located in each interactive server in order to make the at least one service available to the client.

23. The system as claimed in claim 14, wherein at least one interactive server is provided by a hosting company that is different than the hosting company which provides at least one of the other interactive servers.

24. The system as claimed in claim 14, wherein each of the interactive servers are provided by the same hosting company.

25. The system as claimed in claim 18, wherein each of the database servers are provided by the same company.

26. The system as claimed in claim 18, wherein at least one database server is provided by a different database company than that which provides the at least one of the other database servers.

27. The system as claimed in claim 10, wherein the controller further comprises a management program for use by the client to manipulate the service available to the client from the interactive server.

28. The system as claimed in claim 27, wherein the controller controls the service available to the client from each interactive server.

29. The system as claimed in claim 10, wherein the controller has a controller server in communication with the interactive server, the controller server running a program to provide a graphic interface for the client to add, remove, or modify services available from the interactive server.

30. The system as claimed in claim 29, wherein the graphic interface comprises a plurality of tools selected from a group comprising a file manager, an email manger, a FTP manager, and the like.

31. A system for automatically configuring a server daemon and an operating system in a client-server network, the system comprising:

a group of discrete interactive servers, each interactive having a server daemon and an operating system to make a service available to a client and having a predetermined system configuration file associated with the server daemon and operating system, the server daemon being programmed to locate and edit the predetermined system configuration file to make the service available to the client relative to account information associated with the client,

a group of database servers for releasably retaining the account information, each database server having a task program to generate executable and transferable files of work to be performed by each interactive server that is used to make a service available to the client,

an internal network to enable the group of interactive servers to selectably communicate with each other and with at least one of the database servers, and

an external communications network to enable the client to communicate with the group of interactive servers to access the service available from each interactive sever,

whereby, each database server transmits the tasks to the interactive server upon being contacted by each interactive server, such that the server daemon will locate and edit the predetermined configuration file for said interactive server based upon the tasks in order to setup or modify the service made available to the client.

32. A method for providing a client-server network to automatically configure a server to make a service available to a client, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a discrete, interactive server having a server daemons to provide a service to the client and a predetermined system configuration file associated with an operating system stored in the interactive server, the daemon being programmed to locate and edit the predetermined system configuration file to make the service available to the client relative to account data associated with the client,

providing an external database server capable being in communication with the interactive server to retrievably retain the account data, the database server having a task program to generate executable and transferable tasks that are used to configure the predetermined system configuration files to make the service available to the client,

providing a communications means to enable the interactive server to selectably contact and interact with the database server to access the tasks,

providing an external communications means to enable the client to interface with the interactive server, and

providing a control means to enable the client to add, remove, or modify the service available from the interactive server, whereby that the interactive server selectably contacts the database server to receive the tasks so that the server daemon will locate and edit the predetermined system configuration file to make the service available to the client as desired.

33. A method for providing a client-server network to automatically configure system files for delivering network services from a host company to a client, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a group of discrete, interactive servers for providing predetermined services to a client, each interactive server having application software programmed to locate and edit predetermined files used to make the services available to the client,

providing a discrete, database server to support the group of servers, the database server being programmed to releasably store data associated with the services provided and having a program to instruct each interactive as to which services to setup,

providing an internal, two-way communications link to enable each interactive server to selectably communicate with and interact with each other and the database server,

providing an external communications link to enable the client to communicate with the system and access the services available from the group of interactive severs, and

providing a controller to enable the client to add, remove, or modify the services desired from the system.

35. The method as claimed in claim 34, wherein step (f) is repeated by each interactive server that will be used to make the services available to the client.

36. The method as claimed in claim 35, wherein the daemon of each interactive server is programmed to locate and edit the predetermined system files based upon the tasks received from the database server.

37. The method as claimed in claim 36, further comprising the step of providing an external communications network to enable the client to provide the account data.

38. The method as claimed in claim 37, further comprising the step of assigning the client to one or more of the interactive servers that will be used to make the services available to the client.

39. The method as claimed in claim 38, further comprising the step of providing a key to enable each of the interactive servers to communicate with each other to instruct the interactive server receiving the key to contact the database server.

34. In a client-server network for automatically configuring system files to deliver services to a client, wherein the network has a group of interactive servers including a one or more discrete, interactive servers and an external database server in communication with each other through a private internal communications network, wherein each interactive server has a configuration file for delivering services to a client, wherein a method for automatically configuring the system files comprising the steps of:

(a) programming a daemon running on each interactive server to locate and edit specific predetermined configuration files for use in making the services available to the client,

(b) obtaining account data from the client associated with the services to be made available to the client,

(c) transmitting the account data to the database server,

(d) assigning the client to one or more of the interactive servers based upon the account data,

(e) generating a list of tasks to be used by one or more of the interactive severs to setup, add, remove or modify the services to be made available to the client, and

(f) contacting the database server to determine what tasks have to be performed by one or more of the interactive servers to setup, add, remove and modify the services to be made available to the client.

40. A system for automatically configuring a client-server network to provide a services to a client through a communications network comprising:

a plurality of discrete interactive servers, each interactive server programmed to setup an account to provide a service to the client and having a means to communicate with one or more of the other interactive servers,

a plurality of database servers for retrievably storing account data associated with the services to be available to the client, each database server having a means for managing how the interactive servers setup the account,

an internal communications network switch to enable each of the interactive servers to communicate with each other and with at least one of the database servers,

an external communications link to enable the client to access the services to be made available from the interactive servers, and

a controller to enable the client to identify the services to be made available as part of the account.

41. A client-server system for automatically configuring services desired by a client through a communications network, comprising:

a group of interactive servers for providing services to the client associated with an account, each interactive server programmed to setup, locate and edit predetermined system configuration files associated with an operating system stored within each interactive server for making services available to the client,

a database server to releasably store data associated with the account, the database server having a task program for generating transferable tasks to be performed by each interactive servers to setup, add, remove or modify the services to be made available to the client by configuring the predetermined system configuration files,

an internal network to enable each of the interactive servers to selectably communicate with each other and the database server,

an external communications means to enable the client to access the account, and

a control server to enable the client to interface with the interactive servers to setup, add, remove or modify the services to be made available as part of the account,

whereby the tasks will be transferred by the group of database servers to the group of interactive servers when contacted by at least one of the group of interactive servers, so that the at least one server can configure the predetermined system configuration files located in the at least on interactive server relative to the tasks.