System and method for universal networked device management
First Claim
1. ) A method for discovering the presence of clients connected to a network, comprising the steps of:
- broadcasting a discovery request from a server, across a network;
receiving the discovery request at a client connected to the network and returning an advertisement to the server containing an identification of the client;
receiving the advertisement at the server and sending an acknowledgement to the client.
9 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The invention permits network management services, utilized by a user via a software based console, used on any network connected device, viewed as a web page via the internet. Dynamic updating of the devices available to the console is performed by a Multicast Discovery Protocol. Multicast Remote Procedure Calls permit simultaneous command processing among an authorized target group of devices. A Multicast File Transfer Protocol permits time and bandwidth efficient one to many file transfers via a data stream at a pre-specified address which many clients simultaneously monitor. Hand shaking for the transfer is rotated among the clients so that they may each recover any lost data frames. Use of client registries for storing network data allows clients to be automatically configured upon connection to the network. Virtual monitoring and control over the clients may be exercised from the console by executing remote procedure calls.
-
Citations
13 Claims
-
1. ) A method for discovering the presence of clients connected to a network, comprising the steps of:
-
broadcasting a discovery request from a server, across a network;
receiving the discovery request at a client connected to the network and returning an advertisement to the server containing an identification of the client;
receiving the advertisement at the server and sending an acknowledgement to the client. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
-
-
8. ) A method for executing a multi-cast remote procedure call, comprising the steps of;
-
broadcasting a remote procedure call, across the network;
receiving the remote procedure call at a client connected to the network and returning a reply to the server with one of a confirmation of an execution of the remote procedure call and a data frame containing data related to the execution of the remote procedure call. - View Dependent Claims (9)
-
-
10. ) A method for data transfer to a plurality of clients across a network, comprising the steps of;
-
announcing the data transfer on a public multi-cast address, receiving an acknowledgement each from a plurality of clients desiring to receive the data transfer, designating a master client from the plurality of clients, transmitting the data transfer to a network address accessible to the plurality of clients at a data rate less than a maximum data read rate of the master client, requesting retransfer by the master client after completion of the data transfer of any data blocks that were not received, transferring master client designation to another of the plurality of clients when the master client has all data blocks of the data transfer, requesting retransfer of any data blocks not received by the next master client, transferring master client designation among all clients in turn, until each has had the opportunity to request any missing data blocks.
-
-
11. ) A system for universal network device management, comprising:
-
a server operable on a network having a software console, a plurality of network interfaces, using a common API, associated with a plurality of devices connected to the network, the network interfaces configured to identify their associated device to the server, the software console and network interfaces arranged to enable virtual control of one of an individual device, a group of devices, and all of the devices connected to the network. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13)
-
Specification