System and method for remotely managing a computer system by a wireless communications device

• US 20030217132A1
• Filed: 05/16/2002
• Published: 11/20/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Batten, David Middleton, Kumar, Vandana, Chang, Kyusun, Tran, Kim-Khanh Vu, Tran, Vi Trieu, Laffey, Patrick Justin
• Application Number:
  US10/150,112
• Publication Number:
  US 20030217132A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/223
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0253 using browsers or web-pages for accessing management information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/026 using e-messaging for transporting management information, e.g. email, instant messaging or chat
• 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 41/06 Management of faults, events, alarms or notifications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/56 Provisioning of proxy services store-and-forward switching systems in data switching networks H04L12/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/565 Conversion or adaptation of application format or content adding application control or application functional data H04L67/561
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/00 Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/18 Information format or content conversion, e.g. adaptation by the network of the transmitted or received information for the purpose of wireless delivery to users or terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/14 Backbone network devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/16 Gateway arrangements

Abstract

The present invention provides a system and a method for remotely managing a server processing system, by using a wireless communications device. The wireless communications device sends a request for managing the server processing system to the server processing system through a gateway. The request is formatted in a first protocol in the wireless communications device, and is sent to the gateway. The gateway converts the request to be formatted in a second protocol, and sends the request to the server processing system. In response to the request, the server processing system sends a response, formatted in the second protocol, to the wireless communications device through the gateway. This time, the gateway converts the response to be formatted in the first protocol, and sends the response to the wireless communications device.

Claims

1. A system for remotely managing a server processing system by using at least one wireless communications device, the system comprising:

a client application program installed in the at least one wireless communications device and used to send one or more requests for managing the server processing system and receive one or more responses to the one or more requests, wherein the one or more requests and the one or more responses are formatted in a first protocol;

a server application program installed in the server processing system and used to receive the one or more requests and send the one or more responses, wherein the one or more requests and the one or more responses are formatted in a second protocol; and

a gateway, in communication with both the server processing system and the at least one wireless communications device, for converting the first protocol into the second protocol for the one or more requests and converting the second protocol into the first protocol for the one or more responses.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the server processing system is a workstation based on a multitasking operating system.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one wireless communications device is a mobile phone having a means for providing wireless access to the Internet.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one wireless communications device is a portable computer having a means for providing wireless access to the Internet.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the first protocol is a wireless application protocol (WAP).

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the second protocol is a hypertext transport protocol (HTTP).

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more requests include a wireless session protocol (WSP) request.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the client application program includes a web browser.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the server application program runs as a standard HTTP server plug-in on the server processing system.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more requests include requests for system information of the server processing system.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more requests include requests for problem determination of the server processing system.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more requests include requests for administrative tasks of the server processing system.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more responses include responses for system information of the server processing system.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more responses include responses for problem determination of the server processing system.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more responses include responses for administrative tasks of the server processing system.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the wireless communications device receives a message from the server processing system indicating a condition requiring attention to the wireless system.

17. A method for remotely managing a server processing system by using at least one wireless communications device, the method comprising the steps of:

sending one or more requests for managing the server processing system by the at least one wireless communications device, wherein the one or more requests are formatted in a first protocol;

receiving one or more responses to the one or more requests by the at least one wireless communications device, wherein the one or more responses are formatted in the first protocol;

receiving the one or more requests by the server processing system, wherein the one or more requests are formatted in a second protocol;

sending the one or more responses by the server processing system, wherein the one or more responses are formatted in the second protocol;

converting the first protocol into the second protocol for the one or more requests; and

converting the second protocol into the first protocol for the one or more responses.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the step of sending one or more requests comprises connecting to the Internet.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the step of receiving one or more responses comprises connecting to the Internet.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the step of sending one or more requests comprises using WAP protocol.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein the step of receiving one or more responses comprises using WAP protocol.

22. The method of claim 17, wherein the step of receiving the one or more requests comprises using HTTP protocol.

23. The method of claim 17, wherein the step of sending the one or more responses comprises using HTTP protocol.

24. The method of claim 17, wherein the step of sending one or more requests comprises using a web browser installed in the at least one wireless communications device.

25. The method of claim 17, wherein the step of receiving one or more responses comprises using a web browser installed in the at least one wireless communications device.

26. The method of claim 17, wherein the one or more requests include requests for system information of the server processing system.

27. The method of claim 17, wherein the one or more requests include requests for problem determination of the server processing system.

28. The method of claim 17, wherein the one or more requests include requests for administrative tasks of the server processing system.

29. The method of claim 17, wherein the one or more responses include responses for system information of the server processing system.

30. The method of claim 17, wherein the one or more responses include responses for problem determination of the server processing system.

31. The method of claim 17, wherein the one or more responses include responses for administrative tasks of the server processing system.

32. The method of claim 17, further comprising the step of receiving a message from the server processing system indicating a condition requiring attention to the wireless system.

35. The method of claim 17, wherein the step of managing the server processing system comprises connecting to-the Internet.

36. The method of claim 17, wherein the step of managing the server processing system comprises using a web browser installed in the at least one wireless communications device.

33. A method for remotely managing a server processing system by using at least one wireless communications device, the method comprising the steps of:

configuring the server processing system by entering conditions under which notification to an administrator is required;

receiving a message in a first wireless communications device, the message indicating the conditions under which notification to the administrators is required;

logging on to the server processing system by using a user interface of a second wireless communications device;

managing the server processing system by using the user interface; and

logging off the server processing system by using the user interface.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein the first and second wireless communications devices are the same wireless communications device.

37. The method of claim 33, wherein the step of configuring the server processing system comprises running a server application program as a standard HTTP server plug-in on the server processing system.

38. A computer program product for remotely managing a server processing system by at least one wireless communications device, the computer program product having a medium with a computer program embodied thereon, the computer program comprising:

computer program code for sending one or more requests for managing the server processing system by the at least one wireless communications device, wherein the one or more requests are formatted in a first protocol;

computer program code for receiving one or more responses to the one or more requests by the at least one wireless communications device, wherein the one or more responses are formatted in the first protocol;

computer program code for receiving the one or more requests by the server processing system, wherein the one or more requests are formatted in a second protocol computer program code for sending the one or more responses by the server processing system, wherein the one or more responses are formatted in the second protocol;

computer program code for converting the first protocol into the second protocol for the one or more requests; and

computer program code for converting the second protocol into the first protocol for the one or more responses.

39. The computer program product of claim 38, wherein the server processing system is a workstation based on a multitasking operating system.

40. The computer program product of claim 38, wherein the at least one wireless communications device is a mobile phone having a means for providing wireless access to the Internet.

41. The computer program product of claim 38, wherein the at least one wireless communications device is a portable computer having a means for providing wireless access to the Internet.

42. The computer program product of claim 38, wherein the first protocol is a wireless application protocol (WAP).

43. The computer program product of claim 38, wherein the second protocol is a hypertext transport protocol (HTTP).

44. The computer program product of claim 38, wherein the one or more requests include a wireless session protocol (WSP) request.

45. The computer program product of claim 38, wherein the at least one wireless communications device has a client application program, which includes a web browser.

46. The computer program product of claim 38, wherein the server processing system has a server application program running as a standard HTTP server plug-in on the server processing system.

47. The computer program product of claim 38, wherein the one or more requests include requests for system information of the server processing system.

48. The computer program product of claim 38, wherein the one or more requests include requests for problem determination of the server processing system.

49. The computer program product of claim 38, wherein the one or more requests include requests for administrative tasks of the server processing system.

50. The computer program product of claim 38, wherein the one or more responses include responses for system information of the server processing system.

51. The computer program product of claim 38, wherein the one or more responses include responses for problem determination of the server processing system.

52. The computer program product of claim 38, wherein the one or more responses include responses for administrative tasks of the server processing system.

53. The computer program product of claim 38, wherein the at least one wireless communications device receives a message from the server processing system indicating a condition requiring attention to the wireless system.