Web service for remote application discovery

• US 20050125560A1
• Filed: 11/24/2003
• Published: 06/09/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/24/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ServiceNow Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Brockway, Tad Dannis, Leitman, Robert K.
• Granted Patent: US 7,720,906 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/249
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0209 Architectural arrangements, e.g. perimeter networks or demilitarized zones
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0272 Virtual private networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/104 Grouping of entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]

Abstract

Systems and methods of a Web service for remote terminal service application discovery are described. In one aspect, a Web service in an Intranet is provided. The Web service is coupled to a public network. The Web service facilitates remote client computer discovery over the public network of information corresponding to application(s) deployed on the Intranet. The remote client computer is external to the Intranet. The application(s) are configured for terminal server based access for a user of the remote client computer.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

providing a Web service in an Intranet, the Web service being coupled to a public network; and

facilitating, by the Web service, remote client computer discovery over the public network of information, the information corresponding to at least one application deployed on the Intranet, the application being configured for subsequent terminal server (TS) based access for a user of the remote client computer, the remote computer being external to the Intranet.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the at least one application is multiple applications, respective ones of the multiple applications having been published by multiple information sources on the Intranet.

3. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the at least one application is multiple applications, respective ones of the multiple applications having been published by multiple information sources on the Intranet, the multiple information sources comprising a directory service, a Systems Management Server (SMS), and/or an office computer associated with the user.

4. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the remote client computer is not coupled to the Internet over a Virtual Private Network.

5. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein facilitating further comprises:

receiving, by the Web service, a remote application discovery request from the remote client computer, the remote application discovery request comprising identity information of the user, the remote application discovery request being communicated to the Web service across the public network;

responsive to receiving the remote application discovery request, communicating, by the Web service, a get applications request to one or more information sources deployed on the Intranet, the get applications request directing each of the one or more information sources to return the information as a function of the identity information;

responsive to the communicating, receiving the information; and

forwarding the information to the remote client computer for aggregated presentation of user interface objects associated with respective ones of remotely deployed applications that have been configured for subsequent TS-based access by the user.

6. A method as recited in claim 5, wherein the at least one application is installed on an office computer associated with the user, and wherein communicating the get applications request further comprises:

sending a get network address request to a directory service deployed on the Intranet;

responsive to sending the get network address request, receiving a response identifying a network address of the office computer; and

wherein the get applications request is communicated to the network address of the office computer.

7. A computer-readable medium comprising computer-executable instructions for remote application discovery, the computer-program instructions comprising instructions for:

providing a Web service in an Intranet, the Web service being coupled to a public network; and

facilitating, by the Web service, remote client computer discovery over the public network of information, the information corresponding to at least one application deployed on the Intranet, the application being configured for subsequent terminal server (TS) based access for a user of the remote client computer, the remote computer being external to the Intranet.

8. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 7, wherein the at least one application is multiple applications, respective ones of the multiple applications having been published by multiple information sources on the Intranet.

9. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 7, wherein the at least one application is multiple applications, respective ones of the multiple applications having been published by multiple information sources on the Intranet, the multiple information sources comprising a directory service, a Systems Management Server (SMS), and/or an office computer associated with the user.

10. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 7, wherein the remote client computer is not coupled to the Internet over a Virtual Private Network.

11. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 7, wherein the instructions for facilitating further comprise instructions for:

receiving, by the Web service, a remote application discovery request from the remote client computer, the remote application discovery request comprising identity information of the user, the remote application discovery request being communicated to the Web service across the public network;

responsive to receiving the remote application discovery request, communicating, by the Web service, a get applications request to one or more information sources deployed on the Intranet, the get applications request directing each of the one or more information sources to return the information as a function of the identity information;

responsive to the communicating, receiving the information; and

forwarding the information to the remote client computer for aggregated presentation of user interface objects associated with respective ones of remotely deployed applications that have been configured for subsequent TS-based access by the user.

12. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 11, wherein the instructions for communicating the get applications request to one or more information sources are implemented across respective ones of one or more accessor modules, each accessor module being configured to communicate with a particular one information source of the information sources.

13. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 11, wherein the at least one application is installed on an office computer associated with the user, and wherein the instructions for communicating the get applications request further comprise instructions for:

sending a get network address request to a directory service deployed on the Intranet;

responsive to sending the get network address request, receiving a response identifying a network address of the office computer; and

wherein the get applications request is communicated to the network address of the office computer.

14. A computing device comprising:

a processor; and

a memory coupled to the processor, the memory comprising computer-program instructions executable by the processor for remote application discovery, the computer-program instructions comprising instructions for;

providing a Web service in an Intranet, the Web service being coupled to a public network; and

facilitating, by the Web service, remote client computer discovery over the public network of information, the information corresponding to at least one application deployed on the Intranet, the application being configured for subsequent terminal server (TS) based access for a user of the remote client computer, the remote computer being external to the Intranet.

15. A computing device as recited in claim 14, wherein the at least one application is multiple applications, respective ones of the multiple applications having been published by multiple information sources on the Intranet.

16. A computing device as recited in claim 14, wherein the at least one application is multiple applications, respective ones of the multiple applications having been published by multiple information sources on the Intranet, the multiple information sources comprising a directory service, a Systems Management Server (SMS), and/or an office computer associated with the user.

17. A computing device as recited in claim 14, wherein the remote client computer is not coupled to the Internet over a Virtual Private Network.

18. A computing device as recited in claim 14, wherein the instructions for facilitating further comprise instructions for:

receiving, by the Web service, a remote application discovery request from the remote client computer, the remote application discovery request comprising identity information of the user, the remote application discovery request being communicated to the Web service across the public network;

responsive to receiving the remote application discovery request, communicating, by the Web service, a get applications request to one or more information sources deployed on the Intranet, the get applications request directing each of the one or more information sources to return the information as a function of the identity information;

responsive to the communicating, receiving the information; and

forwarding the information to the remote client computer for aggregated presentation of user interface objects associated with respective ones of remotely deployed applications that have been configured for subsequent TS-based access by the user.

19. A computing device as recited in claim 18, wherein the instructions for communicating the get applications request to one or more information sources are implemented by respective ones of one or more accessor modules, each accessor module being configured to communicate with a particular one information source of the information sources.

20. A computing device comprising:

means for providing a Web service in an Intranet, the Web service being coupled to a public network; and

means for facilitating, by the Web service, remote client computer discovery over the public network of information, the information corresponding to at least one application deployed on the Intranet, the application being configured for subsequent terminal server (TS) based access for a user of the remote client computer, the remote computer being external to the Intranet.

21. A computing device as recited in claim 20, wherein the at least one application is multiple applications, respective ones of the multiple applications having been published by multiple information sources on the Intranet.

22. A computing device as recited in claim 20, wherein the at least one application is multiple applications, respective ones of the multiple applications having been published by multiple information sources on the Intranet, the multiple information sources comprising a directory service, a Systems Management Server (SMS), and/or an office computer associated with the user.

23. A computing device as recited in claim 20, wherein the means for facilitating further comprise:

means for receiving, by the Web service, a remote application discovery request from the remote client computer, the remote application discovery request comprising identity information of the user, the remote application discovery request being communicated to the Web service across the public network;

responsive to receiving the remote application discovery request, means for communicating, by the Web service, a get applications request to one or more information sources deployed on the Intranet, the get applications request directing each of the one or more information sources to return the information as a function of the identity information;

responsive to the communicating, means for receiving the information; and

means for forwarding the information to the remote client computer for aggregated presentation of user interface objects associated with respective ones of remotely deployed applications that have been configured for subsequent TS-based access by the user.