Method and apparatus for providing mobile and other intermittent connectivity in a computing environment

• US 20050223114A1
• Filed: 05/27/2005
• Published: 10/06/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/09/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mobile Sonic Incorporated (Absolute Software Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Netmotion Wireless Incorporated
• Inventors: Sturniolo, Emil A., Menn, Anatoly, Hanson, Aaron D., Savarese, Joseph T., Olson, Erik D.
• Granted Patent: US 8,078,727 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/245
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/042 comprising distributed management centres cooperatively managing the network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0893 Assignment of logical groups to network elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0894 Policy-based network configuration management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/28 Restricting access to network management systems or functions, e.g. using authorisation function to access network configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/08 Reselecting an access point
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/25 Maintenance of established connections

Abstract

A seamless solution transparently addresses the characteristics of nomadic systems, and enables existing network applications to run reliably in mobile environments. The solution extends the enterprise network, letting network managers provide mobile users with easy access to the same applications as stationary users without sacrificing reliability or centralized management. The solution combines advantages of existing wire-line network standards with emerging mobile standards to create a solution that works with existing network applications. A Mobility Management Server coupled to the mobile network maintains the state of each of any number of Mobile End Systems and handles the complex session management required to maintain persistent connections to the network and to other peer processes. If a Mobile End System becomes unreachable, suspends, or changes network address (e.g., due to roaming from one network interconnect to another), the Mobility Management Server maintains the connection to the associated peer task—allowing the Mobile End System to maintain a continuous connection even though it may temporarily lose contact with its network medium. In one example, Mobility Management Server communicates with Mobile End Systems using Remote Procedure Call and Internet Mobility Protocols.

Claims

1. In a computer network providing communication between plural devices, said network providing resources to said plural devices, a method of managing said resource consumption including:

enforcing globally, per-device, per-device group, per-user group, and/or per-user policy management for managing consumption of said resources by said devices; and

distributing the task of managing of said resource consumption between said devices, and a plurality of proxy server(s) for proxying communications between peers and said devices even when a device becomes temporarily disconnected from said network environment.

2. The method of claim 1 further including enabling said devices and/or a proxy server to either allow, deny and/or delay consumption of said network resources.

3. The method of claim 1 including assigning at least one relative priority to different users, devices, applications or tasks, and controls consumption of network resources based at least in part on said at least one relative priority.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said enforcing step includes prioritizing, granting, denying, and/or delaying access to said network resources

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said enforcing step comprises configuring said priorities.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein said enforcing step comprises configuring access to said network resources.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein said enforcing step comprises assigning priorities based on but not limited to user name, user group, device group, device identifier application name, process name, and/or transmit/receive path.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein said enforcing step includes selecting between plural priority levels.

9. In a computer network providing communication between plural devices, said network providing resources to said plural devices, a system of managing said resource consumption including:

means for globally, per-device, per-device group, per-user group, and/or per-user policy management for managing consumption of said resources by said devices; and

means for distributing the task of managing of said resource consumption between said devices, and a plurality of proxy server(s) for proxying communications between peers and said devices even during times a device becomes temporarily disconnected from said network.

10. The system of claim 9 further including means for enabling said devices and/or a proxy server to either allow, deny and/or delay consumption of said network resources.

11. The system of claim 9 wherein said system assigns relative priorities to different users, devices or tasks, and controls consumption of network resources based at least in part on said priorities.

12. The system of claim 9 wherein said enforcing means includes means for prioritizing, granting, denying, and/or delaying access to said network resources

13. The system of claim 9 wherein said enforcing means comprises means for configuring said at least one priority.

14. The system of claim 9 wherein said enforcing means comprises means for configuring access to said network resources.

15. The system of claim 9 wherein said enforcing means comprises means for assigning priority based on but not limited to user name, user group, device group, device identifier application name, process name, and/or transmit/receive path.

16. The system of claim 9 wherein said enforcing means includes means for selecting between plural priority levels.