Controlled firewall penetration for management of discrete devices

• US 20050273846A1
• Filed: 06/08/2004
• Published: 12/08/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Printronix
• Original Assignee: Printronix
• Inventors: Morrison, John, Sun, Steven, Hawkins, Darryl
• Granted Patent: US 7,457,849 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/11
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/02 for separating internal from external traffic, e.g. firewalls
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/029 Firewall traversal, e.g. tunnelling or, creating pinholes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226

Abstract

A method of remotely controlling a client device is provided within a network having a network server coupled to a first side of a firewall from a web server coupled to a second side of the firewall. The network server initiates a service request for the client device through the transmission of an HTTP request through a conventional TCP/IP socket in the firewall to the web server. The web server dynamically alters content that in turn may be accessed by a user, which may either be a human user or an automated user. In response to downloading the altered content, the user transmits an HTTP request to the web server, which causes the web server to alter content that may then be downloaded by the network server. The network server interprets this altered content so as to control the device accordingly.

Claims

1. A method of managing devices within a network having a device server coupled to a first side of a firewall from a web server coupled to a second side of the firewall, comprising:

issuing an HTTP request from the device server to a URL served by the web server to indicate that a device seeks service;

changing content at a URL served by the web server in response to the indication that a device seeks service;

issuing an HTTP request from a user'"'"'s web browser to download the changed content indicating that service is requested;

issuing an HTTP request from the user'"'"'s web browser to indicate a command to the device;

changing content at a URL served by the web server in response to the HTTP request indicating the command;

issuing an HTTP request from the device server to download the changed content indicating the command to the device;

interpreting the changed content indicating the command to the device; and

commanding the device accordingly.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

authenticating the device server, wherein the act of changing content at the URL served by the web server in response to the indication that the device seeks service is performed only after authentication of the device server has been completed.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

authenticating the user, wherein the act of changing content at the URL served by the web server in response to the HTTP request indicating the command is performed only after authentication of the user has been completed.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the HTTP requests from the device server are XML-encoded HTTP requests.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the HTTP request from the user'"'"'s web browser is an XML-encoded HTTP request.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the acts of changing content at the URLs served by the web server comprise invoking Java Server Page files.

7. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

issuing an HTTP request from the user'"'"'s web browser to the web server to identify a service request being responded to and to receive an identifier for communication with the device issuing the service request; and

issuing an HTTP request from the device server to receive the identifier for communication, wherein the acts of issuing the HTTP request from the user'"'"'s web browser to indicate the command to the device and issuing the HTTP request from the device server to download the changed content indicating the command to the device both supply the communication identifier to the web server, the web server responding only if the communication identifier is correctly supplied.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

issuing an HTTP request from the device server to indicate that the web server should not respond to subsequent HTTP requests from the user'"'"'s web browser, thereby preventing any further commands to the device from the user.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

in response to the command, issuing an HTTP request from the device server to provide data from the device to the user.

10. A method of managing devices within a firewall-protected network having a device server, comprising:

changing content at a URL served by a web server in response to an HTTP request from the device server indicating that a device within the firewall-protected network requires service; and

changing content at a URL served by the web server to indicate that a user has responded to the indication that the device requires service.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

at the user server, downloading the changed content indicating that a user has responded to the indication that the device requires service.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

at the user server, interpreting the changed content indicating that a user has responded to the indication that the device requires service to form a command for the device.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

commanding the device responsive to the command.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

responsive to the command, transmitting an HTTP request containing data describing a condition of the device to the web server.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

changing content at a URL served by the web server in response to an HTTP request from the device server containing data describing a condition of the device.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

downloading to the user the changed content responsive to the HTTP request from the device server containing data describing the condition of the device.

17. An apparatus, comprising:

a web server configured to perform the following acts;

changing content at a URL served by the web server in response to an HTTP request from a device server indicating that a device seeks service; and

changing content at a URL served by the web server in response to an HTTP request from a user'"'"'s web browser indicating a command to the device;

whereby if the device server downloads the changed content indicating the command to the device, the changed content is interpreted so that the device is commanded accordingly.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the web server is configured to change content through the invocation of java server pages.