Directory-enabled device management
First Claim
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1. A method for managing a plurality of network devices on a network, said method comprising the steps of:
- detecting the presence of at least one of the plurality of network devices on the network by using a first communication protocol;
obtaining, by using the first communication protocol, from the detected network device, information related to the corresponding network device;
formatting the obtained information into a directory entry;
sending the directory entry to a directory server by using a second communication protocol;
monitoring for issuance of an update message from the directory server indicating that a directory entry has been updated in the directory server;
obtaining, in the case that an update message is issued, the updated directory entry from the directory server by using the second communication protocol;
extracting updated data from the updated directory entry; and
sending the updated data to the network device which corresponds to the updated directory entry for placement into the information of the corresponding network device, wherein the directory entry is formatted according to a standardized schema, and wherein the standardized schema of the directory entry includes a source-flag to indicate the source of the directory entry.
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Abstract
Managing a plurality of network devices on a network by detecting the presence of at least one of the plurality of network devices on the network by using a first communication protocol, obtaining, by using the first communication protocol, an information block from each of the detected network devices, wherein the information block contains information related to the corresponding network device, formatting each information block into a directory entry, and sending each directory entry to a directory server via a second communication protocol.
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Citations
110 Claims
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1. A method for managing a plurality of network devices on a network, said method comprising the steps of:
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detecting the presence of at least one of the plurality of network devices on the network by using a first communication protocol;
obtaining, by using the first communication protocol, from the detected network device, information related to the corresponding network device;
formatting the obtained information into a directory entry;
sending the directory entry to a directory server by using a second communication protocol;
monitoring for issuance of an update message from the directory server indicating that a directory entry has been updated in the directory server;
obtaining, in the case that an update message is issued, the updated directory entry from the directory server by using the second communication protocol;
extracting updated data from the updated directory entry; and
sending the updated data to the network device which corresponds to the updated directory entry for placement into the information of the corresponding network device, wherein the directory entry is formatted according to a standardized schema, and wherein the standardized schema of the directory entry includes a source-flag to indicate the source of the directory entry. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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2-6. -6. (canceled)
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10. (canceled)
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18. (canceled)
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24-25. -25. (canceled)
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26. A method for managing a plurality of network devices on a network, said method comprising the steps of:
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detecting the presence of at least one of the plurality of network devices on the network by using a first communication protocol;
obtaining, by using the first communication protocol, an information block from each of the detected network devices, wherein the information block contains information related to the corresponding network device;
formatting each information block into a separate directory entry;
sending each directory entry to a directory server by using a second communication protocol;
monitoring, by using the first protocol, each of the detected network devices for an update of the information in the information block of the network device;
obtaining, in the case that the information in the information block of one of the detected network devices has been updated, the updated information of the information block from the corresponding network device by using the first communication protocol, and sending the updated information to the directory server by using the second communication protocol for placement into the directory entry for the corresponding network device;
monitoring, by using a third communication protocol, for issuance of an update message from the directory server indicating that a directory entry has been updated in the directory server; and
obtaining, in the case that an update message is issued, the updated directory entry from the directory server by using the second communication protocol, extracting updated data from the updated directory entry, and sending the updated data to the network device which corresponds to the updated directory entry for placement into the information block of the corresponding network device, wherein the directory entry is formatted according to a standard schema, and wherein the standardized schema of the directory entry includes a source-flag to indicate the source of the directory entry.
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27. A directory-enabled network device for managing a plurality of network devices on a network, comprising:
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a program memory for storing executable process steps, the executable process steps comprising, (a) detecting the presence of at least one of the plurality of network devices on the network by using a first communication protocol, (b) obtaining, by using the first communication protocol, from the detected network device, information related to the corresponding network device, (c) formatting the obtained information into a directory entry, (d) sending the directory entry to a directory server by using a second communication protocol, (e) monitoring, for issuance of an update message from the directory server indicating that a directory entry has been updated in the directory server, (f) obtaining, in the case that an updated message is issued, the updated directory entry from the directory server by using the second communication protocol, (g) extracting updated data from the updated directory entry, and (h) sending the updated data to the network device which corresponds to the updated directory entry for placement into the information of the corresponding network device, wherein the directory entry is formatted according to standardized schema, and wherein the standardized schema of the directory entry includes a source-flag to indicate the source of the directory entry; and
a processor for executing the process steps stored in said program memory.
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28-52. -52. (canceled)
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53. Computer-executable process steps stored on a computer readable medium, said computer-executable process steps for managing a plurality of network devices on a network, said computer-executable process steps comprising:
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detecting the presence of at least one of the plurality of network devices on the network by using a first communication protocol;
obtaining, by using the first communication protocol, an information block from the detected network device, information related to the corresponding network device;
formatting the obtained information into a directory entry;
sending the directory entry to a directory server by using a second communication protocol;
monitoring, for issuance of an update message from the directory server indicating that a directory entry has been updated in the directory server;
obtaining, in the case that an update message is issued, the updated directory entry from the directory server by using the second communication protocol;
extracting updated data from the updated directory entry; and
sending the updated data to the network device which corresponds to the updated directory entry for placement into the information of the corresponding network device, wherein the directory entry is formatted according to a standardized schema, and wherein the standardized schema of the directory entry includes a source-flag to indicate the source of the directory entry.
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54-104. -104. (canceled)
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105. A method comprising the steps of:
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obtaining at a proxy device, via a network by using a first communication protocol, from at least one network device of up to plural network devices, information related to said one network device;
formatting at the proxy device, the obtained information into a directory entry;
sending from the proxy device, the directory entry to a directory server via the network by using a second communication protocol;
obtaining at the proxy device, in the case that a directory entry corresponding to said one network device has been updated in the directory server, the updated directory entry from the directory server via the network by using the second communication protocol;
extracting at the proxy device, update data from the updated directory entry; and
sending from the proxy device, the updated data to said one network device which corresponds to the updated directory entry for placement into the information of said one network device. - View Dependent Claims (106, 107, 108)
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109. A proxy device for communicating with at least one network device on a network of plural network devices, comprising:
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a program memory for storing executable process steps, the executable process steps comprising;
(a) obtaining, via the network by using a first communication protocol, from said network device, information related to said one network device, (b) formatting the obtained information into a directory entry, (c) sending the directory entry to a directory server via the network by using a second communication protocol, (d) obtaining, in the case that a directory entry corresponding to said one network device has been updated in the directory server, the updated directory entry from the directory server via the network by using the second communication protocol, (e) extracting updated data from the updated directory entry, and (f) sending the updated data to said one network device which corresponds to the updated directory entry for placement into the information of said one network device; and
a processor for executing the process steps stored in said program memory.
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110. Computer-executable process steps stored on a computer readable medium, said computer-executable process steps comprising:
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obtaining at a proxy device, via a network by using a first communication protocol, from at least one network device of up to plural network devices, information related to said one network device;
formatting at the proxy device, the obtained information into a directory entry;
sending from the proxy device, the directory entry to a directory server via the network by using a second communication protocol;
obtaining at the proxy device, in the case that a directory entry corresponding to said one network device has been updated in the directory server, the updated directory entry from the directory server via the network by using the second communication protocol;
extracting at the proxy device, update data from the updated directory entry; and
sending from the proxy device, the updated data to said one network device which corresponds to the updated directory entry for placement into the information of said one network device.
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Specification