System, network entities and computer programs for configuration management of a dynamic host configuration protocol framework

• US 20060015513A1
• Filed: 05/16/2005
• Published: 01/19/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/13/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Solutions and Networks US LLC (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Poyhonen, Petteri, Tuononen, Janne
• Granted Patent: US 8,250,184 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/082 the condition being updates or upgrades of network functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0859 by keeping history of different configuration generations or by rolling back to previous configuration versions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0886 Fully automatic configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5014 using dynamic host configuration protocol [DHCP] or bootstrap protocol [BOOTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5061 Pools of addresses
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/12 Applying verification of the received information cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for data integrity or data verification H04L9/32

Abstract

A system, network entities and computer programs to provide a dynamic configuration data storage system for both a standard DHCPv4 and DHCPv6 framework. Together with standard DHCPv4 and DHCPv6 protocol functionalities, the invention provides auto-configuration of configuration parameters from network servers to hosts, e.g. to mobile terminals.

Claims

1. A system for configuration management of a dynamic host configuration protocol framework, the system comprising:

at least one dynamic host control protocol server;

at least one configuration storage;

at least one storage manager;

and at least one network server;

wherein a configuration storage is connected to at least one dynamic host control protocol server and to at least one storage manager, and is configured to store configuration data used by the at least one dynamic host control protocol server;

wherein a storage manager is connected to at least one configuration storage and to at least one network server, and is configured to maintain configuration data content in the at least one configuration storage and manage signaling and data transfer between the at least one configuration storage and the at least one network server,

wherein a network server is connected to at least one storage manager, and is configured to provide the at least one storage manager with configuration data; and

wherein the storage manager dynamically updates configuration data content in the at least one configuration storage.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the storage manager is configured to remove expired configuration data from the at least one configuration storage.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein:

the storage manager is configured to monitor configuration data content in the at least one configuration storage and to request configuration data from at least one network server; and

the network server is configured to provide the storage manager with configuration data in response to receiving a request for the configuration data from the storage manager if the configuration data is available.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein:

the configuration storage is configured to trigger a configuration data request to at least one storage manager if applicable configuration data does not exist in the configuration storage;

the storage manager is configured to trigger the configuration data request to at least one network server;

the at least one network server is configured to provide the storage manager with the applicable configuration data in response to the configuration data request if the applicable configuration data is available; and

the at least one storage manager is configured to provide the configuration storage with the applicable configuration data in response to the configuration data request if the applicable configuration data is available.

5. The system according to claim 4, wherein the storage manager is configured to trigger the configuration data request to the at least one network server based on at least one of the following rules:

the configuration storage sent the configuration data request for non-existent configuration data to the storage manager;

the configuration data in the configuration storage is about to expire and an updated piece of configuration data is needed; and

expiring configuration data is marked as essential in the configuration storage.

6. The system according to claim 4, wherein:

the at least one network server checks whether the storage manager is allowed to receive the applicable configuration data, wherein the at least one network server is configured to provide the storage manager with the applicable configuration data only if the storage manager is allowed to receive the applicable configuration data.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein the network server is configured to send updated configuration data to the at least one storage manager automatically.

8. The system according to claim 7, wherein the network server is configured to send the updated configuration data to the at least one storage manager automatically before the configuration data in the at least one configuration storage expires.

9. The system according to claim 1, wherein:

the configuration storage is configured to include terminal device location dependant configuration data;

the configuration storage is configured to receive a location dependent configuration data request from at least one dynamic host control protocol server; and

the configuration storage is configured to provide the at least one dynamic host control protocol server with a location dependent configuration data in response to the location dependent configuration data request.

10. The system according to claim 1, wherein the network server and the at least one storage manager are configured to establish a relationship between each other in order to exchange information.

11. The system according to claim 1, wherein configuration data content stored in the configuration storage comprises at least one service entry.

12. The system according to claim 11, wherein a service entry in the configuration storage comprises at least one of the following:

a unique service identifier identifying a service;

configuration data; and

a time-to-live value for the configuration data.

13. The system according to claim 1, wherein a single entity comprises at least one of the dynamic host control protocol server, the configuration storage, the storage manager and the network server.

14. A storage manager for configuration management of a dynamic host configuration protocol framework, wherein the storage manager is connected to at least one configuration storage and to at least one network server, wherein the storage manager is configured to:

maintain configuration data content in the at least one configuration storage;

manage signaling and data transfer between the at least one configuration storage and the at least one network server; and

dynamically update configuration data content in the at least one configuration storage.

15. The storage manager according to claim 14, wherein the storage manager is configured to remove expired configuration data from the at least one configuration storage.

16. The storage manager according to claim 14, wherein the storage manager is configured to monitor configuration data content in the at least one configuration storage, to request configuration data from at least one network server and to receive configuration data from the at least one network server if the configuration data is available.

17. The storage manager according to claim 14, wherein:

the storage manager is configured to receive a configuration data request from a configuration storage and to provide the configuration storage with the applicable configuration data in response to the configuration data request if the applicable configuration data is available; and

storage manager is configured to trigger the configuration data request to at least one network server and to receive the applicable configuration data from the at least one network server if the applicable configuration data is available.

18. The storage manager according to claim 17, wherein the storage manager is configured to trigger the configuration data request to the at least one network server based on at least one of the following rules:

the configuration storage sent the configuration data request for non-existent configuration data to the storage manager;

the configuration data in the configuration storage is about to expire and an updated piece of configuration data is needed; and

expiring configuration data is marked as essential in the configuration storage.

19. The storage manager according to claim 14, wherein the storage manager is configured to establish a relationship with the at least one network server in order to exchange information.

20. The storage manager according to claim 14, wherein the storage manager is implemented in an entity with at least one of a dynamic host control protocol server and the configuration storage.

21. A configuration storage for configuration management of a dynamic host configuration protocol framework, wherein the configuration storage is connected to at least one dynamic host control protocol server and to at least one storage manager, wherein the configuration storage is configured to:

store configuration data used by the at least one dynamic host control protocol server;

be dynamically maintained and updated by at least one storage manager;

deliver configuration data to the at least one dynamic host control protocol server by a dynamic host control protocol server request; and

send a configuration data request to at least one storage manager if applicable configuration data does not exist in the configuration storage or if the applicable configuration data has expired in the configuration storage.

22. The configuration storage according to claim 21, wherein:

the configuration storage is configured to include terminal device location dependant configuration data;

the configuration storage is configured to receive a location dependent configuration data request from at least one dynamic host control protocol server; and

the configuration storage is configured to provide the at least one dynamic host control protocol server with a location dependent configuration data in response to the location dependent configuration data request.

23. The configuration storage according to claim 21, wherein configuration data content stored in the configuration storage comprises at least one service entry.

24. The configuration storage according to claim 23, wherein a service entry in the configuration storage comprises at least one of the following:

a unique service identifier identifying a service;

configuration data; and

a time-to-live value for the configuration data.

25. The configuration storage according to claim 21, wherein at least one of the configuration storage, the dynamic host control protocol server and the storage manager are comprised within a single entity.

26. A computer program embodied on a computer readable medium for configuration management of a dynamic host configuration protocol framework, wherein the computer program controls a data-processing device to perform the steps of:

maintaining configuration data content in at least one configuration storage and managing signaling and data transfer between the at least one configuration storage and at least one network server; and

updating configuration data content in the at least one configuration storage dynamically.

27. A computer program embodied on a computer readable medium for configuration management of a dynamic host configuration protocol framework, wherein the computer program controls a data-processing device to perform the steps of:

storing configuration data used by at least one dynamic host control protocol server;

delivering the configuration data to the at least one dynamic host control protocol server;

receiving configuration data content maintenance operations from at least one storage manager; and

generating a configuration data request to at least one storage manager if applicable configuration data does not exist or if the applicable configuration data has expired.

28. A network server for configuration management of a dynamic host configuration protocol framework, wherein the network server is connected to at least one storage manager, wherein the network server is configured to:

establish a relationship with the at least one storage manager in order to exchange information;

connect to at least one information storage comprising configuration data for at least one configuration storage; and

transmit the configuration data to the at least one storage manager.

29. The network server according to claim 28, further configured to:

receive configuration data requests from the at least one storage manager.

30. The network server according to claim 29, further configured to:

check whether the at least one storage manager is allowed to receive the configuration data, wherein the network server is configured to provide the at least one storage manager with the configuration data only if the at least one storage manager is allowed to receive the configuration data.

31. The network server according to claim 28, further configured to:

automatically transmit unsolicited, modified, or new configuration data to the at least one storage manager.

32. The network server according to claim 28, further configured to:

transmit, based on an external trigger, unsolicited, modified, or new configuration data advertisements to the at least one storage manager.

33. The network server according to claim 28, further configured to:

periodically transmit unsolicited configuration data advertisements to the at least one storage manager.

34. The network server according to claim 28, further configured to:

transmit, based on an external trigger, at least a subset of the configuration data to the at least one storage manager.

35. The network server according to claim 29, further configured to:

receive the configuration data from at least one external entity.

36. The network server according to claim 28, further configured to:

receive management data from at least one external entity.

37. A computer program embodied on a computer readable medium for configuration management of a dynamic host configuration protocol framework, wherein the computer program controls a data-processing device to perform the following steps of:

establishing a relationship between a network server and at least one storage manager in order to exchange information;

connecting to at least one information storage comprising configuration data for the at least one configuration storage; and

transmitting the configuration data to the at least one storage manager.

38. A system for configuration management of a dynamic host configuration protocol framework, the system comprising:

at least one dynamic host control protocol server;

at least one configuration storage connected to at least one dynamic host control protocol server;

at least one storage manager connected to at least one configuration storage;

at least one network server connected to at least one storage manager;

storing means for storing configuration data used by the at least one dynamic host control protocol server;

maintaining means for maintaining configuration data content in the at least one configuration storage and managing signaling and data transfer between the at least one configuration storage and the at least one network server;

providing means for providing the at least one storage manager with configuration data; and

updating means for updating configuration data content in the at least one configuration storage dynamically.

39. A method for configuration management of a dynamic host configuration protocol framework, the method comprising:

maintaining configuration data content in a configuration storage and managing signaling and data transfer between the configuration storage and at least one network server; and

updating configuration data content in the configuration storage dynamically.

40. A system for configuration management of a dynamic host configuration protocol framework, the system comprising:

maintaining means for maintaining configuration data content in a configuration storage;

managing means for managing signaling and data transfer between the configuration storage and at least one network server; and

updating means for updating configuration data content in the configuration storage dynamically.

41. A method for configuration management of a dynamic host configuration protocol framework, the method comprising:

storing configuration data used by at least one dynamic host control protocol server;

delivering the configuration data to the at least one dynamic host control protocol server;

receiving configuration data content maintenance operations from at least one storage manager; and

generating a configuration data request to at least one storage manager if applicable configuration data does not exist or if the applicable configuration data has expired.

42. A system for configuration management of a dynamic host configuration protocol framework, the system comprising:

storing means for storing configuration data used by at least one dynamic host control protocol server;

delivering means for delivering the configuration data to the at least one dynamic host control protocol server;

receiving means for receiving configuration data content maintenance operations from at least one storage manager; and

generating means for generating a configuration data request to at least one storage manager if applicable configuration data does not exist or if the applicable configuration data has expired.

43. A method for configuration management of a dynamic host configuration protocol framework, the method comprising:

establishing a relationship between a network server and at least one storage manager in order to exchange information;

connecting to at least one information storage comprising configuration data for at least one configuration storage; and

transmitting the configuration data to the at least one storage manager.

44. A system for configuration management of a dynamic host configuration protocol framework, the system comprising:

establishing means for establishing a relationship between a network server and at least one storage manager in order to exchange information;

connecting means for connecting to at least one information storage comprising configuration data for at least one configuration storage; and

transmitting means for transmitting the configuration data to the at least one storage manager.