System and method for managing devices within a private network via a public network

• US 20060092931A1
• Filed: 11/02/2004
• Published: 05/04/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/02/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SBC Knowledge Ventures LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: SBC Knowledge Ventures LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Walter, Edward, Chin, Jae-Sun, Popp, Robert Raymond Jr.
• Granted Patent: US 7,701,934 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/389
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0213 Standardised network management protocols, e.g. simple network management protocol [SNMP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0803 Configuration setting
• 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: H04L 41/5003 Managing SLA; Interaction between SLA and QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5019 Ensuring fulfilment of SLA
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/065 related to network devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/091 Measuring contribution of individual network components to actual service level

Abstract

A network management system includes a processor and a memory that is accessible by the processor. A computer program is embedded within the memory. The computer program includes instructions to detect the receipt of one or more modified management messages. Each of the one or more modified management messages includes one or more modified data packets having a unique identifier. The computer program further includes instructions to determine an originating device associated with each of the unique identifiers. In a particular embodiment, the unique identifier is a predetermined device management password. Further, the predetermined device management password is a community string for a simple network management protocol data packet.

Claims

1. A network management system, comprising:

a processor;

a memory accessible by the processor;

a computer program embedded within the memory, the computer program comprising;

instructions to detect the receipt of one or more modified management messages, each of the one or more modified management messages including one or more modified data packets having a unique identifier;

instructions to determine an originating device associated with each of the unique identifiers.

2. The network management system of claim 1, wherein the computer program further comprises instructions to request the one or more modified management data packets from the one or more managed devices within the private network.

3. The network management system of claim 1, wherein the unique identifier is a predetermined device management password.

4. The network management system of claim 3, wherein the predetermined device management password is a community string for a simple network management protocol data packet.

5. The network management system of claim 2, wherein the computer program further comprises instructions to manage the one or more managed devices at least partially based on the modified data packets.

6. The network management system of claim 5, wherein the computer program further comprises instructions to create one or more management reports at least partially based on the modified data packets.

7. The network management system of claim 6, wherein the computer program further comprises instructions to present the one or more management reports to a user via a graphical user interface.

8. A network management router for managing one or more managed devices in a private network, the network management router comprising:

a processor;

a memory accessible to the processor;

a proxy agent embedded within the memory, the proxy agent comprising;

instructions to detect when one or management messages is received at the network management router, wherein each of the one or more management messages includes one or more management data packets;

instructions to modify the one or more management data packets to include a unique managed device identifier.

9. The network management router of claim 8, wherein the proxy agent further comprises instructions to detect when a request for management information concerning one or more managed devices is received at the router.

10. The network management router of claim 9, wherein the proxy agent further comprises instructions to transmit a request for management information to at least one of the one or more managed devices.

11. The network management router of claim 8, wherein the proxy agent further comprises instructions to transmit one or more modified management data packets to a remote network management system coupled to the router via a public network.

12. The network management router of claim 11, wherein the unique identifier is a predetermined device management password.

13. The network management system of claim 12, wherein the predetermined device management password is a community string for a simple network management protocol data packet.

14. The network management router of claim 8, wherein the proxy agent is compliant with a simple network management protocol.

15. A method for managing one or more devices within a private network, the method comprising:

receiving at least one management message at a network management system coupled to the private network, wherein the at least one management message includes at least one management data packet and wherein the at least one management data packet includes a unique identifier corresponding to one of the one or more devices.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising transmitting a request for management information from the network management system to the one or more devices within the private network.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the at least one management message is transmitted from a router within the private network.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the router assigns the unique identifier to the at least one management data packet.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein a proxy agent within the router assigns the unique identifier to the at least one management data packet based on a look up table accessible by the proxy agent.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the proxy agent is a simple network management protocol proxy agent.

21. The method of claim 15, wherein the unique identifier is a predetermined device management password.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the predetermined network management password is a community string for a simple network management protocol data packet.

23. The method of claim 15, further comprising determining an origination of the at least one management data packet at least partially based on the unique identifier.

24. The method of claim 15, further comprising associating the at least one management data packet with a management scheme associated with a managed device located within the private network.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising using the at least one management data packet to manage the managed device according to the associated management scheme.

26. The method of claim 25, further comprising creating management reports for the private network.

27. The method of claim 26, further comprising displaying the management reports.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the management reports are provided to the customer via a graphical user interface.