Systems and methods for automatically configuring and managing network devices and virtual private networks

• US 20060184998A1
• Filed: 02/14/2005
• Published: 08/17/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/14/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Olaf Alexander Wobst, Robert Douglas Smith
• Original Assignee: ETSEC, Inc. (Open Text Corporation)
• Inventors: Smith, Robert Douglas, Wobst, Olaf Alexander
• Granted Patent: US 7,409,709 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/3
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4679 Arrangements for the registration or de-registration of VLAN attribute values, e.g. VLAN identifiers, port VLAN membership
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0253 using browsers or web-pages for accessing management information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0806 for initial configuration or provisioning, e.g. plug-and-play
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/082 the condition being updates or upgrades of network functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0856 by backing up or archiving configuration information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0895 Configuration of virtualised networks or elements, e.g. virtualised network function or OpenFlow elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/40 using virtualisation of network functions or resources, e.g. SDN or NFV entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0272 Virtual private networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/04 for providing a confidential data exchange among entities communicating through data packet networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0823 using certificates cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving certificates H04L9/3263
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/20 for managing network security; network security policies in general filtering policies H04L63/0227

Abstract

Systems and methods are disclosed for automatically configuring, managing, and maintaining a network device or VPN using a public network such as the Internet. Initial configuration of a network device or VPN occurs upon a user entering minimal information via a simple HTML page. After receipt of this minimal information, the present invention automatically configures the network device or VPN without user intervention. Thereafter, a user may modify the network device or VPN configuration via an easy-to-use and easy-to-understand graphical user interface. Parameters are presented such that a user simply checks and unchecks boxes, or clicks on radio buttons, to configure network device parameters. Upon completion of the selection, the user clicks on save, and the configuration is automatically modified. In addition, upon a significant change to any network device, the changed network device automatically initiates reconfiguration of the network device or VPN with zero input from a user.

Claims

1-4. -4. (canceled)

5. A method for automatically configuring a network device, said method comprising the steps of:

receiving initial data input by a user;

automatically establishing a network connection between a network and said network device;

automatically establishing a first communication between a master device and said network device via said network;

transmitting management device information from said master device to said network device;

automatically establishing a second communication between a management device and said network device via said network connection to prompt transmission of a generic configuration file from said management device to said network device;

transmitting said generic configuration file from said management device to said network device via said network connection; and

automatically configuring said network device for at least one of the group consisting of network access, network browsing, electronic mail, and virtual private network participation;

wherein said network device is automatically configured upon local processing of said generic configuration file.

6. A method according to claim 5, wherein said initial data includes at least one customer identifier, at least one password, and at least one network connection type.

7. A method according to claim 5, wherein said network device is at least one of the group consisting of a broadband device, a router, a modem, a switch, and a wireless gateway.

8. A method according to claim 5, said method further comprising the steps of:

encoding said generic configuration file; and

encrypting said generic configuration file;

wherein said encoding and said encrypting occur prior to transmission of said generic configuration file via said network.

9. A method according to claim 5, wherein said initial data is input by said user via a user interface coupled to said network device.

10. A method according to claim 9, wherein said user interface includes at least one of the group consisting of a personal computer, a personal data assistant, and a network-equipped appliance.

11. A method according to claim 9, wherein said coupling of said user interface to said network device is performed via at least one of the group consisting of a cable, an Ethernet cable, a wireless connection, a local area network, a wide area network, and an Internet connection.

12. A method according to claim 5, wherein said receiving of said initial data input by said user includes the sub-steps of:

redirecting a browser activated by said user to display at least one data input screen stored in said network device; and

receiving said initial data input by said user via at least one of said data input screens.

13. A method according to claim 12, wherein said browser is a Web browser.

14. A method according to claim 12, wherein at least one of said data input screens is a hypertext markup language page.

15. A method according to claim 5, wherein said network connection is at least one of the group consisting of a wireless connection, a cable connection, a digital subscriber line, and a telephone line.

16. A method according to claim 5, wherein said network is at least one of the group consisting of an Internet and a wide area network.

17. A method according to claim 5, wherein a configuration transfer tool integral to said management device transmits said generic configuration file to said network device.

18. A method according to claim 5, wherein said automatically configuring said network device includes the sub-steps of:

extracting configuration data from said generic configuration file; and

writing said configuration data to at least one storage location of said network device;

wherein at least one daemon executed by said network device retrieves and processes at least a portion of said configuration data contained in said storage location.

19. A method according to claim 5, wherein said automatically configuring said network device includes the sub-steps of:

decrypting said generic configuration file;

decoding said generic configuration file;

extracting configuration data from said generic configuration file; and

writing said configuration data to at least one storage location of said network device;

wherein at least one daemon executed by said network device retrieves and processes at least a portion of said configuration data contained in said storage location.

20. A method according to claim 5, wherein said master device and said management device are servers.

21. A method according to claim 5, said method further comprising the steps of:

authenticating a first communication channel prior to said establishing of said first communication between said master device and said network device; and

authenticating a second communication channel prior to said establishing of said second communication between said management device and said network device.

22. A method according to claim 21, wherein said authenticating is performed using at least one of the group consisting of IP security, secure sockets layer, passwords, digital certificates, smart cards, biometrics, and dynamic biometrics.

23. A method according to claim 5,

wherein said master device includes at least one master device database;

wherein said management device includes at least one management device database; and

wherein a change to one of the group consisting of said master device databases and said management device databases is copied to at least one of the group consisting of said master device databases and said management device databases via database replication.

24. A method for automatically configuring a network device, said method comprising the steps of:

receiving user data input by a user at a portal;

transmitting said user data from said portal to at least one management device;

creating at least one configuration file at said management device;

automatically establishing a communication between said management device and said network device via a network connection of a network; and

transmitting said configuration file from said management device to said network device via said network connection;

wherein at least one configuration parameter of said network device is automatically configured upon local processing of said configuration file.

25. A method according to claim 24, wherein said configuration parameter is at least one of the group consisting of a virtual private network parameter, a network parameter, a wide area network parameter, a browsing parameter, an electronic mail parameter, an encryption parameter, a spam parameter, a virus protection parameter, a security parameter, and a filtering parameter.

26. A method according to claim 24, wherein said user data includes at least one of the group consisting of a customer identifier, a password, virtual private network data, network data, wide area network data, browsing data, electronic mail data, encryption data, spam data, virus protection data, security data, and filtering data.

27. A method according to claim 24, wherein said network device is at least one of the group consisting of a broadband device, a router, a modem, a switch, and a wireless gateway.

28. A method according to claim 24, said method further comprising the steps of:

encoding said configuration file; and

encrypting said configuration file;

wherein said encoding and said encrypting occur prior to transmission of said configuration file via said network.

29. A method according to claim 24, wherein said receiving said user data input by said user at said portal includes the sub-steps of:

displaying at least one data input screen to said user via at least one of the group consisting of a network browser and an Internet browser; and

receiving said user data input by said user into said at least one data input screen at said portal via at least one of the group consisting of said network connection and an Internet connection;

wherein at least one of said data input screens prompts said user to perform at least one of the group consisting of selecting said user data from a predefined list of said user data and entering said user data in predefined user data fields.

30. A method according to claim 29, wherein at least one of said data input screens prompts said user to select a first of at least two preference screens.

31. A method according to claim 30, wherein at least one of said preference screens include at least one of the group consisting of virtual private network preferences, network preferences, wide area network preferences, browsing preferences, electronic mail preferences, encryption preferences, spam preferences, virus protection preferences, security preferences, and filtering preferences.

32. A method according to claim 29, wherein at least one of said data input screens is provided by said portal.

33. A method according to claim 24, wherein said user data is input by said user via a user interface coupled to said network device.

34. A method according to claim 33, wherein said user interface is at least one of the group consisting of a personal computer, a personal data assistant, and a network-equipped appliance.

35. A method according to claim 33, wherein said coupling of said user interface to said network device is at least one of the group consisting of a cable, an Ethernet cable, a wireless connection, a local area network, a wide area network, and an Internet connection.

36. A method according to claim 24, wherein said network connection is at least one of the group consisting of a wireless connection, a cable connection, a digital subscriber line, and a telephone line.

37. A method according to claim 24, wherein said network is at least one of the group consisting of an Internet and a wide area network.

38. A method according to claim 24, wherein a configuration transfer tool integral to said management device creates and transmits said configuration file to said network device.

39. A method according to claim 24, wherein local processing of said configuration file includes the steps of:

extracting configuration data from said configuration file; and

writing said configuration data to at least one storage location of said network device;

wherein at least one daemon executed by said network device retrieves and processes at least a portion of said configuration data contained in said storage location.

40. A method according to claim 24, wherein said local processing of said configuration file includes the steps of:

decrypting said configuration file;

decoding said configuration file;

extracting configuration data from said configuration file; and

writing said configuration data to at least one storage location of said network device;

wherein at least one daemon executed by said network device retrieves and processes at least a portion of said configuration data contained in said storage location.

41. A method according to claim 24,

wherein said portal is a web portal;

and

wherein said management device is a server.

42. A method according to claim 24, wherein said transmission of said user data from said portal to said management device occurs via database replication.

43. A method according to claim 24, said method further comprising the step of:

authenticating a communication channel prior to said establishing of said communication between said management device and said network device.

44. A method according to claim 43, wherein said authenticating is performed using at least one of the group consisting of IP security, secure sockets layer, passwords, digital certificates, smart cards, biometrics, and dynamic biometrics.

45. A method according to claim 24,

wherein said portal includes at least one portal database;

wherein said management device includes at least one management device database; and

wherein a change to one of the group consisting of said portal databases and said management device databases is copied to at least one of the group consisting of said portal databases and said management device databases via database replication.

46. A method for remotely maintaining a network device, said method comprising the steps of:

transmitting maintenance data to at least one management device;

creating at least one configuration file at said management device;

automatically establishing a communication between said management device and one or more of said network devices via at least one network connection of at least one network; and

transmitting said configuration file from said management device to said network device via said network connection;

wherein at least one parameter of said network device is automatically configured upon local processing of said configuration file.

47. A method according to claim 46, wherein said maintenance data is at least one of the group consisting of virus definitions, block lists, policies, and firmware.

48. A method according to claim 46, wherein said network device is at least one of the group consisting of a broadband device, a router, a modem, a switch, and a wireless gateway.

49. A method according to claim 46, said method further comprising the steps of:

encoding said configuration file; and

encrypting said configuration file;

wherein said encoding and said encrypting occur prior to transmission of said configuration file via said network.

50. A method according to claim 46, wherein said maintenance data is input via a user interface coupled to said network device.

51. A method according to claim 50, wherein said user interface is at least one of the group consisting of a personal computer, a personal data assistant, and a network-equipped appliance.

52. A method according to claim 50, wherein said coupling of said user interface to said network device is at least one of the group consisting of a cable, an Ethernet cable, a wireless connection, a local area network, a wide area network, and an Internet connection.

53. A method according to claim 46, wherein said network connection is at least one of the group consisting of a wireless connection, a cable connection, a digital subscriber line, and a telephone line.

54. A method according to claim 46, wherein said network is at least one of the group consisting of an Internet and a wide area network.

55. A method according to claim 46, wherein a configuration transfer tool integral to said management device creates and transmits said configuration file to said network device.

56. A method according to claim 46, wherein said local processing of said configuration file includes the steps of:

extracting configuration data from said configuration file; and

writing said configuration data to at least one storage location of said network device;

wherein at least one daemon executed by said network device retrieves and processes at least a portion of said configuration data contained in said storage location.

57. A method according to claim 46, wherein said local processing of said configuration file includes the steps of:

decrypting said configuration file;

decoding said configuration file;

extracting configuration data from said configuration file; and

writing said configuration data to at least one storage location of said network device;

wherein at least one daemon executed by said network device retrieves and processes at least a portion of said configuration data contained in said storage location.

58. A method according to claim 46, said method further comprising the step of:

authenticating a communication channel prior to said establishing of said communication between said management device and said network device.

59. A method according to claim 58, wherein said authenticating is performed using at least one of the group consisting of IP security, secure sockets layer, passwords, digital certificates, smart cards, biometrics, and dynamic biometrics.

60. A method according to claim 46, wherein said transmitting maintenance data to at least one of said management devices includes the sub-steps of:

transmitting said maintenance data to a master device; and

transmitting said maintenance data from said master device to at least one of said management devices.