Selection and storage of policies in network management

• US 20070016597A1
• Filed: 09/19/2006
• Published: 01/18/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/14/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sophos Limited (Sophos Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: ENDFORCE, Inc. (Sophos Group Ltd.)
• Inventors: Bell, Raymond, Russo, Kevin, Beadles, Mark, Mulh, Kenneth, Emerick, William
• Granted Patent: US 7,882,152 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0893 Assignment of logical groups to network elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0894 Policy-based network configuration management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]

Abstract

User interface and policy loading aspects of a policy-based, outsourced, network management system. In one aspect, a user selects policies using a graphical user interface (GUI) with a two paned window having a tree view of the policies in one pane. In another aspect, the policies are (1) created in the GUI format (e.g., XML), (2) sent over a network (e.g., the internet) to a service center in the same format, and (3) are loaded, manipulated and stored in the same format. In another aspect, the initial loading of the policies is done using a bulk loader in a logic layer. In another aspect, the logic layer also includes a configuration checker which handles changes or additions to policies in a finished network management system. Any aspects of the new or changed policy that are inconsistent with the finished system are parsed and stripped out. In another aspect, where the details of a new policy or change aren'"'"'t specified, a base configuration creator creates a policy with minimal attributes. In another aspect, the logic layer also contains a device control console, which allows bypassing the policy creating and configuring to allow a user to directly access a device for configuration.

Claims

1. A method of identifying a plurality of customer network devices over a connecting network, the method comprising:

identifying the plurality of customer network devices in a file having a format that is directly viewable on a user GUI and is directly transportable over the connecting network; and

thereafter transporting the file over the connecting network.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said connecting network is the internet.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said user GUI is an internet browser.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said file format is XML.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising bulk loading said file into a network management directory by:

receiving the file over the network;

thereafter converting the file format to a hierarchical format; and

thereafter transferring the converted file to a directory in a single file transfer session.

6-14. -14. (canceled)

15. A method of bulk loading data into a directory for a customized user network management system, comprising:

receiving a flat XML file with device configurations for a plurality of devices;

converting said flat XML file into a hierarchical format; and

loading said XML file in hierarchical format into said directory.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising:

initiating a thread for said flat XML file;

invoking a plurality of COM components with said thread, each of said COM components corresponding to a different type of configuration data.

17-20. -20. (canceled)

21. A method of identifying a plurality of network entities disposed in a communications network comprising:

providing a modular network management system wherein device configurations are manipulated using COM objects;

assigning a mini-GUID to each one of the plurality of the network entities, said mini-GUID having less than 32 bits.