Method, system, and computer program product for troubleshooting/configuring communications settings of a computer system

• US 20070130149A1
• Filed: 10/12/2005
• Published: 06/07/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Lenovo Singapore Pte Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Lenovo Singapore Pte Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Inventors: Mese, John, Kelso, Scott, Peterson, Nathan, Weksler, Arnold, Waltermann, Rod
• Application Number:
  US11/249,062
• Publication Number:
  US 20070130149A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6218 to a system of files or objects, e.g. local or distributed file system or database
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2141 Access rights, e.g. capability lists, access control lists, access tables, access matrices
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/20 for managing network security; network security policies in general filtering policies H04L63/0227

Abstract

The present invention provides a client and server tool that interrogates file sharing attributes of a client/server system from both the client side and the server side. These attributes may include software fireballs, sharing policies, and security attributes. By interrogating the file sharing attributes from both the client and server sides, network access problems emanating from entire side (client and server) can be discovered, and automated solutions can be presented to rectify any problems.

Claims

1. A system for configuring or troubleshooting a computer network, comprising:

one or more client devices, each client device configured with a client software agent (CSA);

one or more servers, each server configured with a server software agent (SSA);

one or more network connections coupling said one or more client devices to said one or more servers; and

a coordinating processor in communication with said one or more client devices and said one or more servers;

wherein;

each said CSA is configured to probe security layers protecting its client and forward data pertaining to the probe to said coordinating processor;

each said SSA is configured to probe security layers protecting its server and forward data pertaining to the probe to said coordinating processor; and

said coordinating processor is configured to analyze data received from each CSA and SSA, identify configuration issues respecting said one or more clients and said one or more servers, and implement solutions to handle any identified configuration issues.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said coordinating processor is configured into each CSA.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said coordinating processor is configured into each SSA.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said coordinating processor is configured into each CSA and each SSA.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said coordinating processor is a separate agent independent of each CSA and each SSA.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said coordinating processor is a separate agent independent of each CSA and each SSA.

15. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein said coordinating processor is a separate agent independent of each CSA and each SSA.

6. A computer-implemented method for configuring or troubleshooting a computer network having one or more client devices, one or more servers, and one or more network connections coupling said one or more client devices to said one or more servers, comprising:

configuring each client device with a client software agent (CSA);

configuring each server with a server software agent (SSA); and

coupling a coordinating processor with said one or more client devices and said one or more servers;

wherein;

each said CSA is configured to probe security layers protecting its client and forward data pertaining to the probe to said coordinating processor;

each said SSA is configured to probe security layers protecting its server and forward data pertaining to the probe to said coordinating processor; and

said coordinating processor is configured to analyze data received from each CSA and SSA, identify configuration issues respecting said one or more clients and said one or more servers, and implement solutions to handle any identified configuration issues.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein said coordinating processor is configured into each CSA.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein said coordinating processor is configured into each SSA.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein said coordinating processor is configured into each CSA and each SSA.

11. A computer-implemented computer program product for configuring or troubleshooting a computer network having one or more client devices, one or more servers, and one or more network connections coupling said one or more client devices to said one or more servers, the computer program product comprising a computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program code embodied in the medium, the computer-readable program code comprising:

computer-readable program code that configures each client device with a client software agent (CSA);

computer-readable program code that configures each server with a server software agent (SSA); and

computer-readable program code that couples a coordinating processor with said one or more client devices and said one or more servers;

wherein;

each said CSA is configured to probe security layers protecting its client and forward data pertaining to the probe to said coordinating processor;

each said SSA is configured to probe security layers protecting its server and forward data pertaining to the probe to said coordinating processor; and

said coordinating processor is configured to analyze data received from each CSA and SSA, identify configuration issues respecting said one or more clients and said one or more servers, and implement solutions to handle any identified configuration issues.

12. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein said coordinating processor is configured into each CSA.

13. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein said coordinating processor is configured into each SSA.

14. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein said coordinating processor is configured into each CSA and each SSA.