System and method for regulating messages between networks

• US 20080167846A1
• Filed: 10/25/2006
• Published: 07/10/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CenturyLink Intellectual Property LLC (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Embarq Holdings Company LLC (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Bugenhagen, Michael K.
• Granted Patent: US 8,189,468 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 703/6
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/102 Entity profiles

Abstract

A system and method for interconnecting networks. In one embodiment, a message is received from a first network to be communicated to a target device of a second network. Data within the message is identified. A determination is made whether the data is allowable based on a policy. The message is communicated to the target device of the second network in response to determining the data is allowed.

Claims

1. A method for interconnecting networks, said method comprising:

receiving a message from a first network to be communicated to a target device of a second network;

identifying data within the message;

determining whether the data is allowable based on a policy;

communicating the message to the target device of the second network in response to determining the data is allowed.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first network and the second network are operational support system networks.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the message is a simple network management protocol message.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the message requests network statistics from the second network.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the determining step further comprises:

regulating a number of messages received by the second network based on a threshold.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the threshold indicates the number of messages that may be received per specified time period.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the policy specifies commands within the data that are allowed to be implemented on the target device of the second network.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the determining step further comprises:

rejecting the message because the data is restricted by the policy.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the determining step further comprises:

modifying the message to translate a circuit identification to an address.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the receiving step further comprises:

authenticating the message for determining whether the message may be received by the second network.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the authenticating step specifies any of a sending Internet Protocol address and a circuit identification.

12. A profiler for regulating messages between networks, said profiler comprising:

a queue for receiving the messages from a remote network;

a parser for identifying data within the messages; and

a comparator for determining whether that the data is allowed to be communicated to a target device in a host network based on a policy, wherein the messages are allowed if the messages conform to the policy.

13. The profiler according to claim 12, wherein the comparator modifies the data to meet terms of the policy.

14. The system according to claim 12, wherein the profiler rejects messages that do not conform with the policy.

15. The system according to claim 12, wherein the profiler authenticates the message.

16. The system according to claim 12, wherein the profiler determines whether the content of the message is allowable based on a plurality of terms in the policy.

17. The system according to claim 12, wherein the profiler grants the at least one remote network access to a target device within the host network.

18. A method for establishing a policy for regulating access between a remote network and a host network said method comprising:

designating a target device and port access for the remote network;

establishing authorized commands for the remote network; and

specifying message thresholds for the remote network.

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein the authorized commands include commands for testing control access.

20. The method according to claim 18, further comprising:

setting authentication parameters for the network;

wherein the policy is established using a policy establishment interface.

21. The method according to claim 18, wherein the host network is an operational support system network.