SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR REMOTE MANAGEMENT OF NETWORKED SYSTEMS USING SECURE MODULAR PLATFORM

• US 20090300180A1
• Filed: 05/30/2008
• Published: 12/03/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Red Hat, Inc. (International Business Machines Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Red Hat, Inc. (International Business Machines Corporation)
• Inventors: DEHAAN, Michael, Vidal, Seth, Likins, Adrian
• Granted Patent: US 8,713,177 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/225
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0266 using meta-data, objects or commands for formatting management information, e.g. using eXtensible markup language [XML]
• 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 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

Embodiments relate to systems and methods for the remote configuration of networked systems using a secure modular platform. A network management engine communicates with a set of remote machines, such as a collection of clients or servers on a network. The network management engine can present a systems administrator with a set of compact network commands to permit the administrator to interrogate, configure, and manage the set of controlled machines on a dynamic basis. The network management engine can, for instance, install or update software, detect viruses on the controlled machines, perform an inventory of installed hardware on the controlled machines, and perform other network management functions using pre-configured functions and APIs built into a network library or command directory. Besides incorporating pre-configured management modules, the network management engine further allows a systems administrator to add custom modules in the command directory, using efficient modular interfaces compatible with network-level management processing.

Claims

1. A method of remotely controlling a set of networked machines, comprising:

providing a network interface to a set of networked machines; and

transmitting at least one command to the set of networked machines via a command interface using the network interface, the command interface comprising-

a certificate module configured to automatically communicate certificates to the set of networked machines to establish a secure channel to the set of networked machines, and

a library of command modules, the library of command modules comprising-

a set of core modules, and

a set of user-defined modules,

the library of command modules including at least one command capable of automatically controlling multiple machines in the set of networked machines.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the set of networked machines comprises at least one of a set of networked servers and a set of networked clients.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the command interface comprises a set of application programming interfaces (APIs).

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one command comprises at least one of a software provisioning command, a hardware inventory command, a messaging command, and a security command.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the certificates comprise secure socket layer (SSL) certificates.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the network interface comprises an Internet connection.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising logging data traffic between the command interface and the set of networked machines.

8. A system for controlling a set of networked machines, comprising:

a network interface to a set of networked machines; and

a network management engine, communicating with the network interface, the network management engine transmitting at least one command to the set of networked machines via a command interface, the command interface comprising-

a certificate module configured to automatically communicate certificates to the set of networked machines to establish a secure channel to the set of networked machines, and

a library of command modules, the library of command modules comprising-

a set of core modules, and

a set of user-defined modules,

the library of command modules including at least one command capable of automatically controlling multiple machines in the set of networked machines.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the set of networked machines comprises at least one of a set of networked servers and a set of networked clients.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the command interface comprises a set of application programming interfaces (APIs).

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the at least one command comprises at least one of a software provisioning command, a hardware inventory command, a messaging command, and a security command.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the certificates comprise secure socket layer (SSL) certificates.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the network interface comprises an Internet connection.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein the command interface is further configured to log data traffic between the command interface and the set of networked machines.

15. A networked machine, the networked machine being controlled by a method comprising:

communicating via a network interface with a network management engine; and

receiving at least one command from the network management engine in the networked machine via a command interface, the command interface comprising-

a certificate module configured to automatically communicate certificates to the set of networked machines to establish a secure channel to the set of networked machines, and

a library of command modules, the library of command modules comprising-

a set of core modules, and

a set of user-defined modules,

the library of command modules including at least one command capable of automatically controlling multiple machines in the set of networked machines.

16. The networked machine of claim 15, wherein the networked machine comprises a networked server or a networked client.

17. The networked machine of claim 15, wherein the command interface comprises a set of application programming interfaces (APIs).

18. The networked machine of claim 15, wherein the at least one command comprises at least one of a software provisioning command, a hardware inventory command, a messaging command, and a security command.

19. The networked machine of claim 15, wherein the certificates comprise secure socket layer (SSL) certificates.

20. The networked machine of claim 15, wherein the network interface comprises an Internet connection.

21. The networked machine of claim 15, wherein command interface is further configured to log data traffic between the command interface and the set of networked machines.