SYSTEM FOR REMOTELY MANAGING AND SUPPORTING A PLURALITY OF NETWORKS AND SYSTEMS

• US 20100030895A1
• Filed: 07/30/2009
• Published: 02/04/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Nectar Holdings, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nectar Holdings, Inc.
• Inventors: Kiefer, Matthew, Fuccillo, Joseph, Baydian, Edmond
• Application Number:
  US12/512,120
• Publication Number:
  US 20100030895A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/00 Arrangements for maintenance, administration or management of data switching networks, e.g. of packet switching networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0213 Standardised network management protocols, e.g. simple network management protocol [SNMP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0233 Object-oriented techniques, for representation of network management data, e.g. common object request broker architecture [CORBA]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0604 using filtering, e.g. reduction of information by using priority, element types, position or time
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5067 Customer-centric QoS measurements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/10 Active monitoring, e.g. heartbeat, ping or trace-route
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/34 Source routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/785 among multiple network domains, e.g. multilateral agreements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/302 Administrative registration, e.g. for domain names at internet corporation for assigned names and numbers [ICANN]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4511 using domain name system [DNS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5076 Update or notification mechanisms, e.g. DynDNS
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/02 for separating internal from external traffic, e.g. firewalls
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/20 for managing network security; network security policies in general filtering policies H04L63/0227
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1063 Application servers providing network services systems providing special services to telephonic subscribers H04M3/42

Abstract

Converged network management application and system is provided that delivers a management platform as a service that can view and/or manage all managed networks in the aggregate, or any one of them individually (including individual devices within the managed networks), in a secure and efficient manner, providing continuously available intelligence in real time on the managed networks and systems, and overcoming integration issues including conflicting address schemas, the need to avoid unnecessary infrastructure, and the need acquire all necessary information in real time within applicable memory and bandwidth constraints.

Claims

1. A system for monitoring and managing a plurality of disparate networks and systems, comprising:

a control element comprising a first intelligent gateway having facilities for monitoring and managing network operations locally and which is deployed at a centralized physical location that is separate from the location of any of the managed networks or systems and is adapted to communicate with similar gateways deployed within each managed network;

wherein

(a) the networks being managed by said system have been independently designed and operated and are not constrained to have compatible address schemes, designs or business functions;

(b) the management functions provided by said system comprise monitoring capabilities as well as the ability of said control element to direct commands to individual devices within said managed networks;

(c) said monitoring capabilities include the ability of said control element to acquire and store data in real time concerning events on each of said managed networks;

(d) said system may be deployed and operated without requiring any customer whose networks or systems are being managed to change any topological features or elements; and

(e) said system may be deployed without requiring a dedicated connection to any of the managed networks.

2. A system as described in claim 1, further comprising cascading, composite control, process and display elements that all incorporate the same base functionality and can be deployed or used at any depth.

3. A system as described in claim 1, further comprising an interface, through a single point of contact to the network, providing access to and control of any network or system element at any level (including the controlling element itself).