System and Method for Registration of an Agent to Process Management Object Updates

• US 20100037238A1
• Filed: 08/08/2008
• Published: 02/11/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: SHENFIELD, Michael, GODFREY, James Andrew, FERRAZZINI, Axel
• Granted Patent: US 9,882,769 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 719/317
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57
• 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 41/046 comprising network management agents or mobile agents therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0816 the condition being an adaptation, e.g. in response to network events
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0869 Validating the configuration within one network element
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416

Abstract

A method is disclosed for providing an updated management object to an agent. The method includes the agent specifying the updated management object, and a device management client providing the updated management object.

Claims

1. A method for providing an updated management object to an agent, comprising:

the agent specifying the updated management object; and

a device management client providing the updated management object.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein specifying the updated management object comprises at least one of:

the agent registering with the device management client to utilize the updated management object when the updated management object becomes available; and

the agent sending a command to the device management client requesting the updated management object.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the updated management object comprises at least one of:

the device management client notifying the agent of the existence of the updated management object; and

the device management client launching an application handler registered by the agent to process the updated management object.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein, when the agent registers with the device management client, the device management client makes the updated management object available to the agent at approximately the time the device management client receives the updated management object.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein, when the agent sends a command to the device management client requesting the updated management object, the device management client sends the updated management object to the agent at approximately the time the device management client receives the command.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein, when the agent registers with the device management client, a set of parameters the agent includes in a registration request includes:

a specification that processing of the updated management object is to be carried out by one of;

the device management client notifying the agent of the existence of the updated management object, and

the device management client launching an application handler registered by the agent to process the updated management object;

a designation of which updated management object is requested;

the agent'"'"'s access rights to the updated management object, and

an identifier for the agent.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein, when the agent sends the command to the device management client requesting the management object, a set of parameters the agent includes in the command includes:

a designation of which updated management object is requested;

the agent'"'"'s access rights to the updated management object; and

an identifier for the agent.

8. The method of claim 3, wherein the application handler promotes the agent utilizing the updated management object by one of:

updating the agent'"'"'s data to a configuration consistent with the updated management object;

launching the agent with updated management object data as a startup parameter;

storing updated management object data in a shared database to which the agent has access; and

notifying the agent of the updated management object.

9. The method of claim 3, wherein the application handler is one of:

a component integrated with the agent;

a component separate from but accessible to the agent.

10. A device configured to utilize an updated management object, comprising:

an agent configured to register to utilize the updated management object when the updated management object becomes available; and

a device management client configured to process the registration and to provide the updated management object when the updated management object becomes available.

11. The device of claim 10, wherein providing the management object comprises at least one of:

a direct notification procedure wherein the device management client notifies the agent of the existence of the updated management object; and

a mediated update procedure wherein an application handler registered by the agent processes the updated management object.

12. The device of claim 10, wherein the device management client makes the updated management object available to the agent at approximately the time the device management client receives the updated management object.

13. The device of claim 11, wherein a set of parameters the agent includes in a registration request includes:

a specification that providing the updated management object is to be carried out by one of;

the direct notification procedure, and

the mediated update procedure;

a designation of which updated management object is requested;

the agent'"'"'s access rights to the updated management object; and

an identifier for the agent.

14. The device of claim 13, wherein the device management client performs a validation procedure on the set of parameters to determine whether to accept the registration request.

15. The device of claim 11, wherein the application handler promotes the agent utilizing the management object by one of:

updating the agent'"'"'s data to a configuration consistent with the updated management object;

launching the agent with updated management object data as a startup parameter;

storing updated management object data in a shared database to which the agent has access; and

notifying the agent of the updated management object.

16. The device of claim 11, wherein the application handler is one of:

a component integrated with the agent;

a component separate from but accessible to the agent.

17. A device configured to utilize an updated management object, comprising:

a processor;

an agent configured to send a command requesting the updated management object; and

a device management client configured to receive the command and to send the updated management object to the agent.

18. The device of claim 17, wherein the device management client sends the updated management object to the agent at approximately the time the device management client receives the command.

19. The device of claim 17, wherein a set of parameters the agent includes in the command includes:

a designation of which updated management object is requested;

the agent'"'"'s access rights to the updated target management object; and

an identifier for the agent.

20. The device of claim 19, wherein the device management client performs a validation procedure on the set of parameters to determine whether to send the updated management object to the agent.