METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR MANAGING NETWORK CONNECTIONS IN A SOFTWARE PROVISIONING ENVIRONMENT

• US 20100082799A1
• Filed: 09/26/2008
• Published: 04/01/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Red Hat, Inc. (International Business Machines Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Red Hat, Inc. (International Business Machines Corporation)
• Inventors: DeHaan, Michael Paul, Eckersberg, John Joseph II
• Granted Patent: US 8,326,972 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0806 for initial configuration or provisioning, e.g. plug-and-play

Abstract

A provisioning server can manage network connections in the software provisioning environment. The provisioning server can maintain a network record of network configurations for the networks served by the provisioning server. The network record can include information describing the structure, hardware, software, and configuration of the networks served by the provisioning server. The provisioning server can manage and configure existing networks and instantiate new networks or sub-networks associated with the provisioning server. The network configuration module can retrieve the network configurations maintained in the network record to manage, configure, and instantiate existing or new networks.

Claims

1. A method of managing network connections in a software provisioning environment, comprising:

maintaining, in a provisioning server, a network record of network configurations for a set of networks connections;

receiving a request to manage at least one connection of the set of network connections; and

performing at least one management action on the at least one connection based on the maintained network configuration for the at least one connection.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least on management action comprises altering the maintained network configuration for the at least one connection.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein performing at least one management action comprises providing the altered network configuration to a connection server supporting the at least one connection.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the request comprises a request to initiate a new network connection in the set of network connections and wherein performing at least one management action, comprises:

determining a new network configuration for the new network connection based on the network record; and

providing the new network configuration to a configuration server supporting the new network connection.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the new network configuration comprises information for assigning network parameters in the new network connection.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the network parameters comprise at least one of a type of connection server, network addresses for the new network connection, a network gateway for the new network connection, a network mask for the new network connection.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the configuration server is a dynamic host configuration protocol server.

8. A system for managing network connections in a software provisioning environment, comprising;

a network interface to a network comprising a set of network connections; and

a provisioning server, communicating with the network interface, the provisioning server being configured to

maintain a network record of network configurations for the set of networks connections;

receive a request to manage at least one connection of the set of network connections; and

perform at least one management action on the at least one connection based on the maintained network configuration for the at least one connection.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the at least on management action comprises altering the maintained network configuration for the at least one connection.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein performing at least one management action comprises providing the altered network configuration to a connection server supporting the at least one connection.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the request comprises a request to initiate a new network connection in the set of network connections and wherein performing at least one management action, comprises:

determining a new network configuration for the new network connection based on the network record; and

providing the new network configuration to a configuration server supporting the new network connection.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the new network configuration comprises information for assigning network parameters in the new network connection.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the network parameters comprise at least one of a type of connection server, network addresses for the new network connection, a network gateway for the new network connection, a network mask for the new network connection.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the configuration server is a dynamic host configuration protocol server.

15. A provisioning application, the provisioning application being embodied in a computer readable medium and comprising instructions for causing a computer to perform a method comprising:

maintaining, in a provisioning server, a network record of network configurations for a set of networks connections;

receiving a request to manage at least one connection of the set of network connections; and

performing at least one management action on the at least one connection based on the maintained network configuration for the at least one connection.

16. The provisioning application of claim 15, wherein the at least on management action comprises altering the maintained network configuration for the at least one connection.

17. The provisioning application of claim 16, wherein performing at least one management action comprises providing the altered network configuration to a connection server supporting the at least one connection.

18. The provisioning application of claim 15, wherein the request comprises a request to initiate a new network connection in the set of network connections and wherein performing at least one management action, comprises:

determining a new network configuration for the new network connection based on the network record; and

providing the new network configuration to a configuration server supporting the new network connection.

19. The provisioning application of claim 18, wherein the new network configuration comprises information for assigning network parameters in the new network connection.

20. The provisioning application of claim 19, wherein the network parameters comprise at least one of a type of connection server, network addresses for the new network connection, a network gateway for the new network connection, a network mask for the new network connection.

21. The provisioning application of claim 20, wherein the configuration server is a dynamic host configuration protocol server.