USE OF SNMP FOR MANAGEMENT OF SMALL FOOTPRINT DEVICES

• US 20100235487A1
• Filed: 06/08/2009
• Published: 09/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Assa Abloy AB
• Original Assignee: Assa Abloy AB
• Inventors: Guthery, Scott B.
• Granted Patent: US 9,032,058 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/223
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0213 Standardised network management protocols, e.g. simple network management protocol [SNMP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0853 using an additional device, e.g. smartcard, SIM or a different communication terminal cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving additional secure or trusted devices H04L9/3234

Abstract

Methods, devices, and systems are provided for managing and controlling small footprint devices with a lightweight control protocol, such as SNMP. Relatively small control messages are employed that have a compact command portion included in an object identifier portion, thereby circumventing the need for a separate command portion as well as a data body. Also, methods, devices, and systems for improving the security and privacy of processing SNMP messages on SNMP-managed devices by moving this processing together with the sensitive data that the process employ such a cryptographic keys inside the tamper-resistant and tamper-evident boundary of an integrated circuit card.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

generating a command message at a manager, the command message comprising an object identifier, the object identifier comprising a variable identification portion and a command information portion; and

transmitting the command message to a managed device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the object identifier comprises at least two commands.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the at least two commands are directed toward a common variable in the managed device.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the at least two commands are directed toward different variables in the managed device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the managed device comprises a small footprint device.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the small footprint device comprises at least one of an integrated circuit card, a smart card, a subscriber identity module card, a security authentication module card, a printer, a reader, a component within a printer, and a component within a reader.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving the command message at the managed device;

utilizing the command information portion to determine the command to be executed and the parameters to be used during execution of the command; and

executing the command with the parameters at the managed device.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the command is executed at a small footprint device within the managed device, wherein the small footprint device is located within a secure area.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

encapsulating the command message in at least one of a TCP and UDP packet; and

causing the at least one of a TCP and UDP packet to be transmitted from the manager to the small footprint device.

10. A Simple Network Management Protocol system, comprising:

a manager adapted to control devices with Simple Network Management Protocol messages; and

a small footprint device adapted to receive and process Simple Network Management Protocol messages transmitted by the manager.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the small footprint device comprises at least one of an integrated circuit card, a smart card, a subscriber identity module card, a security authentication module card, a printer, a reader, a component within a printer, and a component within a reader.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein at least some of the Simple Network Management Protocol message is transmitted from the manager to the small footprint device via at least one of a TCP and UDP packet.

13. A small footprint device adapted to receive and process Simple Network Management Protocol messages.

14. The device of claim 13, wherein the Simple Network Management Protocol messages comprise an object identifier, the object identifier comprising a variable identification portion and a command information portion, wherein the variable identification portion identifies a variable on the device that is to be managed and wherein the command information portion identifies the management action that is to be performed on the variable.

15. The device of claim 14, wherein the object identifier comprises at least two commands.

16. A computer readable medium comprising processor executable instructions stored thereon that include an object identifier, the object identifier comprising a variable identification portion and a command information portion, wherein the instructions, when executed by a processor of a managed device, cause the managed device to execute a process based on command information in the command information portion of the object identifier.

17. The computer readable medium of claim 16, wherein the executable instructions are in the form of a message.

18. The computer readable medium of claim 17, wherein the medium comprises a wire.

19. The computer readable medium of claim 16, wherein the medium comprises memory residing on a network device.

20. The computer readable medium of claim 16, wherein the medium comprises memory of the managed device.