MILARRS SYSTEMS AND METHODS

• US 20120016925A1
• Filed: 08/12/2011
• Published: 01/19/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/07/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lantronix Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Lantronix Incorporated
• Inventors: Brown, Curtis D., Witchey, Nicholas J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,219,661 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/202
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3495 for systems
• 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 41/046 comprising network management agents or mobile agents therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/106 using time related information in packets, e.g. by adding timestamps
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/16 Threshold monitoring

Abstract

An add-on module provides extrinsic management functionality to legacy and other devices. Contemplated modules include: (a) a state agent that provides at least one of the MILARRS function, and (b) a product agent that communicates with the device using at least one serial interface. Implementations are contemplated for both legacy devices that natively provide less than complete MILARRS functionality, and newly developed devices for which the developer desires a ready-made implementation of MILARRS functionality

Claims

1. A system for managing a remote device through an environment, the system comprising:

an add-on system that passes queries to the remote device and receives responses to the queries;

a state agent that provides a plurality of MILARRS functions; and

a product agent that communicates with the device using a first serial interface.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the state agent stores information in a database.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the state agent stores information in a file structure.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the state agent queries the device through the product agent.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the state agent provides a level of intelligence that allows for other than a strict one-to-one correspondence between information received from the device, and a signal sent from the state engine.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the system expresses the intelligence through at least one of translating data via filtering, abstraction, data deletion, data insertion, alteration, and taking actions based on defined rules.

9. The system of claim 1, further comprising an additional product agent.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the product agent comprises a second serial interface that can be used to communicate with the device.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the first and second serial interfaces are different types.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the first serial interface has no more than two pins, including a ground.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the serial interface comprises a programmable I/O pin.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the serial interface comprises a processor logic level set of pins.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the serial interface comprises at least one of an 12C, SPI, CAN, and a Profibus interface.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the serial interface comprises at least one of an RS 232, RS 485, and a RS 422 interface.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein the serial interface wherein the serial interface comprises at least one of a USB and an Ethernet interface.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein the serial interface carries data at no more than 19,200 baud.

19. The system of claim 1 further comprising an environment interface that communicates with an administrator of the device using a packet switched network protocol.

20. The system of claim 1 further comprising an environment interface that communicates with an administrator of the device using at least one of TCP, UDP, SNMP, FTP, TFTP, SSL, SSH, HTTP, Telnet, and SMTP protocols.

21. The system of claim 1 further comprising an environment interface that communicates with an administrator of the device using a wireless link.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the environment interface interoperates with at least one of IPMI, SNMP, ALOM, DCML, and WMX,

23. The system of claim 21, wherein the environment interface provides at least some power to the device via at least one of power over Ethernet and power over serial.

24. The system of claim 21, wherein the product agent and the environment interface each employ a different management methodology.

25. The system of claim 1, wherein the system has components that collectively adhere to at least level 1 of at least 4 of the FIPS 140 requirements.

2. (canceled)

3. (canceled)

26-44. -44. (canceled)