REMOTE COMPUTER MANAGEMENT USING NETWORK COMMUNICATIONS PROTOCOL THAT ENABLES COMMUNICATION THROUGH A FIREWALL AND/OR GATEWAY
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method, comprising:
- initiating, from a managed computer, communication between the managed computer and a remote computer management server;
formatting the communication to allow pass through to at least one of a firewall and a gateway that mediates communication with the managed computer by performing formatting changes to the communication in accordance with each of a plurality of different network communications protocols until one protocol version of the initial communication is allowed to pass through the at least one firewall or gateway of the managed computer, wherein the formatting changes are initiated by an agent application installed on the managed computer and operated by the remote computer management server;
performing, by the agent application, a management command received from the remote computer management server, the management command comprising instructions regarding at least one network communications protocol that is used to communicate with at least one device in communication with the managed computer; and
utilizing the network communications protocol allowed to pass to format subsequent communication between the managed computer and the remote computer management server during an ensuing communication session.
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Abstract
The invention facilitates remote management of a computer via a network. Remote computer management in which communication between a managed computer and a remote computer management server is initiated by the managed computer is implemented so that the communication is formatted in accordance with a network communications protocol that can be used to format communication that is allowed to pass through a firewall and/or gateway that mediates communication with the managed computer.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method, comprising:
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initiating, from a managed computer, communication between the managed computer and a remote computer management server; formatting the communication to allow pass through to at least one of a firewall and a gateway that mediates communication with the managed computer by performing formatting changes to the communication in accordance with each of a plurality of different network communications protocols until one protocol version of the initial communication is allowed to pass through the at least one firewall or gateway of the managed computer, wherein the formatting changes are initiated by an agent application installed on the managed computer and operated by the remote computer management server; performing, by the agent application, a management command received from the remote computer management server, the management command comprising instructions regarding at least one network communications protocol that is used to communicate with at least one device in communication with the managed computer; and utilizing the network communications protocol allowed to pass to format subsequent communication between the managed computer and the remote computer management server during an ensuing communication session. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 10, 11, 12, 13, 16)
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- 8. The method of claim 8, further comprising executing at a regular interval the initiating communication from the managed computer.
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14. The method of claim 14, wherein the encrypting communication between the managed computer and the remote computer management server further comprises generating a new encryption key each time that the managed computer initiates communication with the remote computer management server.
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15. The method of claim 15, wherein encrypting communication between the managed computer and the remote computer management server further comprises successively comparing different combinations of a specified number of the most recent encryption keys stored by the managed computer and a specified number of the most recent encryption keys stored by the remote computer management server.
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17. A method, comprising:
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initiating, from a managed computer, communication between the managed computer and a remote computer management server; querying, if the remote computer management server has a management action to be performed on the managed computer, wherein the communication is formatted in accordance with a network communications protocol that can be used to format communication that is allowed to pass through at least one of a firewall and a gateway that mediates communication with the managed computer; performing formatting changes to the communication in accordance with each of a plurality of different network communications protocols until one protocol version of the initial communication is allowed to pass through the at least one of the firewall and the gateway of the managed computer, wherein the formatting changes are initiated by an agent application installed on the managed computer and operated by the remote computer management server; performing, by the agent application, a management command received from the remote computer management server, the management command comprising instructions regarding at least one network communications protocol that is used to communicate with at least one device in communication with the managed computer; and utilizing the network communications protocol allowed to pass to format subsequent communication between the managed computer and the remote computer management server during an ensuing communication session. - View Dependent Claims (18)
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19. A system, comprising:
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a remote computer management server; and a managed computer that initiates communication with the remote computer management server, wherein the communication is formatted in accordance with a network communications protocol that can be used to format communication that is allowed to pass through at least one of a firewall and a gateway that mediates communication with the managed computer, performs format changes to the communication in accordance with each of a plurality of different network communications protocols until one protocol version of the initial communication is allowed to pass through the at least one firewall or gateway of the managed computer, wherein the format changes are initiated by an agent application installed on the managed computer and operated by the remote computer management server, and wherein the agent application performs a management command received from the remote computer management server, the management command comprising instructions regarding at least one network communications protocol that is used to communicate with at least one device in communication with the managed computer, the network communications protocol allowed to pass being further used to format subsequent communication between the managed computer and the remote computer management server during an ensuing communication session. - View Dependent Claims (20)
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Specification