SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING VIRTUAL PRIVATE NETWORKS

• US 20160204983A1
• Filed: 01/15/2016
• Published: 07/14/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Gluware, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Glue Networks, Inc.
• Inventors: GRAY, Jeff, HUYNH VAN, Olivier
• Application Number:
  US14/997,119
• Publication Number:
  US 20160204983A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4633 Interconnection of networks using encapsulation techniques, e.g. tunneling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4641 Virtual LANs, VLANs, e.g. virtual private networks [VPN] LAN interconnection over a bridge based backbone H04L12/462; encapsulation techniques H04L12/4633; routing of packets H04L45/00; packet switches H04L49/00; virtual private networks for security H04L63/0272
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0806 for initial configuration or provisioning, e.g. plug-and-play
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/14 Network analysis or design
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/00 Routing or path finding of packets in data switching networks routing or path finding in wireless networks H04W40/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/17 Shortcut routing, e.g. using next hop resolution protocol [NHRP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0823 using certificates cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving certificates H04L9/3263
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/164 at the network layer

Abstract

A computerized system and method for automatically determining customized configurations for each of a plurality of endpoints of a virtual private network (VPN) and deploying the configurations to the endpoints, comprising: accepting, using an interface, parameters required for building the configurations from a user, the configurations enabling the endpoints to process a mixture of time sensitive and non-time sensitive data, and the parameters comprising: endpoint IP addressing scheme information and network design information; automatically generating, using at least one configuration engine, complete customized endpoint configurations for the parameters, and instantiating the configurations based on endpoint hardware-specific information, with no further input required from the user; and deploying, using a scheduler, the configurations to the endpoints of the at least one VPN.

Claims

1. A computerized method for automatically determining customized configurations for each of a plurality of endpoints of at least one virtual private network (VPN) and deploying the configurations to the endpoints, comprising:

accepting, using at least one user interface, parameters required for building the configurations from at least one user, the configurations enabling the endpoints to process a mixture of time sensitive and non-time sensitive data, and the parameters comprising;

endpoint IP addressing scheme information and network design information;

automatically generating, using at least one configuration engine, complete customized endpoint configurations for the parameters, and instantiating the configurations based on endpoint hardware-specific information, with no further input required from the user; and

deploying, using at least one scheduler, the configurations to the endpoints of the VPN.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

validating the parameters utilizing the at least one configuration engine.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the deploying is distributed into reasonable time slots so that resource starvation and connection bottlenecks are avoided.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the computerized method prevents misconfigurations.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the computerized method prevents overlapping IP address spaces.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the computerized method automatically queries each endpoint to verify that the hardware-specific information is consistent with the customized endpoint specific configuration for the endpoint.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein a consistent network addressing plan is utilized.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the computerized method automatically assigns the endpoint IP addressing.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the computerized method automatically selects an unused IP Subnet from the Master IP Subnet.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the computerized method automatically determines the unused IP Subnet from the Master IP Subnet using IP Subnetting.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein all hardware platforms with all possible combinations of field upgradable parts are managed.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein a contemporaneous inventory is maintained of all VPN hardware to which configurations are automatically deployed.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the parameters further comprise network resiliency information.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the parameters further comprise endpoint authentication information.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the parameters further comprise:

security rules, routing policies, or licensing information, or any combination thereof.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the parameters can be used to create endpoint specific settings and hardware-specific configuration settings.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one orchestrator generates a proper endpoint configuration code.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the endpoint addressing scheme information comprises at least one mGRE IP subnet prefix.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the network design information comprises at least one network ID.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the VPN is an mGRE VPN using NHRP protocol.