System and method for securely upgrading networked devices

• US 6,986,133 B2
• Filed: 04/13/2001
• Issued: 01/10/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: GoAhead Software, Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: GoAhead Software, Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: O'Brien, Michael D., Gravestock, Peter, Pickrell, Alan J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Harrell, Robert B.
• Application Number:
  US10/221,513
• Publication Number:
  US 20030208569A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,733 Days
• Field of Search: 370/338, 370/401, 709/221, 709/222, 709/200, 709/220, 709/201, 713/1, 713/2, 713/100, 717/168, 717/171, 717/172, 717/173, 717/174, 717/176, 717/177, 717/178
• US Class Current: 717/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/046 comprising network management agents or mobile agents therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/082 the condition being updates or upgrades of network functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0869 Validating the configuration within one network element
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0893 Assignment of logical groups to network elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0894 Policy-based network configuration management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0442 wherein the sending and receiving network entities apply asymmetric encryption, i.e. different keys for encryption and decryption cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for public-key encryption H04L9/30
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/123 received data contents, e.g. message integrity
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/126 the source of the received data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/303 Terminal profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

A system (FIG. 1) for upgrading deployed networked devices (4,6,8,10,12,14,16). The devices are enabled with an installed agent (FIG. 2 left) that can identify and communicate with a server (22) running the upgrade program. When the appropriate conditions are met the server downloads the upgrade to the agent that then installs the upgrade onto the deployed device. The device is made capable of polling the server to see if an upgrade is available, or, in the alternative, the server can locate the device, query the state of the device and, when the appropriate predetermined conditions are met, download the upgrade to the device.

Claims

1. A method for upgrading a deployed device while in a networked computer environment, said method comprising:

a) adding capability to the deployed device to poll a networked server;

b) polling the networked server to determine if an upgrade is available for said deployed device;

c) downloading said upgrade to the deployed device when said upgrade meets an appropriate criteria;

d) authenticating and verifying that the upgrade is from an appropriate server and that the upgrade itself has not been modified during transmission;

e) applying the upgrade to one or more specific components of the deployed device; and

f) identifying and defining the specific components by the specific component'"'"'s name, version, host name of a server providing the upgrade, port number for requests to the server providing the upgrade, and a polling schedule, a retry period and a number of retry attempts to be made.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the networked server contains upgrade policies controlling said upgrade, the upgrade policies defining what deployed devices are eligible to receive the upgrade.

3. The method of claim 1 further including the polling of the networked server being scheduled on a predetermined basis.

4. A system for implementing upgrades to deployed devices while in a networked environment, said system comprising:

a) an agent added to the deployed device wherein said agent includes a capability of polling a networked server to determine if an upgrade is available for said deployed device;

b) the networked server enabled to transmit said upgrades to the deployed device when a predetermined criteria for said upgrade is substantially matched;

c) a capability of the deployed device to authenticate and verify that the upgrade is from an appropriate said networked server and that the upgrade itself has not been modified during transmission to said deployed device; and

d) a specific components of the deployed device are identified and defined by the specific component'"'"'s name, version, host name of a server providing the upgrade, and a polling schedule, a retry period and a number of retry attempts to be made.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein the networked server applies a predetermined upgrade policy prior to transmission of said upgrade, said upgrade policy identifying and defining which specific deployed devices are eligible to receive the upgrade.

6. The system of claim 4 wherein the polling occurs at predetermined intervals.

7. A system for implementing an upgrade to a deployed device while in a networked environment, said system comprising:

a) deployed device means for receiving upgrade notifications from a networked server;

b) networked server means for transmitting said upgrade to the deployed device when a predetermined criteria for said upgrade is substantially matched;

c) networked server means for determining that the deployed device is eligible to receive said upgrade; and

d) means for specific components of the deployed device to be identified and defined by a component'"'"'s name, version, host name of the server providing the upgrade, and a polling schedule, a retry period and a number of retry attempts to be made.