Network management method and tool

• US 7,349,957 B1
• Filed: 03/01/2002
• Issued: 03/25/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Smith Micro Software Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Smith Micro Software Incorporated
• Inventors: Matthews, Thomas, Alexander, Alex J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wiley; David
• Assistant Examiner(s): JEAN GILLES, JUDE
• Application Number:
  US10/084,913
• Time in Patent Office: 2,216 Days
• Field of Search: 709/162, 709217-224, 709/227, 709/249, 709/201, 709/315, 709/332, 370/241, 370/230, 455/423, 713/162, 340/539, 710/29, 705/1, 714/46, 714/47
• 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 41/0246 Exchanging or transporting network management information using the Internet; Embedding network management web servers in network elements; Web-services-based protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/025 for remote control or remote monitoring of applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/40 for recovering from a failure of a protocol instance or entity, e.g. service redundancy protocols, protocol state redundancy or protocol service redirection management of faults, events, alarms or notifications in data switching networks H04L41/06
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99934 Query formulation, input preparation, or translation

Abstract

A method for providing network management using a remote device. The method may include receiving an end-user message from an end-user device configured to communicate with a network management tool and processing the received message to perform a network management function on at least one network component. The end-user device may include one of a plurality of wireless devices, and the network management tool is configurable to communicate with any of the plurality of wireless devices.

Claims

1. A method for remote response and resolution of network and system failures, the method comprising:

upon receiving notification of detecting a network or system failure, obtaining secure access to a client network infrastructure from a remote device, the client network infrastructure including a network management server;

transmitting a remote device message to the network management server, the message comprising at least one instruction;

at the network management server, translating each instruction into a series of commands that are executable against multiple network components;

identifying and providing a resolution to the network or system failure;

transmitting to the network management server the remote device message in a first format;

converting the remote device message to a second format compatible with a network management protocol; and

transmitting a message in the second format to at least one network component;

wherein translating occurs via an updatable table that contains each instruction and the series of commands corresponding to the instruction.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the remote device message is a network command.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the remote device message is encrypted, the method further comprising:

decrypting the message.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving registration information, the registration information including user information and remote device information, wherein the registration information is usable in authenticating the remote device prior to communicating with the remote device.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

naming the series of commands; and

providing the named series of commands as a menu item at the remote device;

wherein selection of the menu item at the remote device results in execution of the series of commands at the network management server.

5. A tool for remote response and resolution of network and system failures, the tool comprising:

means for obtaining secure access to a client network infrastructure from a remote device upon receiving notification of a network or system failure, the client network infrastructure including a network management server;

means for transmitting a remote device message to the network management server, the message comprising at least one instruction;

translating means for translating each instruction into a series of commands that are executable against multiple network components;

means for identifying and providing a resolution to the network or system failure,

first transmitting means for transmitting to the network management server the remote device message in a first format;

means for converting the remote device message to a second format compatible with a network management protocol; and

second transmitting means for transmitting a message in the second format to at least one network component

wherein the translating means comprises an updatable table that contains each instruction and the series of commands corresponding to the instruction.

6. The tool of claim 5, wherein the remote device message is a network command.

7. The tool of claim 5, wherein the remote device message is encrypted, the tool further comprising:

means for decrypting the message.

8. The tool of claim 5, wherein the remote device is selected from a group consisting of a clientless wireless device, a session based wireless device, a paging wireless device, and an email-based wireless device.

9. The tool of claim 5, further comprising:

means for receiving registration information, the registration information including user information and remote device information, wherein the registration information is usable in authenticating the remote device prior to communicating with the remote device.

10. A computer program product comprising a computer usable medium having control logic stored therein for causing a computer to remotely respond to and resolve network and system failures, the control logic comprising:

first computer readable program code means for obtaining secure access to a client network infrastructure from a remote device upon receiving notification of a network or system failure, wherein the client network infrastructure includes a network management server;

second computer readable program code means for transmitting a remote device message to the network management server, the message comprising at least one instruction;

third computer readable program code means for translating each instruction into a series of commands that are executable against multiple network components; and

fourth computer readable program code means for identifying and providing a resolution to the network or tool failure;

fifth computer readable program code means for transmitting to the network management server the remote device message in a first format;

sixth computer readable program code means for converting the remote device message to a second format compatible with a network management protocol; and

seventh computer readable program code means for transmitting a message in the second format to at least one network component;

wherein the third computer readable program code means comprises an updatable table that contains each instruction and the series of commands corresponding to the instruction.

11. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein the remote device message is a network command.

12. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein the remote device message is encrypted, the computer program product further comprising:

fifth computer readable program code means for decrypting the message.

13. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein the remote device is selected from a group consisting of a clientless wireless device, a session based wireless device, a paging wireless device, and an email-based wireless device.