System, method, and computer program product for sending remote device configuration information to a monitor using e-mail

• US 7,536,450 B2
• Filed: 09/17/2001
• Issued: 05/19/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: Motoyama, Tetsuro, Fong, Avery
• Primary Examiner(s): PHILLIPS, HASSAN A
• Application Number:
  US09/953,359
• Publication Number:
  US 20030055953A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,801 Days
• Field of Search: 709/217, 709/219, 709/223, 709/224
• 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 41/026 using e-messaging for transporting management information, e.g. email, instant messaging or chat
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0843 based on generic templates
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0856 by backing up or archiving configuration information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/00 User-to-user messaging in packet-switching networks, transmitted according to store-and-forward or real-time protocols, e.g. e-mail
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/103 across network layers, e.g. resolution of network layer into physical layer addresses or address resolution protocol [ARP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/2571 for identification, e.g. for authentication or billing charging arrangements H04L12/14

Abstract

In a monitoring system for networked devices, a system, method, and computer program product for obtaining a globally-unique identifier for a network device, and sending the same to a central monitor responsible for monitoring devices on multiple networks. A remote monitoring workstation monitors devices connected to a network using IP-based SNMP commands and stores the device monitoring information in a database. The remote monitoring workstation queries the database to obtain an IP address and the collected monitoring information for a device, uses the IP address to request a globally-unique identifier (e.g., a MAC address) from a device using SNMP commands, then sends the monitoring information including the globally-unique device identifier to a central monitoring workstation via an e-mail message.

Claims

1. A method for sending image output device information corresponding to an image output device from a remote monitor to a central monitor, comprising:

querying a digital repository by the remote monitor for a local unique identifier corresponding to the image output device and contact information of a person responsible for the image output device;

accessing the image output device using the local unique identifier to obtain the image output device information of the image output device;

accessing, by the remote monitor using the local unique identifier and a network management protocol, the image output device to obtain a globally unique identifier stored on the image output device;

determining whether to send the image output device information to the central monitor; and

sending the image output device information, the globally unique identifier, and the contact information by the remote monitor to the central monitor as a message using a transfer protocol when the determining determines to send the image output device information to the central monitor.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the local unique identifier comprises an Internet protocol address of the image output device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the globally unique identifier comprises a physical address of the image output device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the globally unique identifier comprises a media access control address of the image output device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the network management protocol comprises a simple network management protocol.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the contact information includes at least one of a name, a phone number, a company name, and an address of the person.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the accessing step comprises accessing the image output device to obtain status information of the image output device.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the accessing step comprising accessing the image output device to obtain at least one of toner and jam information of the image output device.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the transfer protocol comprises at least one of a file transfer protocol and a hyper text transfer protocol.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the message comprises an Internet e-mail message.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the message comprises an Internet e-mail message, and

the image output device information is sent as an attachment to the message.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the message comprises an Internet e-mail message, and

the image output device information is sent as a multipurpose Internet mail extensions attachment to the message.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

encrypting the image output device information by the remote monitor prior to the sending step.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising the step of:

encoding the image output device information by the remote monitor after the encrypting step and prior to the sending step.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the encoding step comprises encoding the image output device information using a base 64 encoding.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

encoding the image output device information by the remote monitor prior to the sending step.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the encoding step comprises encoding the image output device information using a base 64 encoding.

18. A computer-implemented system for sending image output device information corresponding to an image output device from a remote monitor to a central monitor, comprising:

a processor; and

a computer readable medium encoded with processor readable instructions that when executed by the processor implement

a database management mechanism configured to query a database for a local unique identifier corresponding to the image output device and contact information of a person responsible for the image output device,

a device access mechanism configured to access the image output device using the local unique identifier to obtain the image output device information,

a device management mechanism configured to access, using the local unique identifier and a network management protocol, the image output device to obtain a globally unique identifier stored on the image output device,

a determining mechanism configured to determine whether to send the image output device information to the central monitor; and

a sending mechanism configured to send the image output device information, the globally unique identifier, and the contact information from the remote monitor to the central monitor as a message using a transfer protocol when the determining mechanism determines to send the image output device information to the central monitor.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the local unique identifier comprises an Internet protocol address of the image output device.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the globally unique identifier comprises a physical address of the image output device.

21. The system of claim 18, wherein the globally unique identifier comprises a media access control address of the image output device.

22. The system of claim 18, wherein the network management protocol comprises a simple network management protocol.

23. The system of claim 18, wherein the database management mechanism is configured to obtain the contact information, which includes at least one of a name, a phone number, a company name, and an address of the person.

24. The system of claim 18, wherein the device access mechanism is configured to access the image output device to obtain status information of the image output device.

25. The system of claim 18, wherein the device access mechanism is configured to access the image output device to obtain at least one of toner and jam information of the image output device.

26. The system of claim 18, wherein the transfer protocol comprises at least one of a file transfer protocol and a hyper text transfer protocol.

27. The system of claim 18, wherein the message comprises an Internet e-mail message.

28. The system of claim 18, wherein:

the message comprises an Internet e-mail message; and

the image output device information is sent as an attachment to the message.

29. The system of claim 18, wherein:

the message comprises an Internet e-mail message; and

the image output device information is sent as a multipurpose Internet mail extensions attachment to the message.

30. The system of claim 18, wherein the computer readable medium is further encoded with processor readable instructions that when executed by the processor further implements

an encryption mechanism configured to encrypt the image output device information prior to sending the image output device information.

31. The system of claim 30, wherein the computer readable medium is further encoded with processor readable instructions that when executed by the processor further implements

an encoding mechanism configured to encode the image output device information after the encryption mechanism encrypts the image output device information and prior to sending the image output device information.

32. The system of claim 31, wherein the encoding mechanism is further configured to encode the image output device information using a base 64 encoding.

33. The system of claim 18, wherein the computer readable medium is further encoded with processor readable instructions that when executed by the processor further implements

an encoding mechanism configured to encode the image output device information prior to sending the image output device information.

34. The system of claim 33, wherein the encoding mechanism is further configured to encode the image output device information using a base 64 encoding.

35. A computer program product, comprising:

a computer storage medium; and

a computer program code mechanism embedded in the computer storage medium for causing a computer to send image output device information corresponding to an image output device from a remote monitor to a central monitor, the computer program code mechanism comprising;

a first computer code device configured to query a database for a local unique identifier corresponding to the image output device and contact information of a person responsible for the image output device,

a second computer code device configured to access the image output device using the local unique identifier to obtain the image output device information,

a third computer code device configured to access, using the local unique identifier and a network management protocol, the image output device to obtain a globally unique identifier stored on the image output device,

a fourth computer code device configured to determine whether to send the image output device information to the central monitor, and

a fifth computer code device configured to send the image output device information, the globally unique identifier, and the contact information from the remote monitor to the central monitor as a message using a transfer protocol when the fourth computer code device determines to send the image output device information to the central monitor.

36. The computer program product of claim 35, wherein the local unique identifier comprises an Internet protocol address of the image output device.

37. The computer program product of claim 35, wherein the globally unique identifier comprises a physical address of the image output device.

38. The computer program product of claim 35, wherein the globally unique identifier comprises a media access control address of the image output device.

39. The computer program product of claim 35, wherein the network management protocol comprises a simple network management protocol.

40. The computer program product of claim 35, wherein the contact information includes at least one of a name, a phone number, a company name, and an address of the person.

41. The computer program product of claim 35, wherein the first computer code device is configured to access the image output device to obtain status information of the image output device.

42. The computer program product of claim 35, wherein the first computer code device is configured to access the image output device to obtain at least one of toner and jam information of the image output device.

43. The computer program product of claim 35, wherein the transfer protocol comprises at least one of a file transfer protocol and a hyper text transfer protocol.

44. The computer program product of claim 35, wherein the message comprises an Internet e-mail message.

45. The computer program product of claim 35, wherein:

the message comprises an Internet e-mail message; and

the image output device information is sent as an attachment to the message.

46. The computer program product of claim 35, wherein:

the message comprises an Internet e-mail message; and

the image output device information is sent as a multipurpose Internet mail extensions attachment to the message.

47. The computer program product of claim 35, wherein the computer program code mechanism further comprises:

a sixth computer code device configured to encrypt the image output device information prior to sending the image output device information.

48. The computer program product of claim 47, wherein the computer program code mechanism further comprises:

a seventh computer code device configured to encode the image output device information after the sixth computer code device encrypts the configuration information and prior to sending the image output device information.

49. The computer program product of claim 48, wherein the seventh computer code device is further configured to encode the image output device information using a base 64 encoding.

50. The computer program product of claim 35, wherein the computer program code mechanism further comprises:

a sixth computer code device configured to encode the configuration information prior to sending the configuration information.

51. The computer program product of claim 50, wherein the sixth computer code device is further configured to encode the image output device information using a base 64 encoding.