Method and system for providing secure, centralized access to remote elements
First Claim
1. A system for accessing remote devices on a communications network, comprising:
- a first network configured to enable a user computing device to access remote network elements;
a firewall in communication with said first network and configured to restrict access to said first network and the user computing device;
a router in communication with said firewall and a remote network element, an in-band access path defined by a communication path between the user computing device and the remote network element via said first network, firewall, and router;
a first server in communication with said firewall;
a modem bank in communication with said first server and further in communication with the remote network elements via a public switched telephone network (PSTN), an out-of-band access path defined by a communication path between the user computing device and the remote network element via said first network, firewall, first server, modem bank, and PSTN, and wherein the in-band access path from the firewall to the remote network element and the out-of-band access path from the firewall to the remote network element are two distinct paths;
said first server configured to;
(1) receive a request to communicate with the one or more remote network elements over the out-of-band access path;
(2) authenticate a user;
(3) facilitate a session with a second server for establishing connection with an external network element;
(4) establish secure pathway over the out-of-band access path between the user computing device and the one or more remote network elements; and
(5) transmit data for communicating operational status of the one or more remote network elements between the one or more network elements and the user computing device over the secure pathway; and
said modem bank including a plurality of modems in communication with said first and second servers and operable to authenticate the request to access the one or more remote network elements and to communicate the operational status of the one or more remote network elements.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method for establishing centralized, out-of-band access to remote network elements is provided. Status and other information can be securely retrieved from the remote elements. One or more servers observe and manage a plurality of remote elements using modem-to-modem communications between a modem bank and a remote modem. Requests are submitted through a central mediation point, thereby allowing central control of user profiles and a collection of security audit log information. One or more authentication mechanisms provide enforced security measures and trusted communication paths between a user and a remote element. Remote elements can be securely monitored and administered from a central location.
239 Citations
21 Claims
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1. A system for accessing remote devices on a communications network, comprising:
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a first network configured to enable a user computing device to access remote network elements; a firewall in communication with said first network and configured to restrict access to said first network and the user computing device; a router in communication with said firewall and a remote network element, an in-band access path defined by a communication path between the user computing device and the remote network element via said first network, firewall, and router; a first server in communication with said firewall; a modem bank in communication with said first server and further in communication with the remote network elements via a public switched telephone network (PSTN), an out-of-band access path defined by a communication path between the user computing device and the remote network element via said first network, firewall, first server, modem bank, and PSTN, and wherein the in-band access path from the firewall to the remote network element and the out-of-band access path from the firewall to the remote network element are two distinct paths; said first server configured to; (1) receive a request to communicate with the one or more remote network elements over the out-of-band access path; (2) authenticate a user; (3) facilitate a session with a second server for establishing connection with an external network element; (4) establish secure pathway over the out-of-band access path between the user computing device and the one or more remote network elements; and (5) transmit data for communicating operational status of the one or more remote network elements between the one or more network elements and the user computing device over the secure pathway; and said modem bank including a plurality of modems in communication with said first and second servers and operable to authenticate the request to access the one or more remote network elements and to communicate the operational status of the one or more remote network elements. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A method for securely retrieving a status of one or more remote devices, the method comprising:
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communicating between a user computing device and a network element via an in-band access path, the in-band access path including a firewall and router; communicating between the user computing device and the network element via an out-of-band access path, the out-of-band access path including the firewall, a first server, a modem bank, and a public switched telephone network, and wherein the in-band access path from the firewall to the remote network element and the out-of-band access path from the firewall to the remote network element are two distinct paths; requesting, from the user computing device, out-of-band access to the network element via one of a plurality of modems located in the modem bank configured to communicate with a remote modem in communication with the network element; communicating, from the network element via the out-of-band access path with the one of a plurality of modems, with the remote modem; authenticating, by the first server, a request to access the remote modem; establishing, by the first server, a secure pathway over the out-of-band access path between the user computing device and network element; and transmitting data for communicating operational status of the network element between the network element and the user computing device over the secure pathway. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9)
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10. One or more computer-readable storage media having computer-useable instructions embodied thereon, the instructions, when executed on a computing device, cause the computing device to:
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receive a first request via an out-of-band process to establish an out-of-band communications pathway with a network device;
wherein the out-of-band access communications pathway includes a firewall, a first server, a modem bank, and a public switched telephone network;receive a security identifier to authenticate said first request; identify a dial-up number for accessing a remote modem; capture information associated with said first request to a log file; direct a server to identify one of a plurality of modems located in the modem bank that can provide feedback related to said network device; authenticate a second request, said second request being a request to access said remote modem; authenticate a third request, said third request being a request to access said network element; and transmit data for communicating operational status of the network element between the network element and a user computing device over an in-band pathway established between the user computing device and the network element, the in-band pathway includes the firewall and a router, and wherein the in-band access path from the firewall to the remote network element and the out-of-band access path from the firewall to the remote network element are two distinct paths. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification