Network connectivity management

• US 7,650,395 B2
• Filed: 03/18/2005
• Issued: 01/19/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/18/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Sires, Christopher R H, Willie, Anthony L, Ewanchuk, Brian J, Johnson, James S, Hartin, Justin W
• Primary Examiner(s): Srivastava; Vivek
• Assistant Examiner(s): HOSSAIN, TANIM M
• Application Number:
  US11/084,052
• Publication Number:
  US 20060224709A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,768 Days
• Field of Search: 709/220, 709/223, 709/227, 709/230
• US Class Current: 709/220
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/289 Intermediate processing functionally located close to the data consumer application, e.g. in same machine, in same home or in same sub-network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/563 Data redirection of data network streams

Abstract

Network connectivity management can manage (e.g., harmonize) network connectivity services and network connectivity modules. By way of example only, network connectivity management is applicable to connections to a network through a network connectivity service via a network connectivity module. In a described implementation, network connectivity configuration information is scanned to locate data that corresponds to a preferred network connectivity service for a given connection scenario. The network connectivity module used in the given connection scenario is extracted. It is detected if the extracted network connectivity module is a preferred network connectivity module that is associated with the preferred network connectivity service. If not, the connection scenario can be redirected away from the non-preferred network connectivity module and toward the preferred network connectivity module. A user may optionally be given an opportunity to elect to connect via the preferred network connectivity module.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

detecting for a connection scenario a mismatch between a preferred network connectivity service and a non-preferred network connectivity module, wherein the preferred network connectivity service comprises an internet service provider (ISP) and wherein the non-preferred network connectivity module is not preferred over a preferred network connectivity module when connecting to the ISP;

responsive to the detected mismatch, redirecting the connection scenario away from the non-preferred network connectivity module, wherein the non-preferred network connectivity module comprises (i) an outdated version of a previous preferred network connectivity module or (ii) a third party network connectivity module from an operating system and/or independent vendor;

scanning network connectivity configuration information including multiple connection scenarios;

searching in the multiple connection scenarios of the network connectivity configuration information for data corresponding to the preferred network connectivity service;

if data corresponding to the preferred network connectivity service is discovered in the connection scenario, extracting a footprint of a network connectivity module that is currently used for the connection scenario;

wherein the footprint of the network connectivity module is utilized in the detecting, and

injecting a redirection initiator into an entry for the connection scenario in the network connectivity configuration information, wherein at least a portion of the method is implemented in hardware.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the redirecting comprises at least one of:

rerouting the connection scenario without user input to connect via the preferred network connectivity module that is associated with the preferred network connectivity service;

or

providing a user an option to elect to reroute the connection scenario to connect via the preferred network connectivity module.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the scanning of the network connectivity configuration information is proactively repeated at predetermined intervals.

4. One or more processor-accessible storage media comprising processor-executable instructions that, when executed, direct a device to perform actions comprising:

scanning connection scenario entries of network connectivity configuration information;

searching in each scanned connection scenario entry for data corresponding to a preferred network connectivity service; and

if data corresponding to the preferred network connectivity service is discovered in a particular connection scenario entry,

extracting a footprint of a network connectivity module used in conjunction with the preferred network connectivity service;

detecting if the network connectivity module matches the preferred network connectivity service; and

if the network connectivity module is not detected to match the preferred network connectivity service,

injecting a redirection initiator into the particular connection scenario entry;

wherein the network connectivity module comprises dial-up networking connectivity software, and the preferred network connectivity service comprises an internet service provider (ISP).

5. The one or more processor-accessible storage media as recited in claim 4, comprising the processor-executable instructions that, when executed, direct the device to perform further actions comprising:

determining if a rerouting option user interface (UI) has been previously rendered;

if the rerouting option UI is determined to have not been previously rendered, then rendering the rerouting option UI;

confirming if a user has opted into rerouting a connection via a preferred network connectivity module;

if the user is not confirmed to have opted into the rerouting, establishing a connection through the preferred network connectivity service via a non-preferred network connectivity module; and

if the user is confirmed to have opted into the rerouting, establishing a connection through the preferred network connectivity service via a preferred network connectivity module.

6. The one or more processor-accessible storage media as recited in claim 4, wherein the action of detecting comprises an action of detecting if the network connectivity module as identified by the extracted footprint is a preferred network connectivity module that is associated with the preferred network connectivity service.