Remote configuration and management via electronic mail
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A network device, comprising:
- a first network interface; and
control logic configured to;
receive an e-mail message;
authenticate the e-mail message based on a password included in the e-mail message, wherein the password is contained in a subject header of the e-mail message;
parse the e-mail message, if the e-mail message is properly authenticated, to retrieve configuration instructions that provide configuration settings within the e-mail message for the network device, wherein the e-mail message provides the configuration settings such that no additional configuration settings must be retrieved beyond the e-mail message; and
execute a configuration action according to the configuration instructions and the configuration settings contained in the e-mail message to configure the network device.
5 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A network device and a method of configuring a network device are provided. The method includes: receiving an e-mail message at the network device; parsing the e-mail message to retrieve configuration instructions; and executing a configuration action according to the configuration instructions contained in the e-mail message. The network device includes: a first upstream network interface; control logic configured to: receive an e-mail message; parse the e-mail message to retrieve configuration instructions; and execute a configuration action according to the configuration instructions contained in the e-mail message.
-
Citations
25 Claims
-
1. A network device, comprising:
-
a first network interface; and control logic configured to; receive an e-mail message; authenticate the e-mail message based on a password included in the e-mail message, wherein the password is contained in a subject header of the e-mail message; parse the e-mail message, if the e-mail message is properly authenticated, to retrieve configuration instructions that provide configuration settings within the e-mail message for the network device, wherein the e-mail message provides the configuration settings such that no additional configuration settings must be retrieved beyond the e-mail message; and execute a configuration action according to the configuration instructions and the configuration settings contained in the e-mail message to configure the network device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
-
-
13. A method of configuring a network device, comprising:
-
receiving an e-mail message at the network device, wherein the network device comprises a router; authenticating the e-mail message based on a password included in the e-mail message; parsing the e-mail message, if the e-mail message is properly authenticated, to retrieve configuration instructions, wherein the e-mail message with the configuration instructions includes configuration settings within the e-mail message for the network device such that no additional configuration settings must be retrieved beyond the e-mail message; and executing a configuration action, if the e-mail message is properly authenticated, according to the configuration instructions contained in the e-mail message to configure the network device with the configuration settings, wherein the network device comprises a router. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
-
-
25. A network router, comprising:
-
means for connecting to a network; means for receiving an e-mail message; means for authenticating the e-mail message based on a password included in the e-mail message, wherein the authenticating means is configured to perform the authentication of the e-mail message for only a predetermined number of e-mail messages within a predetermined period of time; means for parsing the e-mail message, if the e-mail message is properly authenticated by the authenticating means, to retrieve configuration instructions, wherein the e-mail message includes configuration settings within the e-mail message for the network router such that no additional configuration settings must be retrieved beyond the e-mail message; and means for executing a configuration action, if the e-mail message is properly authenticated by the authenticating means, according to the configuration instructions contained in the e-mail message to configure the network router with the configuration settings.
-
Specification