Profile deployment using a generic format
First Claim
1. A computer-storage device having computer-executable components adapted for use in a computer that is connectable to a network, the computer-executable components comprising:
- a) a communication service that, when executed by a processor, applies a configuration to the computer to form a connection over the network, the configuration based at least in part on a profile in a native mode;
b) at least one interface that, when executed by a processor;
receives information from a source outside the computer, the received information defining generic profile information in an extensible format, andalters stored generic profile information based on the received information; and
c) a component that, when executed by a processor, forms the profile in the native mode from the stored generic profile information by processing at least one element in the stored generic profile information, the processing comprising, for each element of the at least one element;
when the element is consistent with a schema applied by the component, adding information to the profile in the native mode based on the element;
when the element is inconsistent with the schema, signaling an error condition; and
when the element is not defined within the schema but is not inconsistent with the schema, ignoring the element in forming the profile in the native mode,whereby the profile in the native mode is generated for use by the configuration service in configuring the computer based on the generic profile information received through the interface when the computer-executable components are executed.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A network enabled computer receives connection profile information in a generic form and creates one or more native mode profiles to establish connections. By accepting profile information in a generic form, profile information can be readily provided from one or more ways, including from a policy server, through a user interface or from a third party application. The profile information can be provided with an order of precedence so that profile information from different sources may be combined appropriately. Additionally, the profile information may be provided in an extensible format to allow profile information to be distributed to multiple computers, even if some have different hardware or software configurations and are not programmed to recognize extensions of the profile information.
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Citations
15 Claims
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1. A computer-storage device having computer-executable components adapted for use in a computer that is connectable to a network, the computer-executable components comprising:
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a) a communication service that, when executed by a processor, applies a configuration to the computer to form a connection over the network, the configuration based at least in part on a profile in a native mode; b) at least one interface that, when executed by a processor; receives information from a source outside the computer, the received information defining generic profile information in an extensible format, and alters stored generic profile information based on the received information; and c) a component that, when executed by a processor, forms the profile in the native mode from the stored generic profile information by processing at least one element in the stored generic profile information, the processing comprising, for each element of the at least one element; when the element is consistent with a schema applied by the component, adding information to the profile in the native mode based on the element; when the element is inconsistent with the schema, signaling an error condition; and when the element is not defined within the schema but is not inconsistent with the schema, ignoring the element in forming the profile in the native mode, whereby the profile in the native mode is generated for use by the configuration service in configuring the computer based on the generic profile information received through the interface when the computer-executable components are executed. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A computer that is connectable to a network, the computer comprising:
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a computer-storage device comprising; a) profile information comprising; i) a first data structure comprising a plurality of fields collectively defining group policy information in a generic format; and ii) a second data structure comprising a plurality of fields collectively defining at least one type of profile information separate from the group policy information, the at least one type of profile information being in the generic format; and b) computer-executable components comprising; i) a group policy agent that, when executed by a processor, obtains the group policy information from a group policy server and stores it in the first data structure; ii) a component that, when executed by a processor, merges the profile information in the generic form in the first data structure and the second data structure and converts the merged profile information into a profile in a native format, the native format being different than the generic format, the group policy information being given a higher precedence than the at least one type of profile information separate from the group policy information in forming the profile; and iii) a communication service that, when executed by a processor, configures the computer based on a profile in the native format to form a connection over the network, wherein; the communication service comprises a profile management component that forms the profile from the profile information; the profile management component ignores elements of the profile information it is not programmed to recognize and forms a profile based on portions of the profile information it is programmed to recognize; and the profile management component rejects formation of a profile for a connection that is inconsistent with the group policy information. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10)
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11. A method of operating a computer that is connectable to a network, the computer comprising a connection service that applies to the computer profiles in a native format, and the method comprising:
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a) receiving a plurality of types of profile information, the types of profile information having an order of precedence, and the profile information being in a generic format, the generic format being different than the native format, and the plurality of types of profile information comprises at least one group policy profile and information received through a programming interface; b) forming at least one profile from the profile information by merging the profile information of the plurality of types in accordance with the order of precedence, each of the at least one profiles being in the native format; c) storing the at least one profile in memory of the computer, and d) validating that the profile information is not inconsistent with a profile information specification prior to forming the at least one profile, the validating comprising; when the profile information is consistent with the profile information specification, adding information to the profile based on the element; when the profile information is inconsistent with the profile information specification, signaling an error condition; and when the profile information is not defined within the profile information specification but is not inconsistent with the profile information specification, ignoring the element in forming the profile. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15)
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Specification