Remote network management system

• US 8,176,155 B2
• Filed: 11/26/2003
• Issued: 05/08/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/26/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RIIP, Inc.
• Original Assignee: RIIP, Inc.
• Inventors: Yang, Allen, Liaw, Yee, Ti, Dennis
• Primary Examiner(s): Dalencourt, Yves
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lai, Michael C
• Application Number:
  US10/723,992
• Publication Number:
  US 20050125519A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,086 Days
• Field of Search: 709/223, 709/220, 725/130, 707/E17.016, 375/240.01
• US Class Current: 709/223
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/14 Digital output to display device ; Cooperation and interconnection of the display device with other functional units
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2370/24 Keyboard-Video-Mouse [KVM] switch
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0253 using browsers or web-pages for accessing management information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/18 Closed-circuit television [CCTV] systems, i.e. systems in which the video signal is not broadcast

Abstract

Disclosed is a remote network management system for coupling a series of remote domain servers, file/print servers, headless servers, network appliances, serial IT equipment, switches, routers, firewalls, security interfaces, application servers, load balancers, and environmental controls to one or more user workstations allowing for selective access of the remote devices. The remote devices are all connected to a remote management unit which interfaces each user workstation to the remote devices. The power supply of each remote device is similarly connected to the remote management unit through a controllable power supply. An option menu containing a list of all of the remote devices allows a user to select and operate any of the remote devices from the workstation. The option menu is also utilized to selectively control the power to the remote devices, servers, and computers.

Claims

1. A remote management system for managing remote serial devices each having a serial interface, remote servers each having keyboard, video, and mouse (“

KVM”

) interfaces, and remote power supplies each having a power supply interface, comprising;

a computer workstation including a keyboard, a cursor control device and video display;

a remote management unit coupled to said computer workstation and containing at least one KVM interface for connecting to the KVM interface of at least one of said remote servers, a serial interface for directly connecting to the serial interface of at least one of said remote serial devices, a power port for connecting to the power supply interface of at least one of said remote power supplies, and at least one option menu circuit; and

communication means for providing bi-directional communication between said remote management unit and said computer workstation,

wherein said remote management unit is configured to selectively provide communications between said computer workstation and said at least one remote server, said at least one remote serial device and said at least one remote power supply, and

wherein said at least one option menu circuit is configured to generate a multi-window option menu for display on said video display, said multi-window option menu including at least a device window for selecting said at least one remote server and said at least one remote serial device, a remote server window for controlling said at least one selected remote server, a power control window for selecting and controlling said at least one remote power supply, and a remote serial device window for controlling said at least one selected remote serial device.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein said at least one remote power supply is coupled to said at least one remote server or said at least one remote serial device, and said computer workstation is configured to control said at least one remote power supply via said power port of said remote management unit.

3. A system according to claim 1, wherein access to said remote management unit by said workstation is controlled by unique user passwords or authentication information and wherein said remote management unit stores profile information for an authorized user comprising a list of said remote servers and said remote serial devices accessible to said authorized user.

4. A system according to claim 1, wherein said remote management unit includes at least one redundant power supply.

5. A system according to claim 1, wherein said remote management unit includes at least one header circuit for selective communication between at least one KVM port of said remote management unit and at least one video port of said at least one remote server.

6. A system according to claim 5, wherein said header circuit includes a video switch, and at least one receiver transmitter circuit, wherein said receiver transmitter circuit converts parallel and serial signals.

7. A system according to claim 1, wherein said remote management unit includes at least one frame grabber circuit for digitizing video signals.

8. A system according to claim 7, wherein said frame grabber circuit converts analog video signals to digital video signals.

9. A system according to claim 1, wherein said remote management unit includes a frame grabber circuit for correcting an image produced by said video signals.

10. A system according to claim 1, wherein said remote management unit includes at least one local KVM port.

11. A system according to claim 1, wherein said remote management unit includes at least one video processor circuit for compressing video signals.

12. A system according to claim 11, wherein said video processor circuit includes at least one video receiving circuit for receiving video signals from at least one CPU.

13. A system according to claim 12, wherein said video processor circuit includes at least one frame buffer circuit for storing video frames indicative of said video signals.

14. A system according to claim 12, wherein said video processor circuit includes at least one microprocessor for controlling at least one of a frame buffer circuit, pixel pusher circuit and Joint Bi-level Image experts Group (JBIG) compression.

15. A system according to claim 14, wherein said video processor circuit includes at least one memory circuit coupled to said microprocessor for storing data.

16. A system according to claim 11, wherein said video processor circuit includes at least one pixel pusher circuit for storing red, green and blue video signal components of said video signals.

17. A system according to claim 11, wherein said video processor circuit compresses video signals using Joint Bi-level Image experts Group (JBIG) compression.

18. A system according to claim 11, wherein said video processor circuit includes at least one switch for outputting video signals.

19. A system according to claim 1, wherein said remote management unit includes at least one modem module for demodulating signals received by a modem.

20. A system according to claim 1, wherein said communication means is selected from the group consisting of a LAN, a WAN, a wireless connection, a modem, a direct modem connection, and the Internet.

21. A system according to claim 1, wherein said remote management unit includes reset circuitry controllable by said workstation for resetting said remote management unit.

22. An apparatus for coupling a computer workstation to at least one remote server, at least one remote serial device, and at least one remote power supply, said apparatus comprising:

a communication circuit for transmitting signals to and receiving signals from said computer workstation via a communication medium;

a serial communication circuit for transmitting serial data signals to and receiving serial data signals from said at least one remote serial device;

a keyboard, video, mouse (“

KVM”

) circuit for transmitting KVM signals to and receiving KVM signals from said at least one remote server;

a power circuit for transmitting signals to and receiving signals from said at least one remote power supply; and

a central processing circuit for controlling transmission of said signals between said communication circuit and each of said power circuit, said serial communication circuit and said KVM circuit; and

an option menu circuit,

wherein said option menu circuit is configured to generate a multi-window option menu for display on a video display of said computer workstation, said multi-window option menu including at least a device window for selecting of said at least one remote server and said at least one remote serial device, a remote server window for controlling said at least one selected remote server, a power control window for selecting and controlling said at least one remote power supply, and a remote serial device window for controlling said at least one selected remote serial.

23. An apparatus according to claim 22, wherein said at least one remote server or said at least one remote serial device are each powered by said at least one power supply.

24. An apparatus according to claim 23, wherein said apparatus is connected to said at least one power supply.

25. An apparatus according to claim 24, wherein said computer workstation controls said at least one power supply through said apparatus.

26. An apparatus according to claim 25, wherein access to said apparatus by said computer workstation is controlled by unique user passwords or authentication information, and

wherein said apparatus stores profile information for an authorized user comprising a list including said at least one remote server and said at least one remote serial device.

27. An apparatus according to claim 22, wherein said apparatus includes at least one redundant power supply.

28. An apparatus according to claim 22, wherein said apparatus includes at least one header circuit for selective communication between at least one KVM port and at least one video port of said remote servers.

29. A apparatus according to claim 28, wherein said header circuit includes a video switch, and at least one receiver transmitter circuit, wherein said receiver transmitter circuit converts parallel and serial signals.

30. An apparatus according to claim 22, wherein said apparatus includes at least one frame grabber circuit for digitizing and correcting images produced by video signals.

31. An apparatus according to claim 30, wherein said frame grabber circuit converts analog video signals to digital video signals.

32. An apparatus according to claim 22, wherein said apparatus includes at least one local KVM port.

33. An apparatus according to claim 22, wherein said apparatus includes at least one video processor circuit for compressing video signals.

34. An apparatus according to claim 33, wherein said video processor circuit includes at least one circuit to receive video signals from said central processing circuit.

35. An apparatus according to claim 34, wherein said video processor circuit includes at least one pixel pusher circuit for storing red, green and blue video signal components of said video signals.

36. An apparatus according to claim 33, wherein said video processor circuit includes at least one frame buffer circuit for storing video frames indicative of said video signals.

37. An apparatus according to claim 33, wherein said video processor circuit compresses video signals using Joint Bi-level Image experts Group (JBIG) compression.

38. An apparatus according to claim 33, wherein said video processor circuit includes at least one memory circuit for use by a microprocessor for controlling at least one of a frame buffer circuit, pixel pusher circuit and Joint Bi-level Image experts Group (JBIG) compression.

39. An apparatus according to claim 33, wherein said video processor circuit includes at least one switch for outputting signals to an Ethernet port or a modem port.

40. An apparatus according to claim 22, wherein said apparatus includes at least one modem module for demodulating signals received by modem.

41. An apparatus according to claim 22, wherein said communication medium is at least one selected from the group consisting of a LAN, a WAN, a wireless connection, a modem, a direct modem connection, and the Internet.

42. An apparatus according to claim 22, wherein said signals transmitted and received by said workstation are at least one control signal selected from the group consisting of keyboard, video, mouse, serial or power.

43. An apparatus according to claim 22, wherein said apparatus includes a reset circuit for resetting said apparatus.