Remote management of network devices

• US 8,233,486 B2
• Filed: 12/11/2007
• Issued: 07/31/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/11/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Phuah, Vincent, Patka, Andrew F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Phan, Man
• Assistant Examiner(s): LEE, KEVIN H
• Application Number:
  US11/953,977
• Publication Number:
  US 20080137673A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,694 Days
• Field of Search: 370/401, 370/395.2, 370/389
• US Class Current: 370/395.2
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways

Abstract

A device receives an activation inform message associated with a local area network (LAN) device, and verifies the LAN device and a gateway device associated with the LAN device based on an Internet protocol (IP) address included in the activation inform message. The device also performs a set parameter value (SPV) operation to add a new connection request port forwarding entry in the gateway device when the LAN device and the gateway device are verified, and sends a connection request operation, to be forwarded by the gateway device to the LAN device, based on the new connection request port forwarding entry.

Claims

1. A computing device-implemented method, comprising:

receiving, by the computing device, an activation inform message associated with a local area network device;

verifying, by the computing device, the local area network device and a gateway device associated with the local area network device based on an Internet protocol address included in the activation inform message;

selecting, by the computing device, a new connection request port forwarding entry from a plurality of port forwarding entries based on the activation inform message;

mapping, by the computing device, one or more fields of the new connection request port forwarding entry to a port mapping entry of the gateway device, the new connection request port forwarding entry including a first field to store an Internet protocol address of the computing device, a second field to store a connection request port assigned to the gateway device for the local area network device, a third field to store a private Internet protocol address of the local area network device, and a fourth field to store a default connection request port of the local area network device;

performing, by the computing device, a set parameter value operation to add the new connection request port forwarding entry in the gateway device when the local area network device and the gateway device are verified;

sending, by the computing device, a connection request operation, to be forwarded by the gateway device, to the local area network device, based on the new connection request port forwarding entry;

receiving a remote management instruction;

determining whether to use port forwarding or a Simple Traversal of User Datagram Protocol Through Network Address Translators approach based on the remote management instruction; and

using one of the port forwarding or the Simple Traversal of User Datagram Protocol Through Network Address Translators approach for remote management of the local area network device based on the determination.

2. The computing-device implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

performing a set parameter value operation to remove an old connection request port forwarding entry from the gateway device.

3. The computing device-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, by the computing device, a de-activation inform message associated with the local area network device;

comparing, by the computing device, information identifying the local area network device to a list of local area network devices contained in a manageable device table; and

performing, by the computing device, a set parameter value operation to remove the connection request port forwarding entry in the gateway device associated with the local area network device when the information identifying the local area network device matches information in the list of local area network devices.

4. The computing device-implemented method of claim 3, further comprising:

verifying the local area network device and the gateway device associated with the local area network device based on an Internet protocol address included in the de-activation inform message.

5. The computing device-implemented method of claim 3, further comprising:

determining whether the local area network device is removed from a network based on parameter values of the de-activation inform message.

6. The computing device-implemented method of claim 3, further comprising:

returning the connection request port forwarding entry to a pool of available port forwarding entries.

7. A device, comprising:

processing logic to;

receive an activation inform message associated with a local area network device,

verify the local area network device and a gateway device associated with the local area network device based on an Internet protocol address included in the activation inform message,

select a new connection request port forwarding entry from a plurality of port forwarding entries based on the activation inform message,

map one or more fields of the new connection request port forwarding entry to a port mapping entry of the gateway device, the new connection request port forwarding entry including a first field to store an Internet protocol address of the device, a second field to store a connection request port assigned to the gateway device for the local area network device, a third field to store a private Internet protocol address of the local area network device, and a fourth field to store a default connection request port of the local area network device,

perform a set parameter value operation to remove an old connection request port forwarding entry from the gateway device;

perform a set parameter value operation to add the new connection request port forwarding entry in the gateway device when the local area network device and the gateway device are verified, and

send a connection request operation, to be forwarded by the gateway device to the local area network device, based on the new connection request port forwarding entry.

8. The device of claim 7, where the local area network device comprises at least one of:

a customer premises equipment device;

a private branch exchange;

a set-top box;

a home router;

or

a voice over Internet protocol based device.

9. The device of claim 7, where the gateway device comprises at least one of:

a Network Address Translator enabled gateway device;

a customer premises equipment device;

a broadband network termination;

a broadband router;

a switch;

a firewall;

a network interface card;

a hub;

a bridge;

or

a proxy server.

10. The device of claim 7, where, when mapping the one or more fields of the new connection request port forwarding entry to the port mapping entry of the gateway device, the processing logic is further to:

map the first field, the second field, the third field, and the fourth field of the new connection request port forwarding entry to a port mapping entry of the gateway device.

11. The device of claim 7, where the processing logic is further to:

receive a de-activation inform message associated with the local area network device,

compare information identifying the local area network device to a list of local area network devices contained in a manageable device table, and

perform a set parameter value operation to remove a connection request port forwarding entry in a gateway device associated with the local area network device when the information identifying the local area network device matches information in the list of local area network devices.

12. The device of claim 11, where the processing logic is further to:

verify the local area network device and the gateway device based on an Internet protocol address included in the de-activation inform message.

13. The device of claim 11, where the processing logic is further to:

determine whether the local area network device is removed from a network based on parameter values of the de-activation inform message.

14. The device of claim 11, where the processing logic is further to:

return the connection request port forwarding entry to a pool of available port forwarding entries.

15. The device of claim 7, where the device comprises an auto-configuration server that auto-configures the local area network device for advanced services.

16. A system, comprising:

means for receiving an activation inform message associated with a local area network device;

means for verifying the local area network device and a gateway device associated with the local area network device based on an Internet protocol address included in the activation inform message;

means for selecting a new connection request port forwarding entry from a plurality of port forwarding entries based on the activation inform message;

means for mapping one or more fields of the new connection request port forwarding entry to a port mapping entry of the gateway device, the new connection request port forwarding entry including a first field to store an Internet protocol address of the system, a second field to store a connection request port assigned to the gateway device for the local area network device, a third field to store a private Internet protocol address of the local area network device, and a fourth field to store a default connection request port of the local area network device;

means for performing a set parameter value operation to add the new connection request port forwarding entry in the gateway device when the local area network device and the gateway device are verified;

means for sending a connection request operation, to be forwarded by the gateway device to the local area network device, based on the new connection request port forwarding entry;

means for performing a set parameter value operation to remove an old connection request port forwarding entry from the gateway device;

means for receiving a remote management instruction;

means for determining whether to use port forwarding or a Simple Traversal of User Datagram Protocol Through Network Address Translators approach based on the remote management instruction; and

means for using one of port forwarding or the Simple Traversal of User Datagram Protocol Through Network Address Translators approach for remote management of the local area network device based on the determination.

17. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions, the instructions comprising:

one or more instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to;

receive an activation inform message associated with a local area network device,

verify the local area network device and a gateway device associated with the local area network device based on an Internet protocol address included in the activation inform message,

select a new connection request port forwarding entry from a plurality of port forwarding entries based on the activation inform message,

map one or more fields of the new connection request port forwarding entry to a port mapping entry of the gateway device, the new connection request port forwarding entry including a first field to store an Internet protocol address of the device carrying said instructions, a second field to store a connection request port assigned to the gateway device for the local area network device, a third field to store a private Internet protocol address of the local area network device, and a fourth field to store a default connection request port of the local area network device,

perform a set parameter value operation to remove an old connection request port forwarding entry from the gateway device,

perform a set parameter value operation to add the new connection request port forwarding entry in the gateway device when the local area network device and the gateway device are verified, and

send a connection request operation, to be forwarded by the gateway device to the local area network device, based on the new connection request port forwarding entry.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 17, where the one or more instructions to map the one or more fields of the new connection request port forwarding entry to the port mapping entry of the gateway device include:

one or more instructions to map the first field, the second field, the third field, and the fourth field of the new connection request port forwarding entry to a port mapping entry of the gateway device.