Performing networking tasks based on destination networks

• US 8,238,238 B2
• Filed: 05/16/2008
• Issued: 08/07/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Baron, Andrew T., Cunningham, Aaron W., Jones, David, Buduri, Arun K., Brewis, Deon C., Begorre, Bill
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham, Chi H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): HOM, SHICK C
• Application Number:
  US12/121,961
• Publication Number:
  US 20090285190A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,544 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 370/230
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2867 Physical combinations
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/17 Selecting a data network PoA [Point of Attachment]

Abstract

Methods and systems which identify and interact with network interfaces based on the network to which they provide access. A computing device operating in accordance with one or more of the principles described herein may examine available network interfaces and identify the network to which the network interfaces provide access, and perform networking tasks on interfaces based on the network identified. For example, a user may instruct a computing device to connect to a specified network, and the computing device will select a particular network interface by which to connect from the one or more available network interfaces that are able to connect to that network. Alternatively, a user may manage policies (e.g., security, connection, and application policies) based on the network to which a network interface provides access and thereby manage a network regardless of which of multiple network interfaces is used to access the network.

Claims

1. A method of operating a computing device, the method comprising:

(A) for each of a plurality of network interfaces, the plurality of network interfaces comprising at least two types of network interface, identifying, using at least one processor, a destination network to which a network interface provides access, at least two of the plurality of network interfaces providing access to a same destination network;

(B) for each identified destination network, aggregating one or more common network interfaces that provide access to the identified destination network to determine a set of available destination networks; and

(C) performing at least one network management task based on a common destination network of the set of available destination networks.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one network management task comprises connecting to the common destination network according to an input from a consumer of network information.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein connecting to the common destination network comprises selecting one of the one or more common network interfaces providing access to the common destination network by which to connect to the common destination network without input from the consumer of network information.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one network management task comprises setting a connection policy for the computing device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one network management task comprises setting a policy for communication over the common destination network.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein aggregating the common network interfaces comprises assigning a network identifier to a group of common network interfaces.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein aggregating common network interfaces comprises

(D) displaying to a user the set of available destination networks, at least one of the available destination networks being available via two or more of the network interfaces and displayed only once in the set of available destination networks.

8. At least one tangible computer storage encoded with computer-executable instructions that, when executed, implement a method of operating a computing device, the method comprising:

gathering information on destination networks to which a plurality of network interfaces provide access, the plurality of network interfaces comprising at least two types of network interface;

identifying which of the plurality of network interfaces provide access to a same destination network to determine a first set of one or more available destination networks;

providing to a consumer of network information the first set of one or more available destination networks;

accepting input from the consumer of network information an indication of a desired destination network to which to connect;

selecting, from a second set of one or more network interfaces providing access to the desired destination network and without input from the consumer of network information, a particular network interface by which to connect; and

connecting to the desired destination network via the particular network interface.

9. The at least one tangible computer storage of claim 8, wherein the consumer of network information is a user interface providing information to and accepting instructions from a user.

10. The at least one tangible computer storage of claim 8, wherein the consumer of network information is a process executing on the computing device.

11. The at least one tangible computer storage of claim 8, wherein gathering information on destination networks comprises comparing properties of a network interface to information stored in a data store of previously-retrieved properties of network interfaces associated with network identifiers.

12. A method of managing one or more network interfaces of a computing device providing access to destination networks for the computing device, the method comprising:

identifying at least one destination network to which the computing device is able to connect via the one or more network interfaces;

displaying to a user a user interface identifying the at least one destination network;

detecting a selection by the user of a first destination network of the at least one destination network;

accepting, via the user interface, one or more inputs from the user regarding at least one policy to be applied when the first destination network is available via the one or more network interfaces of the computing device;

storing, in a data store, indications of the one or more inputs, the indications being stored so as to be associated with the first destination network; and

regulating network connectivity according to the at least one policy when the first destination network is available.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the data store is a data store associated with a network interface providing access to the first destination network.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein regulating network connectivity according to the at least one policy when the first destination network is available comprises:

determining that the computing device is connected to the destination network; and

regulating network connectivity according to the at least one policy when the computing device is connected to the destination network.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the one or more inputs specify a connection policy.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the connection policy identifies that the computing device should connect to the first destination network when the first destination network is available.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the connection policy identifies at least one preferred network interface to be used to connect to the first destination network when the first destination network is available.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein the one or more inputs specify a policy to be applied when the computing device is connected to the first destination network.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

identifying at least two network interfaces which provide access to the first destination network; and

storing the at least one policy for the first destination network in records associated with each of the at least two network interfaces providing access to the first destination network.

20. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

identifying new network hardware, new network software, or new network hardware and new network software installed on the computing device;

identifying a second destination network to which the new network hardware and/or software provides access; and

regulating network connectivity when the second destination network is available according to the at least one policy received prior to installation of the new network hardware and/or software.