Unified interface for configuring multiple networking technologies

• US 8,683,046 B2
• Filed: 11/21/2008
• Issued: 03/25/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Brewis, Deon C., Mandhana, Taroon, Teh, PehKeong
• Primary Examiner(s): GOODCHILD, WILLIAM J
• Application Number:
  US12/276,231
• Publication Number:
  US 20100131652A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,950 Days
• Field of Search: 709/227, 709/220, 709/221
• US Class Current: 709/227
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0879 Manual configuration through operator
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0893 Assignment of logical groups to network elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0894 Policy-based network configuration management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/18 Multiprotocol handlers, e.g. single devices capable of handling multiple protocols

Abstract

A network and connection provisioning framework for configuring and provisioning multiple aspects of network connectivity (e.g., multiple networks, media types, and/or connections). The framework may comprise a unified configuration interface that enables an administrator to configure multiple different types of network connectivity. A single configuration file comprising settings for multiple aspects of network connectivity may be generated based on preferences entered by a system administrator, or by exporting current settings from a particular computing device. Global configuration policies or other configuration settings that span multiple types of network connectivity may be also created and stored in one or more configuration files. Stand-alone media managers and/or plug-in modules may implement one or more standardized application programming interface functions so that they may interoperate with the network and connection provisioning framework. The standardized API may be used to ensure that configuration information is handled and stored in a standardized manner by different media managers and/or plug-in modules.

Claims

1. A method for use in a computer system comprising at least one computer, the at least one computer comprising at least a first media manager that enables the at least one computer to communicate using a first networking technology and a second media manager that enables the at least one computer to communicate using a second networking technology that is different than the first networking technology, the method comprising:

using at least one processor to provide a common management interface that enables a user to configure;

(i) a first set of one or more configuration settings that the first media manager uses to control how the at least one computer communicates using the first networking technology;

(ii) a second set of one or more configuration settings that the second media manager uses to control how the at least one computer communicates using the second networking technology;

(iii) a third set of one or more configuration settings that control how the at least one computer communicates when the at least one computer is connected or connecting to a network; and

creating, according to interaction with the common management interface, a first configuration profile for the first media manager and a second configuration profile for the second network media manager;

providing the first and second configuration profiles to the at least one computer in a same configuration file;

receiving the network configuration file at the at least one computer;

accessing the first and second configuration profiles from the network configuration file;

using the first set of configuration settings to configure the first media manager to enable the computer to communicate using the first networking technology according to the first set of configuration settings; and

using the second set of configuration settings to configure the second media manager to enable the computer to communicate using the second networking technology according to the second set of configuration settings.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing the common management interface via a single application program that provides a common user interface adapted for use by the user to establish the first and second sets of configuration settings.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the single application program comprises a framework and at least first and second plug-ins incorporated into the framework, wherein the first plug-in is specially adapted to provide the single application program with functionality that enables the single application program to be used to establish the first set of configuration settings for the first media manager, and wherein the second plug-in is specially adapted to provide the single application program with functionality that enables the single application program to be used to establish the second set of configuration settings for the second media manager.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one computer comprises a plurality of media managers comprising the first and second media managers, wherein each of the media managers enables the computer to communicate using a respective networking technology and is configurable using a respective set of one or more configuration settings;

and

wherein the providing the common management interface enables the user to establish the configuration settings for each of the media managers.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the providing the common management interface is accomplished via a single application program that provides a common user interface that enables the user to establish the plurality of configuration settings;

and

wherein the single application program comprises a framework and a plurality of plug-ins incorporated into the framework, each of the plug-ins being specially adapted to provide the single application program with functionality that enables the single application program to be used to establish the configuration settings for a corresponding one of the media managers.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first set of configuration settings comprises a first plurality of network settings and the second set of configuration settings comprises a second plurality of network settings.

7. Computer readable hardware encoded with instructions that, when executed, perform a method for use in a computer system comprising at least one computer, the at least one computer comprising a plurality of media managers comprising first and second media managers, the method comprising:

providing a common management interface via a single application program that provides a common user interface that enables a user to configure sets of configuration settings, the sets of configuration settings for each of the media managers, respectively, to use to control how the at least one computer communicates using respective networking technologies, wherein the single application program comprises a framework and a plurality of plug-ins incorporated into the framework, each of the plug-ins being specially adapted to provide the single application program with functionality that enables the single application program to be used to configure the configuration settings; and

in response to input received from the user via the common management interface, creating a first configuration profile for the first media manager comprising a first set of configuration settings and a second configuration profile for the second network media manager comprising a second set of configuration settings;

providing the first and second configuration profiles to the at least one computer in a same configuration file;

accessing the first and second configuration profiles from the network configuration file;

using the first set of configuration settings to configure the first media manager to enable the computer to communicate using a first networking technology according to the first set of configuration settings; and

using the second set of configuration settings to configure the second media manager to enable the computer to communicate using a second networking technology according to the second set of configuration settings for a corresponding one of the plurality of media managers.

8. The computer readable hardware of claim 7, wherein the first set of configuration settings comprises a first plurality of network settings and the second set of configuration settings comprises a second plurality of network settings.

9. An apparatus for use in a computer system comprising at least one computer, the at least one computer comprising at least a first media manager that enables the at least one computer to communicate using a first networking technology and a second media manager that enables the at least one computer to communicate using a second networking technology that is different than the first networking technology, the apparatus comprising:

at least one processor that when executing performs a process to;

provide a common management interface that enables a user to configure;

a first set of one or more configuration settings for the first media manager to use to control how the at least one computer communicates using the first networking technology;

a second set of one or more configuration settings for the second media manager to use to control how the at least one computer communicates using the second networking technology; and

a third set of one or more configuration settings for use to control how the at least one computer communicates when the at least one computer is connected to a particular network;

in response to interaction of the user with the common management interface, create a first configuration profile for the first media manager and a second configuration profile for the second network media manager; and

provide the first and second configuration profiles to the at least one computer in a same configuration file;

wherein the processor, or a second processor, when executing performs a second process to;

access the first and second configuration profiles from the network configuration file;

use the first set of configuration settings to configure the first media manager to enable the computer to communicate using the first networking technology according to the first set of configuration settings; and

use the second set of configuration settings to configure the second media manager to enable the computer to communicate using the second networking technology according to the second set of configuration settings.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the at least one processor is programmed to provide the common management interface via a single application program that provides a user interface adapted for use by the user to establish the first and second sets of configuration settings, wherein the single application program comprises a framework and at least first and second plug-ins incorporated into the framework, wherein the first plug-in is adapted to provide the single application program with functionality that enables the single application program to be used to establish the first set of configuration settings for the first media manager, and wherein the second plug-in is adapted to provide the single application program with functionality that enables the single application program to be used to establish the second set of configuration settings for the second media manager.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the at least one computer comprises a plurality of media managers comprising the first and second media managers, wherein each of the media managers enables the computer to communicate using a respective networking technology and is configurable using a respective set of one or more configuration settings;

and

wherein the common management interface enables the user to establish the configuration settings for each of the plurality of media managers, respectively.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the common management interface comprises a single application program that provides a user interface adapted for use by the user to establish the plurality of configuration settings;

and

wherein the single application program comprises a framework and a plurality of plug-ins incorporated into the framework, each of the plug-ins being adapted to provide the single application program with functionality that enables the single application program to be used to establish the configuration settings for a corresponding one of the media managers.

13. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the first set of configuration settings comprises a first plurality of network settings and the second set of configuration settings comprises a second plurality of network settings.

14. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the at least one processor is separate from the second processor.