Virtual gateway control and management

• US 10,404,532 B2
• Filed: 04/08/2016
• Issued: 09/03/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/10/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Comcast Cable Communications LLC (Comcast Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Comcast Cable Communications LLC (Comcast Corporation)
• Inventors: Ramasubramani, Mani, Peiro, Andrea, Barberio, Jeffrey, Bransom, Kris, Chen, Michael, Schmidt, Weston, Chan, James, Robinson, John
• Primary Examiner(s): Srivastava, Vivek
• Assistant Examiner(s): McBeth, William C
• Application Number:
  US15/094,404
• Publication Number:
  US 20160301566A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,243 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0213 Standardised network management protocols, e.g. simple network management protocol [SNMP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/022 Multivendor or multi-standard integration
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0226 Mapping or translating multiple network management protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0803 Configuration setting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0813 characterised by the conditions triggering a change of settings
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0816 the condition being an adaptation, e.g. in response to network events
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/085 Retrieval of network configuration; Tracking network configuration history
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/12 Discovery or management of network topologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0876 based on the identity of the terminal or configuration, e.g. MAC address, hardware or software configuration or device fingerprint
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/102 Entity profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/303 Terminal profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/535 Tracking the activity of the user network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34

Abstract

In accordance with one or more embodiments, aspects of the disclosure may provide efficient, effective, and convenient ways of managing network devices. In particular, a client router may connect to an upstream virtual gateway. The virtual gateway may manage a large number of client devices. Each client router may be represented virtually within the gateway as a virtual router. The virtual gateways may be distributed regionally, in order to manage large numbers of client routers and/or to reduce transmission delays. The virtual gateways may be managed by a gateway controller. The gateway controller may be centralized, and perform various configuration functions, such as configurations for hardware, logical networking, or content access policies. In some instances, messages sent between the gateway controller using a first protocol and the client router using a second protocol may be translated by a protocol agent.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, by a computing device and from a gateway device associated with a user profile, a configuration data message in a first configuration protocol associated with the gateway device;

determining, by the computing device, a management server configured to manage at least one configuration setting for the gateway device;

establishing, by the computing device, a virtual connection for communication between the gateway device and the management server;

generating, by the computing device and based on the configuration data message, a configuration update message in a second configuration protocol associated with the management server; and

sending, by the computing device, to the management server, and via the virtual connection, the configuration update message, wherein the configuration update message is configured to cause the management server to update the at least one configuration setting.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining at least one other gateway device associated with the user profile;

causing sending, via the management server and to the at least one other gateway device, of the at least one configuration setting; and

causing configuration of the at least one other gateway device based on the at least one configuration setting.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the configuration data message comprises a status update corresponding to the gateway device, and wherein the status update comprises at least one change corresponding to the at least one configuration setting.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

causing a determination, based on the at least one change, to apply an update to the at least one configuration setting; and

causing sending, via the management server and to the gateway device based on the determination to apply the update to the at least one configuration setting, of at least one replacement configuration setting for the gateway device.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the sending the configuration update message to the management server is based on a request, from the management server, for the status update associated with the gateway device.

6. The method of claim 3, further comprising updating the gateway device based on the at least one change.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein each of a plurality of client devices is associated with at least one of a plurality of users associated with the user profile.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining the management server configured to manage the at least one configuration setting for the gateway device comprises determining the management server based on:

a media access control (MAC) address associated with the gateway device, and the user profile.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the first configuration protocol conforms to a canonical data object model, and wherein the second configuration protocol conforms to at least one or more of:

Simple Network Management Protocol, or

Secure Shell.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the gateway device comprises at least one component of the computing device.

11. A method comprising:

receiving, by a computing device and from a gateway device, an indication, according to a first configuration protocol associated with the gateway device, of at least one change associated with the gateway device;

determining, by the computing device, a management server configured to manage at least one configuration setting for the gateway device;

establishing, by the computing device, a virtual connection for communication between the gateway device and the management server;

generating, by the computing device and based on the indication, a configuration update message formatted according to a second configuration protocol associated with the management server; and

sending, by the computing device, to the management server, and via the virtual connection, the configuration update message, wherein the configuration update message is configured to cause the management server to update the at least one configuration setting.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising updating the gateway device, wherein the gateway device is associated with a user profile.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

determining at least one other gateway device managed by the management server;

causing sending, via the management server and to the at least one other gateway device, of the at least one configuration setting; and

causing configuration of the at least one other gateway device based on the at least one configuration setting.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the determining the management server configured to manage the at least one configuration setting for the gateway device comprises determining the management server based on a media access control (MAC) address associated with the gateway device.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the first configuration protocol conforms to a canonical data object model, and wherein the second configuration protocol conforms to at least one or more of:

Simple Network Management Protocol, or

Secure Shell.

16. A method comprising:

receiving, by a computing device and via a first communication path, configuration information for the computing device;

receiving, by the computing device and from a gateway device, an indication, according to a first configuration protocol associated with the gateway device, of at least one change associated with the gateway device;

determining, by the computing device, a management server configured to manage at least one configuration setting for the gateway device;

establishing, by the computing device, a virtual connection for communication via a second communication path between the gateway device and the management server;

generating, by the computing device and based on the indication, a configuration update message formatted according to a second configuration protocol associated with the management server; and

sending, by the computing device and to the management server, the configuration update message, wherein the configuration update message is configured to cause the management server to update the at least one configuration setting.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising updating the gateway device, wherein the gateway device is associated with a user account.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

determining at least one other gateway device managed by the management server;

causing sending, via the management server and to the at least one other gateway device, of the at least one configuration setting; and

causing configuration of the at least one other gateway device based on the at least one configuration setting.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the determining the management server configured to manage the at least one configuration setting for the gateway device comprises determining the management server based on a media access control (MAC) address associated with the gateway device.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the first configuration protocol conforms to a canonical data object model, and wherein the second configuration protocol conforms to at least one or more of:

Simple Network Management Protocol, or

Secure Shell.