Audit logging for a secure, scalable and flexible Internet fax architecture
First Claim
1. A method comprising:
- maintaining, by a central logging module associated with an Internet fax system, a chronological record of a sequence of events associated with a plurality of components of the Internet fax system in a form of an audit log, wherein the audit log stores a plurality of audit log entries for purposes of auditing security and compliance of the Internet fax system and wherein the plurality of components include an initial submission gateway device, a plurality of imaging systems, a plurality of fax processing resources and a notification server;
submitting a fax request within the Internet fax system, including;
receiving, at the initial submission gateway device, a request to deliver a fax message to one or more third parties; and
storing, by the initial submission gateway device, one or more source files associated with the request and representing at least a portion of content to be included as part of the fax message to a shared storage area of the Internet fax system accessible by the plurality of imaging systems and the plurality of fax processing resources of the Internet fax system;
creating a work request within the Internet fax system, including;
selecting, by the initial submission gateway device, an imaging system of the plurality of imaging systems to convert the one or more source files into a digital representation suitable for faxing; and
storing, by the initial submission gateway device, a work request on a centralized work queue within a database of the Internet fax system accessible by the plurality of imaging systems, the work request containing information identifying the selected imaging system;
converting, by the selected imaging system, the one or more source files into the digital representation and associating the digital representation with an outbound fax job;
queuing, by the selected imaging system, the outbound fax job for sending by submitting the outbound fax job to a fax server of the plurality of fax processing resources;
delivering, by the fax server, the fax message to the one or more third parties;
notifying, by the notification server, the user regarding delivery of the fax message; and
causing one or more audit log entries of the plurality of audit log entries, separate and distinct from a record of outbound fax calls to be presented to subscribers of the Internet fax system, to be created and stored within the audit log by one or more of;
providing, by the initial submission gateway device, the central logging module with information regarding a user of the Internet fax system associated with the request, an interface of the Internet fax system through which the request was received, a destination fax number, one or more filenames of the one or more source files and a result of said submitting a fax request;
providing, by the initial submission gateway device, the central logging module with a unique job identifier associated with the fax request and a result of said creating a work request;
providing, by the selected imaging system, the central logging module with the unique job identifier and a result of said converting;
providing, by the selected imaging system, the central logging module with the unique job identifier and a result of said queuing;
providing, the fax server, the central logging module with the unique job identifier and a result of said delivering; and
providing, by the notification server, the central logging module with the unique job identifier and a result of said notifying.
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Abstract
Methods and systems for an auditing infrastructure for an Internet fax service architecture are provided. According to one embodiment, a chronological record of a sequence of events associated with components of the Internet fax system is maintained by a central logging module in a form of an audit log for purposes of auditing security and compliance. A fax request is submitted. A work request is created, containing information identifying a selected imaging system. Source files to be included in the fax message are converted into a digital representation and associated with an outbound fax job, which is queued for sending by a fax server. The fax message is delivered and the user is notified regarding same. Audit log entries are stored within the audit log by providing by respective components the central logging module with a unique job identifier associated with the fax request and a result of the task.
325 Citations
21 Claims
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1. A method comprising:
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maintaining, by a central logging module associated with an Internet fax system, a chronological record of a sequence of events associated with a plurality of components of the Internet fax system in a form of an audit log, wherein the audit log stores a plurality of audit log entries for purposes of auditing security and compliance of the Internet fax system and wherein the plurality of components include an initial submission gateway device, a plurality of imaging systems, a plurality of fax processing resources and a notification server; submitting a fax request within the Internet fax system, including; receiving, at the initial submission gateway device, a request to deliver a fax message to one or more third parties; and storing, by the initial submission gateway device, one or more source files associated with the request and representing at least a portion of content to be included as part of the fax message to a shared storage area of the Internet fax system accessible by the plurality of imaging systems and the plurality of fax processing resources of the Internet fax system; creating a work request within the Internet fax system, including; selecting, by the initial submission gateway device, an imaging system of the plurality of imaging systems to convert the one or more source files into a digital representation suitable for faxing; and storing, by the initial submission gateway device, a work request on a centralized work queue within a database of the Internet fax system accessible by the plurality of imaging systems, the work request containing information identifying the selected imaging system; converting, by the selected imaging system, the one or more source files into the digital representation and associating the digital representation with an outbound fax job; queuing, by the selected imaging system, the outbound fax job for sending by submitting the outbound fax job to a fax server of the plurality of fax processing resources; delivering, by the fax server, the fax message to the one or more third parties; notifying, by the notification server, the user regarding delivery of the fax message; and causing one or more audit log entries of the plurality of audit log entries, separate and distinct from a record of outbound fax calls to be presented to subscribers of the Internet fax system, to be created and stored within the audit log by one or more of; providing, by the initial submission gateway device, the central logging module with information regarding a user of the Internet fax system associated with the request, an interface of the Internet fax system through which the request was received, a destination fax number, one or more filenames of the one or more source files and a result of said submitting a fax request; providing, by the initial submission gateway device, the central logging module with a unique job identifier associated with the fax request and a result of said creating a work request; providing, by the selected imaging system, the central logging module with the unique job identifier and a result of said converting; providing, by the selected imaging system, the central logging module with the unique job identifier and a result of said queuing; providing, the fax server, the central logging module with the unique job identifier and a result of said delivering; and providing, by the notification server, the central logging module with the unique job identifier and a result of said notifying. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 21)
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16. An Internet fax system comprising:
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a plurality of components, including; an initial submission gateway device, a plurality of imaging systems, a plurality of fax processing resources, and a notification server; and a computer-readable storage medium, representing a shared storage resource accessible to the initial submission gateway device, the plurality of imaging systems, the plurality of fax processing resources and the notification server, embodying a set of instructions representing a central logging module, which when executed by one or more processors of a component of the plurality of components, causes the one or more processors to maintain, a chronological record of a sequence of events associated with the plurality of components in a form of an audit log, wherein the audit log stores a plurality of audit log entries for purposes of auditing security and compliance of the Internet fax system; wherein the plurality of components are configured to perform a method comprising; submitting a fax request within the Internet fax system, including; receiving, at the initial submission gateway device, a request to deliver a fax message to one or more third parties; and storing, by the initial submission gateway device, one or more source files associated with the request and representing at least a portion of content to be included as part of the fax message to a shared storage area of the Internet fax system accessible by the plurality of imaging systems and the plurality of fax processing resources of the Internet fax system; creating a work request within the Internet fax system, including; selecting, by the initial submission gateway device, an imaging system of the plurality of imaging systems to convert the one or more source files into a digital representation suitable for faxing; and storing, by the initial submission gateway device, a work request on a centralized work queue within a database of the Internet fax system accessible by the plurality of imaging systems, the work request containing information identifying the selected imaging system; converting, by the selected imaging system, the one or more source files into the digital representation and associating the digital representation with an outbound fax job; queuing, by the selected imaging system, the outbound fax job for sending by submitting the outbound fax job to a fax server of the plurality of fax processing resources; delivering, by the fax server, the fax message to the one or more third parties; notifying, by the notification server, the user regarding delivery of the fax message; and causing one or more audit log entries of the plurality of audit log entries, separate and distinct from a record of outbound fax calls to be presented to subscribers of the Internet fax system, to be created and stored within the audit log by one or more of; providing, by the initial submission gateway device, the central logging module with information regarding a user of the Internet fax system associated with the request, an interface of the Internet fax system through which the request was received, a destination fax number, one or more filenames of the one or more source files and a result of said submitting a fax request; providing, by the initial submission gateway device, the central logging module with a unique job identifier associated with the fax request and a result of said creating a work request; providing, by the selected imaging system, the central logging module with the unique job identifier and a result of said converting; providing, by the selected imaging system, the central logging module with the unique job identifier and a result of said queuing; providing, the fax server, the central logging module with the unique job identifier and a result of said delivering; and providing, by the notification server, the central logging module with the unique job identifier and a result of said notifying. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification