Layered Architectures for Remote Dynamic Administration of Distributed Client Configurations

• US 20090198796A1
• Filed: 01/31/2008
• Published: 08/06/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Wu, Edward, Stillion, Cameron Dee, Srirangam, Vijaysundar R., Wang, Kevin Kuan, Gorbet, David Paul Harris
• Granted Patent: US 9,026,623 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/220
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0803 Configuration setting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/082 the condition being updates or upgrades of network functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0856 by backing up or archiving configuration information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/025 for remote control or remote monitoring of applications

Abstract

This description provides tools related to layered architectures for remote dynamic administration of distributed client configurations. These tools provide methods that may include subscribing to have online configuration services remotely manage applications installed on client systems. The methods may also include receiving dynamically-updated lists from the online configuration services, with these lists including the installed applications. The methods may also receive configuration payloads that specify how to configure the installed applications, and may configure the installed applications based on these configuration payloads. The methods may also present user interfaces on the client systems, with the user interfaces including the configured applications. The tools also provide methods that may include receiving subscription information from the customer sites, with the subscription information indicating that the customer sites have subscribed to the online configuration services. The methods may also include sending the dynamically-updated lists and the configuration payloads to the customer sites.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

subscribing to have an online configuration service remotely manage at least one application that is installed on at least one client system;

receiving at least one dynamically-updated list from the online configuration service, wherein the list indicates a representation of the at least one application;

receiving at least one configuration payload related to configuring the at least one application on the client system;

configuring the at least one application based on the configuration payload; and

presenting at least one user interface on the client system, wherein the user interface includes a representation of at least the configured application.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving user input selecting the configured application, and further comprising launching the selected application in response to the user input.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising subscribing to have the online configuration service remotely manage at least a further application.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein receiving at least one dynamically-updated list includes receiving a list that is updated to incorporate at least the further online configuration service.

5. The method of claim 3, further comprising receiving at least a further configuration payload related to configuring at least to the further application on the client system.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising configuring at least to the further application in response to the further configuration payload.

7. The method of claim 3, wherein presenting at least one user interface includes presenting a user interface that includes a representation of at least the further application.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising sending at least one authentication request to the online configuration service, and wherein the dynamically-updated list is received in response to the authentication request.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising applying to the application at least one setting or at least one preference defined locally at the client system.

10. A method comprising:

receiving subscription information from at least one customer site, wherein the subscription information indicates that the customer site has subscribed to have an online configuration service remotely manage at least one application installed at the customer site;

sending a dynamically-updated list to the customer site, wherein the list includes a representation of at least the application; and

sending a configuration payload to the customer site, wherein the configuration payload specifies how to configure at least the application.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising receiving at least one authentication request from at least one client system located at the customer site.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising identifying at least the application to be managed at the customer site in response to the authentication request.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising receiving further subscription information from the customer site, wherein the further subscription information indicates that the customer site has subscribed to have the online configuration service remotely manage at least a further application installed at the customer site.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising sending a further dynamically-updated list that includes a representation of the further application, and further comprising sending a further configuration payload to the customer site, wherein the further configuration payload specifies how to configure at least the further application.

15. The method of claim 10, further comprising updating the configuration payload in response to at least one modification affecting at least the application, and further comprising sending the updated configuration payload to the customer site.

16. The method of claim 10, further comprising filtering a list of applications available to be managed by the online configuration service to select at least the one application installed at the customer site.

17. A system for providing online configuration services for remotely managing at least one client system, the system comprising:

at least a first subsystem comprising;

means for maintaining data representing a plurality of applications that the online configuration services may remotely manage on at least one customer site;

means for maintaining data representing a plurality of configuration settings that correspond respectively to the applications; and

means for sending configuration information that includes at least data representing the applications and data representing the configuration settings;

at least a second subsystem comprising;

means for receiving the configuration information from the first subsystem;

means for receiving subscription information from at least one customer site, wherein the subscription information indicates that the customer site has subscribed to have the online configuration service manage at least one application that is installed on at least one client system at the customer site;

means for filtering the data representing the applications to select from the applications at least the one application that is installed on the client system at the customer site;

means for filtering the data representing the configuration settings to select configuration settings that specify how to configure at least the one application on the client system; and

means for communicating configuration payload information, including the filtered application data and at least the filtered configuration settings;

the at least one client system, wherein the client system comprises;

means for receiving the configuration payload information from the second subsystem;

means for configuring at least the application installed on the client system, based on the configuration payload; and

presenting at least one user interface on the client system, wherein the user interface includes a representation of at least the configured application.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the second subsystem provides a server-side administration service for remotely managing at least the one application installed on the client system.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the second subsystem provides a client-side administration service for remotely managing at least the one application installed on the client system.

20. The system of claim 17, further comprising at least one configuration database for storing at least the data representing the applications that the online configuration services may remotely manage the customer site, the data representing the configuration settings that correspond respectively to the applications, and the subscription data.