Administration of wireless systems

• US 8,914,009 B2
• Filed: 07/11/2008
• Issued: 12/16/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/27/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Murphy, Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): Change, Kent
• Assistant Examiner(s): BIBBEE, CHAYCE R
• Application Number:
  US12/172,051
• Publication Number:
  US 20090068994A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,349 Days
• Field of Search: 455/414.1, 455/418, 709/203
• US Class Current: 455/418
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/08 User group management

Abstract

Systems and methods for are provided for administration a mobile wireless client with more than one wireless servers. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a primary wireless server communicatively operable with a plurality of mobile wireless clients, the primary wireless server comprising;

a primary processor; and

a primary memory storing;

primary configuration data associated with at least one of the plurality of mobile wireless clients supported by the primary wireless server;

a primary database operable to store information associated with users of the mobile wireless clients including a user identification for each mobile wireless client; and

primary program instructions, which when executed on the primary processor cause the primary processor to perform operations comprising;

controlling dissemination of information from the primary database to one or more of the plurality of mobile wireless clients;

at least one secondary wireless server communicatively operable with at least one of the plurality of mobile wireless clients, the secondary wireless server comprising;

a secondary processor; and

a secondary memory storing;

secondary configuration data associated with at least one of the plurality of mobile wireless clients supported by the secondary wireless server;

a secondary database operable to store information associated with users of the mobile wireless clients including a user identification for each mobile wireless client; and

a secondary program instructions, which when executed on the secondary processor cause the secondary processor to perform operations comprising;

controlling dissemination of information from the secondary database to one or more of the plurality of mobile wireless clients;

the at least one of the plurality of mobile wireless clients comprising;

a processor; and

a memory to store machine-executable instructions, the machine-executable instructions when executed on the processor cause the processor to perform operations comprising;

detecting the presence of the primary configuration data and determining if secondary configuration data from the secondary database can be used to configure the at least one of the plurality of the mobile wireless clients, the determining provided by evaluating one or more policies associated with each of the primary and secondary configuration data to identify unresolvable conflicts between the policies and resolve identified conflicts in favor of the primary configuration data, wherein the primary and secondary configuration data at least in part governs permissible modes of operation for the at least one of the plurality of mobile wireless clients.

2. The system according to claim 1 wherein each of the primary and secondary configuration data specifies the one or more policies governing the use of the at least one mobile wireless client.

3. A system comprising:

a plurality of wireless servers all communicatively operable with at least one mobile wireless client, each of the wireless servers comprising;

a processor; and

a memory storing;

a database configured to store information associated with a user of the mobile wireless client including at least one policy and a user identification for the mobile wireless client; and

program instructions, which when executed on the processor cause the processor to perform operations comprising;

controlling dissemination of information from the database to the at least one mobile wireless client, wherein a first one of the plurality of wireless servers establishes configuration data on the at least one mobile wireless client based on the at least one policy stored in the database of the first one of the plurality of wireless servers, wherein the configuration data at least in part governs permissible modes of operation for the at least one mobile wireless client and the configuration data at least in part takes precedence over configuration data associated with any other of the plurality of wireless servers communicating with the at least one mobile wireless client when the configuration data conflicts with configuration data associated with any other of the plurality of wireless servers.

4. The system according to claim 3 wherein the configuration data specifies the at least one policy to govern the use of the at least one mobile wireless client.

5. A system comprising:

a primary wireless server communicatively operable with a plurality of mobile wireless clients, the primary wireless server comprising;

a primary processor; and

a primary memory storing;

primary configuration data associated with at least one of the plurality of mobile wireless clients supported by the primary wireless server;

a primary database operable to store information associated with users of the mobile wireless clients including a user identification for each mobile wireless client; and

primary program instructions, which when executed on the primary processor cause the primary processor to perform operations comprising;

controlling dissemination of information from the primary database to one or more of the plurality of mobile wireless clients;

at least one secondary wireless server communicatively operable with at least one of the plurality of mobile wireless clients, the secondary wireless server comprising;

a secondary processor; and

a secondary memory storing;

secondary configuration data associated with at least one of the plurality of mobile wireless clients supported by the primary wireless server;

a secondary database operable to store information associated with users of the mobile wireless clients including a user identification for each mobile wireless client; and

secondary program instructions, which when executed on the primary processor cause the primary processor to perform operations comprising;

controlling dissemination of information from the primary database to one or more of the plurality of mobile wireless clients;

the at least one of the plurality of mobile wireless clients comprising;

a processor; and

a memory to store machine-executable instructions, the machine-executable instructions when executed on the processor cause the processor to perform operations comprising;

detecting the presence of the primary configuration data and determining if secondary configuration data associated with the secondary wireless server can be used to configure the at least one of the plurality of the mobile wireless clients, by evaluating policies associated with each of the primary and secondary configuration data, identifying conflicts between the policies, and resolving identified conflicts in favor of the primary configuration data; and

wherein the primary and secondary configuration data at least in part governs permissible modes of operation of the at least one of the plurality of mobile clients and wherein at least one of the plurality of mobile clients communicating with the secondary wireless server.

6. A method comprising:

communicating, by at least one mobile wireless client, with a plurality of wireless servers including at least a primary wireless server and at least a secondary wireless server;

storing, in each wireless server of the plurality of wireless servers, information associated with a user of the mobile wireless client, the information including a user identification for the mobile wireless client; and

using each of the wireless servers to control dissemination of information to the at least one mobile wireless client;

configuring the at least one mobile wireless client using a policy from one of the wireless servers wherein the configuration at least in part governs permissible modes of operation for the at least one mobile wireless client, wherein configuration data established by configuring the at least one mobile wireless client using a policy from the primary wireless server takes precedence over conflicting configuration data associated with a policy of the secondary wireless server.

7. A method comprising:

controlling operation of a primary wireless server to communicate with a plurality of mobile wireless clients;

managing information in a primary database of the primary wireless server including storing information associated with users of the mobile wireless clients, the information associated with the users including a user identification for each mobile wireless client;

controlling operation of the plurality of mobile wireless clients at least in part using primary configuration data associated with the primary wireless server;

controlling operation of a secondary wireless server to communicate with at least one of the plurality of mobile wireless clients communicated with by the primary wireless server;

managing information in a secondary database of the wireless server including storing information associated with the at least one of the mobile wireless clients, the information associated with the at least one of the mobile wireless clients including a user identification;

determining whether the at least one of the plurality of mobile wireless clients configured with primary configuration data can be configured with secondary configuration data associated with the secondary wireless server, by evaluating policies associated with each of the primary and secondary configuration data to identify conflicts between the policies and resolve identified conflicts in favor of the primary configuration data; and

wherein the primary and secondary configuration data at least in part governs permissible modes of operation for the at least one of the plurality of mobile clients and wherein at least one of the plurality of mobile wireless clients communicating with the primary wireless server is the same mobile wireless client communicating with the second wireless server.

8. A method comprising:

controlling operation of a primary wireless server to communicate with a plurality of mobile wireless clients;

managing information in a primary database of the primary wireless server including storing information associated with users of the mobile wireless clients, the information associated with the users including a user identification for each mobile wireless client; and

controlling operation of the plurality of mobile wireless clients at least in part using primary configuration data associated with the primary wireless server;

controlling operation of a secondary wireless server to communicate with at least one of the plurality of mobile wireless clients communicated with by the primary wireless server;

managing information in a secondary database of the wireless server including storing information associated with the at least one of the mobile wireless clients, the information associated with the at least one of the mobile wireless clients including a user identification;

evaluating policies associated with each of the primary and secondary configuration data to identify conflicts between the policies and resolve identified conflicts in favor of the primary configuration data; and

controlling operation of the at least one of the plurality of mobile wireless clients using at least some primary configuration data associated with the primary wireless server and at least some secondary configuration data associated with the secondary wireless server based on the identified conflicts;

wherein the primary and secondary configuration data at least in part governs permissible modes of operation for the at least one of the plurality of mobile clients and wherein the at least one of the plurality of mobile wireless clients communicating with the primary wireless server is the same mobile wireless client communicating with the second wireless server.

9. A method comprising:

controlling operation of a primary wireless server to communicate with at least one of a plurality of mobile wireless clients;

managing information in a primary database of the primary wireless server including storing information associated with users of the mobile wireless clients, the information associated with the users including a user identification for each mobile wireless client;

configuring the at least one mobile wireless clients with configuration data associated with the primary wireless server;

controlling operation of a secondary wireless server to communicate with the at least one of the plurality of mobile wireless clients communicated with by the primary wireless server;

managing information in a secondary database of the secondary wireless server including storing information associated with the at least one of the mobile wireless clients, the information associated with the at least one of the mobile wireless clients including a user identification; and

preventing the at least one mobile wireless client from being configured with at least some secondary configuration data associated with the secondary wireless server based on identified conflicts between policies associated with each of the primary and secondary configuration data;

wherein the primary and secondary configuration data at least in part governs permissible modes of operation for the at least one of the plurality of mobile clients and wherein at least one of the plurality of mobile wireless clients communicating with the primary wireless server is the same mobile wireless client communicating with the second wireless server.

10. A method comprising:

controlling operation of a primary wireless server to communicate with at least one of a plurality of mobile wireless clients;

managing information in a primary database of the primary wireless server including storing information associated with users of the mobile wireless clients, the information associated with the users including at least one policy and a user identification for each mobile wireless client;

configuring the at least one mobile wireless clients with configuration data associated with the primary wireless server;

controlling operation of a secondary wireless server to communicate with the at least one of the plurality of mobile wireless clients communicated with by the primary wireless server;

managing information in a secondary database of the secondary wireless server including storing information associated with the at least one of the mobile wireless clients, the information associated with the at least one of the mobile wireless clients including at least one policy and a user identification;

identifying the primary configuration data as taking priority over at least some secondary configuration data associated with the secondary wireless server based on a conflict between the policies associated with each of the primary wireless server and the secondary wireless server, and preventing the at least one mobile wireless client from being configured with the at least some secondary configuration data; and

wherein the primary and secondary configuration data at least in part governs permissible modes of operation for the at least one of the plurality of mobile clients and wherein at least one of the plurality of mobile wireless clients communicating with the primary wireless server is the same mobile wireless client communicating with the second wireless server.