System and method for managing devices relayed via an established session

One or more non-transitory computer readable storage mediums storing one or more sequences of instructions, which when executed by one or more processors, causes managing, auditing and troubleshooting of at least one IP device, by performing the steps of:

• obtaining a set of policies from original equipment manufacturer (OEM) policy server, wherein said set of policies comprise at least one of (a) commands to be performed to manage, audit and troubleshoot said at least one IP device or (b) responses;
• updating said set of policies obtained from said OEM policy server to revoke permissions on at least one of (a) said commands or (b) said visibility of information from an agent device, a bridge device or an admin device, wherein said admin device is restricted to include additional permissions over said set of policies that are obtained from said OEM policy server;
• storing said updated set of policies in an internal policy server;
• determining an identity of said at least one IP device from at least one of (a) fault reporting mechanisms or (b) a request initiated by said agent device;
• initiating a first secure connection with, or responding to a connection request from said bridge device, wherein information associated with said identity of said at least one IP device is communicated to said bridge device;
• determining whether said bridge device comprises a connector to initiate a connection with said at least one IP device;
• obtaining a request from said bridge device and communicating, to said bridge device, (a) a uniform resource locator (URL) of a connector store or (b) a location from where a connector to connect with said at least one IP device is to be downloaded when said connector to connect with said at least one IP device is not installed in said bridge device;
• forming a session or responding to a session creation request made by said agent device to (a) authenticate said agent device and (b) connect said agent device with said bridge device to manage, audit and troubleshoot said at least one IP device when said commands, provided by said agent device, are presented in said set of policies provided by said OEM policy server or said internal policy server;
• and
• providing information to said bridge device to at least one of (a) connect with said at least one IP device to manage, audit and troubleshoot said at least one IP device, (b) join said session or (c) perform session management operations.

A computer implemented method for managing, auditing and troubleshooting of at least one IP device, said method comprising:

• initiating a first secure connection with, or responding to a connection request from an admin device;
• obtaining information associated with said at least one IP device from said admin device, wherein said information comprises an identity of said at least one IP device;
• connecting to a device registry and downloading information associated with said at least one IP device, wherein said device registry stores said identity and access credentials of said at least one IP device to connect with said at least one IP device;
• determining whether a connector to connect with said at least one IP device is installed in said bridge device;
• communicating a request to said admin device and obtaining, from said admin device, (a) a uniform resource locator (URL) of a connector store, or (b) a location, from where a connector to connect with said at least one IP device is to be downloaded when said connector to connect with said at least one IP device is not installed in said bridge device;
• downloading and installing said connector to connect with said at least one IP device as a plug-in module in said bridge device;
• forming or joining a second secure connection with said agent device to manage, audit and troubleshoot said at least one IP device;
• forming, on approval from said admin device, a third secure connection, using said connector, between said bridge device and said at least one IP device;
• securing and relaying information from said second secure connection to said third secure connection when said second secure connection and said third secure connection are connected together, wherein said information is secured end-to-end to prevent tampering, wherein said bridge device restricts session participants other than those using said agent device from accessing said information unless said agent device allows said session participants to interact with said at least one IP device, based on rules enforced by policy filters;
• and
• obtaining, using said admin device, said policy filters and one or more input output (IO) masks and providing said policy filters and said one or more IO masks to said connector to manage, audit and troubleshoot said at least one IP device.