US 6,981,041 B2Granted

Apparatus and accompanying methods for providing, through a centralized server site, an integrated virtual office environment, remotely accessible via a network-connected web browser, with remote network monitoring and management capabilities

AssigneeAEP Networks

InventorsKenneth S. Araujo, Reginald P. Best, Christopher P. Douglas, Devin J. Heitmueler, Siuling C. Zhang, Gamid Isayev

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Abstract

Apparatus and accompanying methods for use therein for implementing an integrated, virtual office user environment, through an office server(s), through which a remotely stationed user can access typical office network-based applications, including e-mail, file sharing and hosted thin-client programs, through a remotely located network, e.g., WAN, connected web browser. Specifically, a front end, namely a service enablement platform (SEP), to one or more office servers on a LAN is connected to both the WAN and LAN and acts both as a bridge between the user and his(her) office applications and as a protocol translator to enable bi-directional, web-based, real-time communication to occur between the browser and each such application. During initial operation, the SEP, operating under a default profile, establishes, over an analog connection to the WAN, a management session with the site to obtain customer WAN access information, then tears down the analog connection and establishes a broadband WAN connection through which the SEP re-establishes its prior session and obtains a client certificate and its customized profile. The SEP then re-initializes itself to that particular profile.

Claims46

Dependent claims

Apparatus for monitoring a local area network (LAN) through a remote administrative web site, the apparatus comprising:

a service enablement platform (SEP) for connection to the LAN and for connection, through a wide area network (WAN) connection, to the administrative web site, wherein the SEP comprises:
a processor;
a memory, connected to the processor, for storing computer executable instructions therein;
and
first and second network interfaces, operable in conjunction with the processor, for communicatively interfacing the SEP, through a first network connection, to the WAN and, through a second network connection, to the LAN, respectively;
wherein the processor, in response to execution of the instructions:
continually monitors operational status of a monitored entity so as to detect an alarm condition resulting from an operational failure in the monitored entity, the monitored entity comprising the SEP, at least one of the first and second connections or at least one of a plurality of servers residing on the LAN;
generates, in response to the alarm condition, an alarm message containing information related to the alarm condition;
converts the alarm message into a predefined format suitable for communication over a web connection so as to yield a web-communicable alarm message;
and
transmits the web-communicable alarm message, via the WAN interface and the first network connection, to the administrative web site which, in response to receipt of the web-communicable alarm message:
extracts the alarm information from the web-communicable alarm message so as to define extracted alarm information;
and
updates a record in a database, maintained by the administrative web site and associated with the SEP, to reflect the extracted alarm information.

11 more elements

A method for use in apparatus for monitoring a local area network (LAN) through a remote administrative web site, the apparatus having:

a service enablement platform (SEP) for connection to the LAN and for connection, through a wide area network (WAN) connection, to the administrative web site, wherein the SEP comprises:
a processor;
a memory, connected to the processor, for storing computer executable instructions therein;
and first and second network interfaces, operable in conjunction with the processor, for communicatively interfacing the SEP, through a first network connection, to the WAN and, through a second network connection, to the LAN, respectively;
the method comprising the steps, performed by the processor and in response to execution of the stored instructions, of:
continually monitoring operational status of a monitored entity so as to detect an alarm condition resulting from an operational failure in the monitored entity, the monitored entity comprising the SEP, at least one of the first and second connections or at least one of a plurality of servers residing on the LAN;
generating, in response to the alarm condition, an alarm message containing information related to the alarm condition;
converting the alarm message into a predefined format suitable for communication over a web connection so as to yield a web-communicable alarm message;
and
transmitting the web-communicable alarm message, via the WAN interface and the first network connection, to the administrative web site which, in response to receipt of the web-communicable alarm message:
extracts the alarm information from the web-communicable alarm message so as to define extracted alarm information;
and
updates a record in a database, maintained by the administrative web site and associated with the SEP, to reflect the extracted alarm information.

10 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 09/835,075Filed 13 Apr 2001 · us provisional application
Priority: 13 Apr 2000
Published: US 2001/0047406 A129 Nov 2001
Granted: 27 Dec 2005
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification10 codes

H04L 41/22
Arrangements for maintenance, administration or management of data switching networks, e.g. of packet switching networks: comprising specially…
H04L 41/0213
Standardisation; Integration: standardised network management protocols, e.g. simple network management protocol [SNMP]
H04L 41/0253
Exchanging or transporting network management information using the Internet; Embedding network management web servers in network elements;…:…
H04L 41/0266
Exchanging or transporting network management information using the Internet; Embedding network management web servers in network elements;…:…