Method and system using presence information to manage network access

A system using presence information to manage network access, comprising:

• a presence server in communication with at least a first network endpoint included in a private network, the presence server operable to:
• maintain presence information identifying the presence of an end user associated with the first network endpoint;
• and
• in response to receiving a remote access request, update the presence information for the end user when a remote access request is received from the end user at a remote endpoint located external to the private network;
• and
• a remote access server in communication with the private network, the remote access server operable to:
• receive the remote access request from the end user at the remote endpoint, the remote access request requesting access to the private network for the remote endpoint;
• and
• automatically configure, based on the updated presence information, an access point to the private network to allow any communications addressed to the first network endpoint from a second network endpoint included in the private network to pass through the access point, the automatically configuring the access point comprising copying stored pinhole configuration information of the first network endpoint to pinhole configuration information of the remote endpoint.

A system using presence information to manage network access, comprising:

• means for maintaining presence information for an end user associated with a first network endpoint included in a private network;
• means for receiving a remote access request from the end user at a remote endpoint located external to the private network, the remote access request requesting access to the private network for the remote endpoint;
• means for updating the presence information in response to receiving a remote access request, for the end user to identify the presence of the end user at least a first network endpoint included in a private network;
• and
• means for automatically configuring, based on the updated presence information, an access point to the private network to allow any communications addressed to the first network endpoint from a second network endpoint included in the private network to pass through the access point, the automatically configuring the access point comprising copying stored pinhole configuration information of the first network endpoint to pinhole configuration information of the remote endpoint.

Logic embodied in a tangible computer readable medium, the tangible computer readable medium comprising code operable to:

• maintain presence information for an end user associated with a first network endpoint included in a private network;
• receive a remote access request from the end user at a remote endpoint located external to the private network, the remote access request requesting access to the private network for the remote endpoint;
• in response to receiving a remote access request, updating the presence information for the end user to identify the presence of the end user at least a first network endpoint included in a private network;
• and
• based on the updated presence information, automatically configuring an access point to the private network to allow any communications addressed to the first network endpoint from a second network endpoint included in the private network to pass through the access point, the automatically configuring the access point comprising copying stored pinhole configuration information of the first network endpoint to pinhole configuration information of the remote endpoint.