Patent ID: 7260632
Filing Date: 2007-08-21
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A system for presence-based management in a communication network, the system comprising: an instant messaging (IM) and presence server coupled to one or more network devices in a communication network, the network devices coupling two or more endpoints to each other and enabling communication between a first one of the endpoints and one or more second ones of the endpoints, the IM and presence server being operable to: using IM, discover one or more of the network devices; using IM, obtain presence information on the discovered network devices from the discovered network devices; and using the presence information on the discovered network devices from the discovered network devices, maintain presence data associated with the discovered network devices, wherein an authorized user at an endpoint is able, using IM, to instruct one or more discovered network devices to perform one or more particular tasks, the presence server providing a rendezvous service enabling one or more users to remotely locate and manage one or more of the network devices in the communication network, the rendezvous service spanning multiple trust domains, which enables a first entity with suitable authorization to manage one or more of the network devices associated with one or more second entities, wherein an authorized user at an endpoint is able to manage one or more discovered network devices using an IM and presence client (IMPC) at the endpoint, the authorized user providing input to and receiving output from the IMPC via a network-management application operable to generate a graphical user interface (GUI) for managing the one or more discovered network devices.