IMPROVED SUBNET PROVISIONING METHOD

A method for disabling subnet settings is described including parsing a configuration file, determining if an extensible markup language predefined internet protocol address element is present in the configuration file, determining if predefined internet protocol address elements are present in the configuration file, determining if predefined default extensible markup language address elements are present in the configuration file, restoring default subnet setting, if predefined internet protocol address elements are not present in the configuration file or if predefined internet protocol address elements are present in the configuration file and predefined extensible markup language address elements are present in the configuration file.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to network provisioning and, in particular, to automated provisioning.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Some content providers currently provision routed or bridged subnets by downloading an Extensible Markup Language (XML) configuration file and performing additional manual steps. The manual steps are accomplished using a command line interface (CLI) or web graphical user interface (GUI). Disabling routed or bridged subnets requires additional CLI, web GUI or factory equipment reset steps since content provider's XML structure does not sufficiently define routed or bridged subnet default settings.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention disables routed or bridged subnet settings using the content provider's XML structure thus avoiding additional CLI and/or GUI steps or losing customized settings resulting from an equipment factory reset operation. The present invention is implemented in a gateway cable router.

A method and apparatus for disabling subnet settings is described including parsing a configuration file, determining if an extensible markup language predefined internet protocol address element is present in the configuration file, determining if predefined internet protocol address elements are present in the configuration file, determining if predefined default extensible markup language address elements are present in the configuration file, restoring default subnet setting, if predefined internet protocol address elements are not present in the configuration file or if predefined internet protocol address elements are present in the configuration file and predefined extensible markup language address elements are present in the configuration file.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The present invention disables routed or bridged subnet settings exclusively using the content provider's XML structure thus avoiding additional CLI and/or GUI steps or losing customized settings resulting from an equipment factory reset operation.

Referring toFIG. 1, which is a flowchart of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, at105the content provider's configuration file is parsed. At110, a test is performed to determine if the XML element <nat>disabled</nat> is present in the configuration file. If the XML element <nat>disabled</nat> is present in the configuration file then at115a test is performed to determine if IP address XML elements are present in the configuration file. If IP address XML elements are present in the configuration file then at120a test is performed to determine if default <address>0.0.0.0</address> XML elements are present in the configuration file. If default <address>0.0.0.0</address> XML elements are present in the configuration file then at125the default routed or bridged subnet settings are restored. If default <address>0.0.0.0</address> XML elements are not present in the configuration file processing ends. If IP address XML elements are not present in the configuration file then processing proceeds to125. If the XML element <nat>disabled</nat> is not present in the configuration file the processing ends. The XML element <nat>disabled</nat> is content provider's IP address element.

An example of an actual IP address element is:

Exemplary code for step115to determine if default IP address elements are present would include a test to determine if the configuration contains no <ip> . . . </ip> elements.

An exemplary case configuring routed or bridged subnets is as follows:

<nat>disabled</nat><ip ipVersion=“4”><address>157.254.37.78</address><netmask>255.255.240.0</netmask></ip>
Below are the two exemplary cases restoring default routed or bridged subnet settings:

1. Configuration file contains no IP address elements:<nat>disabled</nat>

2. Configuration file contains IP address elements:<nat>disabled</nat><ip ipVersion=“4”><address>0.0.0.0</address></ip>
Case 1 lacks <ip>. . . </ip> address elements configuring routed or bridged subnets whereas Case 2 restores default settings using <ip><address>0.0.0.0</address></ip>. Case 1 and Case 2 implicitly and explicitly restore default settings respectively.

The present invention may be implemented in a gateway router as shown onFIG. 3described below or in a digital subscriber Line (DSL) or a Gigabit Passive Optical network (GPON) such as Verizon's FIOS®. A gateway router may be a gateway cable router.

FIG. 2shows the content provider's XML default IP address element present test. “0.0.0.0. ” is the disable setting defined by the equipment manufacturer. The equipment manufacturer reads these settings when disabling IEEE 802.11 Guest Network subnets. The content provider specifies these settings when disabling Guest Network subnets

Exemplary code to implement the restore default router settings (respectively case 1 and case 2 from above) portions of the logic above is as follows:

FIG. 3is a block diagram of an exemplary embodiment in accordance with the principles of the present invention. A residential (home) or business network may include a plurality of devices including desktop computers, laptop computers and tablets. The devices may be wireless or wired line. And are in bidirectional communication with a gateway router (indicated simply as “router” onFIG. 3) provided by the service provider or content provider. The gateway cable router is in bidirectional communication with a Wide Area Network (WAN), which is in bidirectional communication with the XML Configuration Server of the service provider or content provider. The XML Configuration Server is a server providing the XML Configurator file (or XML Configuration file). The devices of the residential or business network may access the internet via gateway router, the WAN and the cloud. If an error occurs in the gateway cable router and the default router setting must be restored the present invention supports doing so without the necessity of manual administrator intervention.

As indicated above, the present invention may be implemented in a gateway router, a DSL, a GPON or a variety of other equivalent devices. The gateway router or equivalent device having the processing means therein for executing the XML Configurator (Configuration) file. An apparatus for disabling routed or bridged subnet settings is described including means for parsing a configuration file, means for determining if an extensible markup language predefined internet protocol address element is present in the configuration file, means for determining if predefined internet protocol address elements are present in the configuration file, means for determining if predefined default extensible markup language address elements are present in the configuration file, means for restoring default routed or bridged subnet setting, if predefined internet protocol address elements are not present in the configuration file or if predefined internet protocol address elements are present in the configuration file and predefined extensible markup language address elements are present in the configuration file.