Abstract:
A system providing for virtual network management is disclosed. A system in accordance with the present invention allows a service provider to remotely manage one or more client network management systems. The security of the client network management systems is advanced by only allowing communications between a client network management system and the service provider that have been initiated by the client network management system. A mirror image of a client network management system is maintained by the service provider as a virtual network management system. Data included in the virtual network management system is periodically updated with data received from the client network management system. Instructions or data may be passed from the service provider to the client network management system in reply to communications initiated by the client network management system. The present invention is particularly useful in connection with the remote management of client networks with respect to which security is a concern.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to virtual network management. In particular, the present invention relates to managing client networks from a remote location. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Computer networks are vital to the operation of many business enterprises. Such networks include interconnected computers, telecommunications systems, or converged environments in which voice and data are passed across a common network. Because such networks provide functions that are critical to the operation of business enterprises, their maintenance is of considerable importance. 
     In order to maintain and troubleshoot networks, outside service providers may be employed. If outside service providers are provided access to the client network, many maintenance and repair operations can be performed remotely. However, remote access to a client network is often undesirable from the perspective of the client, as the access channel provided for the service provider can be exploited by third parties. For example, modem access in connection with software, such as PC ANYWHERE, that allows for the remote operation of computer systems, can potentially be exploited by unauthorized persons to access the client network. 
     In order to address client concerns regarding network security, virtual private networks, firewalls, and password protection has been utilized. However, such solutions can add expense to the operation of a network, and have certain vulnerabilities. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is directed to solving these and other problems and disadvantages of the prior art. Generally, according to the present invention, a client network management system is interconnected to a communication network, such as the Internet. According to the present invention, the client network management system may contact a service provider network management system over the communication network to post various types of information. In reply to the posting, the service provider network management system can request additional data, or provide updated configuration information, code, or both updated configuration information and code to the customer network management system. The service provider network management system cannot initiate communications with the client network management system. Accordingly, the client network management system controls whether communications are initiated with the service provider network management system. 
     In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, the service provider network management system maintains a virtual database, that mirrors the information concerning the operation of the client network management system stored on a client network management system database. In this way, the service provider network management system is capable of establishing a virtual copy of the client network management system. The establishment of a virtual network management system allows the service provider to appropriately manage the client network management system, to troubleshoot hardware and software related problems on the client system, and to repair software related problems on the client system, without requiring access to the actual client network management system in real time. 
     These and other advantages and features of the invention will become more apparent from the following description of an illustrative embodiment of the invention taken together with the drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a block diagram of client networks interconnected to a service provider network management system in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a block diagram of a client network in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  is a functional block diagram illustrating a client network management system in accordance with an embodiment illustrating the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  is a functional block diagram of a service provider virtual network management system in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; and 
         FIG. 5  is a flow chart illustrating the operation of a remote network management system in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     With reference now to  FIG. 1 , a remote network management system  100  in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention is illustrated. The system  100  generally includes a service provider network management system  104  interconnected to one or more client networks (or switches)  108  by a communication network  112 . In general, the service provider network management system  104  may be implemented using one or more general purpose computers. The client network  108  may comprise any voice and/or data network. For example, the client network  108  may comprise a private branch exchange (PBX). In the embodiment of the remote network management system  100  illustrated in  FIG. 1 , the communication network  112  comprises the Internet. In addition or as an alternative, the communication network  112  may comprise a switched circuit network, such as the public switched telephone network (PSTN), a private intranet, or another communications system. 
     For each of the client networks  108 , a virtual network management system  116  is established on the service provider network management system  104 . The establishment of virtual network management systems  116  on the service provider network management system  104  allows the service provider to remotely manage client networks  108 , even in the absence of real time access to the client networks  108 . 
     In  FIG. 2 , a client network  108  is illustrated in block diagram form. As shown in  FIG. 2 , a client network  108  in accordance with the present invention includes a client network management system  204  interconnected to the communication network  112 , for communicating with the service provider network management system  104 . In addition, the client network  108  includes a communications server  208 . The communications server  208  may control and facilitate communications between nodes on the client network  108 . The communications server  208  may also provide interfaces to interconnect the client network  108  to communications networks, including the communication network  112 . For example, in  FIG. 2 , the communications server  208  is illustrated as interconnecting the client network  108  to both the communication network  112  used to interconnect the network management system  204  to the service provider network management system  104 , and to the public switched telephone network (PSTN)  212 . Accordingly, the communications server  208  may facilitate communications between communication nodes associated with the client network  108  and communication nodes located outside of the client network  108 . 
     Examples of communication nodes that may be associated with the client network  108  include client computers  216  and desk telephones  220 . Accordingly, it can be appreciated that the client network  108  may comprise a data network, a voice network, or a combined voice and data network. As a further example, it should be appreciated that the client network  108  may comprise a private branch exchange (PPX) telephony network. The various components that may be associated with the client network  108  (e.g., the client network management system  204 , the communications server  208 , the client computers  216 , and the desk telephones  220 ) may be interconnected to one another by a local communication network  224 , such as a local area network (LAN). 
     The communications server  208  may include basic communications functions, including telecommunications functions such as voice messaging and other telephony features. The communications server  208  may also include an interface with the PSTN  212  and an interface with the communication network  112 . The communications server may comprise a general purpose computer. Where the client network  108  comprises a PBX, the communications server  208  may comprise a Definity Server available from Avaya, Inc. The client computers  216  may include general purpose computers, such as personal computers. In addition, the client computers  216  may include devices such as personal digital assistants (PDAs) and other computing devices, including devices capable of implementing soft telephones. The desk telephones  220  may comprise dedicated Internet protocol (IP) telephones. In addition to wire line connections, it should be appreciated that the local communication network  224  may comprise wireless interconnections with the various components of the client network  108 , such as the client computers  216  and the desk telephones  220 . 
     With reference now to  FIG. 3 , major functional components of a client network management system  204  in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention are illustrated. In general, the client network management system  204  includes a virtual data server  304 , which serves to interconnect the client network management system  204  to the service provider network management system  104  (see  FIG. 1 ) across the communication network  112 . In addition, the virtual data server  304  initiates contact with the service provider network management system  104  according to a predetermined schedule, or in response to the collection of certain data concerning the client network  108  with which the virtual data server  304  is associated. For example, if a particular number of faults of a certain type are observed, the virtual data server  304  may autonomously initiate an unscheduled communication with the service provider network management system  104 . 
     The client network management system  204  may additionally include one or more data collectors  308 . In general, the data collectors  308  each collect a particular type of data concerning the client network  108 . For example, a first data collector  308   a  may collection information regarding the current configuration of the client network  108 . A second data collector  308   b  may collect information regarding one or more performance parameters concerning the client network  108 . As a further example, a third data collector  308   n  may collect information regarding general or specific faults detected in connection with the client network  108 . Accordingly, it can be appreciated that a data collector  308  may be established for each category or type of information concerning the client network  308  for which monitoring is desired. 
     The data scheduler  312  may be used to determine when data is collected by the data collectors  308  established in connection with the client network  108 . For example, the first data collector  308   a  in the present example may be scheduled by the data scheduler  312  to collect current configuration information hourly or whenever the configuration of the client network  108  has been altered. As a further example, the second data collector  308   b  may be scheduled by the data scheduler  312  to collect performance information every half hour. As still a further example, the third data collector  308   n  may be instructed by the data scheduler  312  to continuously monitor the client network  108  for faults. 
     One or more registered graphical user interfaces (GUIs)  316  may be provided to allow a local administrator or administrators to configure various aspects of the operation of the client network  108 . For example, a registered GUI client  316  may be used by an administrator to indicate to a data collector  308  the internet protocol (IP) address of the switch (i.e. the client network  108 ) for which data is being collected. In addition, a registered GUI client  316  may be used to assign local network addresses or extensions to devices (e.g., client computers  216  and desk telephones  220 ) associated with the client network  108 . 
     A database  320  may be provided for storing various information used by the client network  108 . For example, the database  320  may serve as a repository for data collected by the various data collectors  308 . In addition, the database  320  may serve as a repository for various configuration information concerning the client network  108 . 
     With reference now to  FIG. 4 , the major functional components of a service provider network management system  104 , and in particular of a virtual network management system  116 , in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention are illustrated. In general, the virtual network management system  116  includes a virtual request server  404 . The virtual request server  404  receives communications from the virtual data server  304  (see  FIG. 3 ) of the client network management system  204  transmitted over the communication network  112 . The virtual request server  404  formulates replies to the communications received from the virtual data server  304 . For instance, the virtual request server  404  may reply to communications from the client network management system  204  that contain information regarding faults occurring on the client network  108  with a request that certain diagnostic procedures be executed by the network management system  204 , and that the results of the testing be provided to the service provider network management system  104  in a later communication. 
     A virtual data manager  408  mirrors the virtual data server  304  of the client network management system. In general, the virtual data manager  408  receives data sent from the client network management system  204 , and stores that data in a virtual database  412 . 
     A virtual data notifier  416  may issue alerts, or initiate some other notification procedure in response to faults or other conditions detected in connection with the client network  108  received from the client network management system  204 . For example, the virtual data notifier  416  may sound an alarm or page a technician when a condition requiring immediate attention is detected. 
     A graphical user interface  420  may be used by a technician or technicians at the service provider to diagnose fault conditions or to otherwise take action to maintain or repair a client network  108  remotely. In particular, from the data received according to scheduled reports or in response to requests from the virtual request server  404  that is placed in the virtual database  412  by the virtual data manager  408 , a technician has access to a virtual or mirrored copy of the client network management system  204 . Accordingly, the service provider network management system  104  comprises a virtual network management system  116 . Furthermore, a virtual network management system  116  may be established on a service provider network management system  104  for each client network  108  managed by a service provider. 
     With reference now to  FIG. 5 , the operation of an embodiment of a remote network management system  100  in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention is illustrated. Initially, at step  500 , the client network management system  204  associated with a client network  108  initiates communication with the service provider&#39;s network management system  104 , and in particular with the virtual network management system  116  associated with that client network management system  204  of the client network  108 . It should be appreciated that, according to the present invention, communication sessions between the client network management system  204  and the virtual network management system  116  are always initiated by the client network management system  204 . That is, although a virtual network management system  116  may request certain information from the client network management system  204 , such requests are made in the context of a response to a communication from the client network management system  204 . 
     At step  504 , data from the client network management system  204  is posted to the virtual network management system  116 . The data may include data routinely collected by the client network management system  204 . In addition or alternatively, the data may include information that was requested by the virtual network management system  116  as part of a response to an earlier client network management system  104  initiated communication. 
     At step  508 , the virtual network management system  104  determines whether it is holding data or instructions for transmission to the client network management system  204 . If data or instructions for the client network management system  204  are being held by the virtual network management system  116 , the data or instruction is transmitted to the client network management system as part of the acknowledgment of the communication initiated by the client (step  512 ). An example of data that may be provided from the virtual network management system  116  to the client network management system  204  includes revised configuration data, such as changes in the dialing plan used by the client network  108 . An example of instructions provided from the virtual network management system  116  to the client network management system  204  includes instructions to test an aspect of the operation of the client network  108  and return the results of that testing. If the data or instruction transmitted to the client network management system  204  includes a request for additional data from the client network management system  204  (step  516 ) the system returns to step  504 , during which step additional data from the client network management system  204  is posted to the service provider virtual network management system  104 . 
     If at step  516  the data or instruction transmitted as part of the acknowledgment does not include a request for additional data, the data transfer sequence is ended (step  520 ). It should be appreciated that, in response to a request for additional data from the client network management system  204  (step  516 ), the client network management system  204  may acknowledge the request and terminate the data transfer sequence. The requested data may then be provided to the service provider network management system  104  in a later communication initiated by the client network management system  204 . 
     If at step  508  it is determined that the service provider network management system  104  is not holding data or instructions for the client network management system  204 , the communication from the client network management system  204  is acknowledged (step  524 ) and the data transfer sequence then ends (step  520 ). 
     The communications between the client network management system  204  and the virtual network management system may be according to the protocol or protocols required by the communication network. For example, the communications may be according to the HTTPS protocol where a Server Socket Layer (SSL) encryption session is used in connection with communications conducted over a communication network  112  that comprises the Internet. 
     From the above description, it can be appreciated that a remote network management system  100  in accordance with the present invention provides a virtual network management system  116  for each client network management system  204  administered by the service provider. Accordingly, by providing, for example, a Web address allowing contact from client contact management systems  204 , a service provider may remotely manage a number of client networks  108  from a service provider network management system  104  that is remote with respect to the client networks  108 . 
     In addition, it should be appreciated that a remote network management system  100  in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention does not allow for communication sequences that are initiated by the service provider. Instead, communications sequences are initiated by the client network management system  204 . Accordingly, the present invention may provide for the remote management of client networks  108 , without requiring additional hardware, such as virtual private network routers, and without requiring that the client network  108  accept communications initiated by a system external to the client network  108 . 
     The foregoing discussion of the invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. Further, the description is not intended to limit the invention to the form disclosed herein. Consequently, variations and modifications commensurate with the above teachings, within the skill and knowledge of the relevant art, are within the scope of the present invention. The embodiments described hereinabove are further intended to explain the best mode presently known of practicing the invention and to enable others skilled in the art to utilize the invention in such or in other embodiments and with various modifications required by their particular application or use of the invention. It is intended that the appended claims be construed to include the alternative embodiments to the extent permitted by the prior art.