Patent Abstract:
In an integrated management system for providing a network system having a plurality of computers with a security function and managing a plurality of target products, implementation of the management system itself is facilitated by providing the management system with setting information templates prepared for respective target products, a management program for managing setting information files of target products actually used in a target network, an edit program for editing setting information files, and an install program for installing setting information files created by using the management program and the edit program in respective target devices.

Full Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates to a technique for implementing a management system that manages devices used to provide a network system including a plurality of computers with security functions. 
   Heretofore, various management systems for managing a plurality of devices have been developed for network systems each including a plurality of computers. 
   For example, a network management system described in JP-A-2000-244495 provides a mechanism for automatically generating and setting security setting of individual routers and firewall apparatuses included in a system. 
   In W. C. Goers and M. R. Brenner, “Implementing a Management System Architecture Framework,” Bell Labs Tech. J., Vol. 5, No. 4, October–December 2000, pp. 31–43, there is a description concerning implementation of an integrated management system for managing network devices by using a Web browser. 
   These techniques aim at providing techniques for efficiently managing a plurality of devices included in a network system. However, for newly adding a device that is not a management subject, as a management subject, it is necessary to improve the management system. 
   As devices that form a network system and software that operate on the devices, various new products (hardware, software, or both of them) are developed one after another. In order to make those new products new subjects of the management, therefore, it is necessary for the management system to be frequently improved. 
   The conventional management systems, which do not assume expansion of the network time and additional costs to add new products to the management system. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention provides an integrated management system having the following components: 
   (1) a setting information template (referred to also as model) for forming the basis of setting a target product (hardware or software), and a management program for managing setting information files of target products actually used in a target network; 
   (2) an edit program for editing a setting information file, which is desired to be a dedicated edit program prepared for each target product; and 
   (3) an install program for installing a setting information file created by using the management program and the edit program in each target device, which is desired to a dedicated install program prepared for each target product. 
   It is desired that the management program of (1) manages the edit program and the install program every target product. 
   In the case where the target product is software, a version change due to improvement or the like might cause a partial change in setting contents and consequently a version up of the management program as well becomes necessary in some cases. According to the present invention, it becomes possible to reduce the labor required for making a new device that does not correspond to the management system or software of a new version a target. And it becomes easy to expand the management system. 
   Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description of the embodiments of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a diagram showing a general configuration of an integrated network management system; 
       FIG. 2  is a diagram showing configurations of an integrated management server and a target server; 
       FIG. 3  is a diagram showing an example of a setting information template used by an integrated management system; 
       FIG. 4  is a diagram showing an example of a setting information file used by an integrated management system; 
       FIG. 5  is a diagram showing a flow of processing for installing a setting information file of a target product; 
       FIG. 6  is a diagram showing a configuration method of an edit program implemented by using a Web technique; 
       FIG. 7  is a diagram showing an example of a screen used by an edit program corresponding to an XML format file; and 
       FIG. 8  is a diagram showing a configuration method of an edit program that lightens work of editing configuration items of a target product. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS 
   Hereafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described by taking the case where software products are management target products as an example with reference to  FIGS. 1 to 8 . 
     FIG. 1  is a diagram showing a general configuration of an integrated management system of the present embodiment. The integrated management system includes a network  101 , an integrated management server  102 , target servers  103 - 1  to  103 - 3 . The target servers as a whole are generally denoted by  103 . 
   In the present embodiment, not only a local network but also a wide area network such as the Internet can be used as the network  101 . 
     FIG. 2  is a diagram showing configurations of the integrated management server  102  and the target server  103 . 
   In the configuration of the integrated management server  102 , reference numeral  201  denotes a CPU and  202  denotes a network communication interface. Reference numeral  203  denotes an external storage device. The external storage device  203  stores at least one setting information template  2031  each prepared per target product, and at least one setting information file  2032  of target products actually used in the target network. 
   The setting information template  2031  is for creating the setting information file  2032 . In the setting information file  2032 , configuration item values of the setting information template  2031  have been fixed. 
   Reference numeral  204  denotes a memory. An operating system (OS)  2041  is stored in the memory  204 . As programs operating on the operating system  2041 , there are disposed in the memory  204  a management program  2042  for managing the setting information template  2031  and the setting information file  2032 , at least one edit program  2043  for editing the setting information file  2032  each prepared per target product, and a communication program  2044  to be used for communication with a target server. 
   In the configuration of the target server  103 , reference numeral  205  denotes a CPU, and reference numeral  206  denotes a network communication interface. Reference numeral  207  denotes an external storage device. A setting information file  2071  is stored in the external storage device  207 . Reference numeral  208  denotes a memory. An operating system (OS)  2081  is disposed in the memory  204 . Target products  2082 , an install program  2083  for installing the setting information file in the target product  2082 , and a communication program  2084  to be used for communication with the integrated management server are on the memory  208  as programs operating under the operating system  2081 . 
   Programs to be executed by the CPU  201  and the CPU  205  may be introduced into the integrated management server  102  or the target server  103  via a storage medium or a communication medium on the network. 
   The setting information template  2031  is a collection of configuration items of the target products  2082 . For example, as exemplified in  301  of  FIG. 3 , the setting information template  2031  can be defined as a file of XML (eXtensible Markup Language) format. 
   In this case, each configuration item can be defined as an element of the XML. Each item name can be associated with a tag, and its item value can be associated with a text node. A format of an element of the XML corresponding to each configuration item is as follows:
 
&lt;item name&gt;value=“configuration item value”&lt;/item name&gt;
 
   If there is a default value as a configuration item value, the default value is entered in the configuration item value as shown in  302 . If the default value is not determined, a blank is entered in the configuration item value as shown in  303 . If patterns of a value which can be assumed as a configuration item value are determined and a selection is effected out of them, then elements of the same tag are arranged a plurality of times and entered as shown in  304 . As for an element selected by a default, flg=“1” is added after the configuration item value as an attribute value at this time. For other elements, flg=“0” is added. As a result, it becomes possible to identify the default value. 
   The XML format file  301  shown in  FIG. 3  is an example of the setting information template for a firewall system. The XML format file  301  includes a “rulebase” tag that defines information concerning an access control rule, and a “property” tag that defines information concerning a property. 
   The “rulebase” tag includes elements according to the following tags:
         source tag, which defines a transmission source IP address;   destination tag, which defines a transmission destination tag;   service tag, which defines a TCP/IP service name;   action tag, which defines an action to be effected when the IP address and service match between the transmission source and the transmission destination, and which is “accept” when accepting communication, and “deny” when denying communication;   logdata-type tag, which defines a type of data output as a log;   install-point tag, which specifies a computer that executes the access control rule; and   time tag, which specifies an effective time zone of the rule.       

   The “property” tag includes elements according to the following tags:
         check-timing tag, which specifies rule check timing in internal processing of the firewall; and   timeout tag, which specifies time of connection timeout.       

   In the setting information file  2032 , configuration item values of the setting information template  2031  have been fixed. For example, as exemplified in  401  of  FIG. 4 , the setting information file  2032  can be defined as an XML format file. 
   In the case of a configuration item having no default value as shown in  303  of  FIG. 3  in the setting information file  2032 , rewriting is conducted so as to have the default value filled in. 
   In the case of a configuration item for which patterns of a value which can be assumed as a configuration item value are determined and a selection is effected out of them, flg=“1” is added to the selected element as an attribute value and flg=“0” is added to other elements. As a result, it becomes possible to identify the selected value. 
   In the setting information file  2032 , it is also possible to newly define and use an attribute value in order to describe setting information. 
     FIG. 5  is a diagram showing a flow of processing conducted when installing a setting information file of the target product  2082  by using the integrated management system of the present embodiment. 
   In accordance with a request from a network manager, who is a user, the integrated management system conducts the following series of operations on the integrated management server  102 : 
   reference numeral  501  denotes a step at which the management program  2042  accepts an edit request of the setting information file  2032  of the target product  2082  from a user; 
   reference numeral  502  denotes a step at which the management program  2042  starts the edit program  2043  corresponding to the target product  2082 ; 
   reference numeral  503  denotes a step at which the edit program  2043  loads the setting information template  2031  of the target product  2082  from the external storage device  203 ; 
   reference numeral  504  denotes a step at which the user customizes configuration items of the target product  2082  by using the edit program  2043 ; 
   reference numeral  505  denotes a step at which the edit program  2043  saves the setting information file  2032  of the target product  2082 ;
         reference numeral  506  denotes a step at which the management program  2042  starts the communication program  2044 , and establishes a communication path to each target server  103 ; and       

   reference numeral  507  denotes a step at which the communication program  2044  transfers the setting information file  2032  saved at the step  505  to each target server  103 . 
   Furthermore, in the integrated management system, each target server  103  previously starts the communication program  2084 , which accepts a communication request from the integrated management server  102 , and conducts the following series of operations: 
   reference numeral  508  denotes a step at which the communication program  2084  accepts a communication request from the integrated management server  102 ; 
   reference numeral  509  denotes a step at which the communication program  2084  receives the setting information file  2032  of the target product  2082 ; 
   reference numeral  510  denotes a step at which the communication program  2084  starts the install program  2083  and delivers the received setting information file  2032  to the install program  2083 ; and 
   reference numeral  511  denotes a step at which the install program  2083  rewrites the setting contents of the target product  2082 . 
   By carrying a series of operations shown in  FIG. 5 , setting operations of a target product can be effected in an integrated management system of the present embodiment. 
   The edit program  2043  of the present embodiment is a program that supports the user in customizing the setting values of configuration items described in the setting information template  2031 . A configuration item and an edit screen in which the setting default value (initial value) is previously set are displayed on a computer used by the user. 
   If the setting information template  2031  is using the XML format, then it is also possible to convert the layout of a displayed screen to an HTML format with the XSL (eXtensible Stylesheet Language) and construct an edit screen on the Web browser, by using the Web technique. 
     FIG. 6  is a diagram showing a construction method of the edit program  2043  implemented on the integrated management server  102  by using such a Web technique. 
   Reference numeral  601  denotes a Web browser program,  602  a Web server program,  603  at least one CGI program started by the Web server program  602 , and  604  an XSL file for creating the screen layout. The Web server program  602 , the CGI program  603 , and the XSL file  604  are implemented on the integrated management server  102 . 
   The Web browser program  601  may be disposed on another client computer that can communicate with the integrated management server with the TCP/IP. 
   If the URL of the setting information template  2031  of the XML format is specified in the Web browser program  601 , then the Web server program  602  transmits the setting information template  2031  and the XSL file  604  to the Web browser program  601 . The Web browser program  601  interprets the setting information template  2031  in accordance with the contents of the XSL file  604 , and generates and displays a form screen for editing the configuration items. In the form screen, items for starting the CGI program  603  are arranged. The user can start a specified CGI program  603  by selecting an item. 
   As for the CGI program  603 , there are a program for transferring a local file to the integrated management server  102 , a program for outputting parameters of the configuration items edited on the form to the setting information file  2032 , and a program for calling the communication program  2044  and transferring the setting information file  2032  to the target server  103 . 
     FIG. 7  is a diagram showing an example of a screen used by the edit program  2043  corresponding to the XML format file  301  as the setting information template  2031 . 
   Reference numeral  701  denotes a list for describing the access control rule. Reference numeral  702  denotes a button for adding an entry of the access control rule. Reference numeral  703  denotes a button for deleting an entry of the access control rule. If the addition button  702  is depressed, a CGI program  603  for adding one entry of the access control rule is started. 
   Furthermore, the list  701  has check buttons. If a deletion button  703  is depressed in a checked state, a CGI program  603  for deleting the entry is started. 
   Reference numerals  704  and  705  denote regions for setting properties. In the region  704 , an inspection timing property is set. In the region  705 , a timeout property is set. If patterns of a value which can be assumed as a configuration item value are determined as in the inspection timing property and a selection is effected from them, the patterns are displayed as a selection list as shown in  704 . 
   If a default value is predetermined as in timeout, a default value is displayed beforehand as shown in  705 . Reference numeral  706  is a button to be used after customizing of each field has been finished. By depressing this button, a CGI program  603  for generating the setting information file  2032  is started. 
   As shown in  FIGS. 6 and 7 , it becomes possible in the present embodiment to manage a new target product in the integrated management server  102  by adding the following that corresponds to the target product to be added:
         setting information template;   XSL file  604 ; and   CGI program  603 .       

   Furthermore, by preparing an install program  2083  on the target server  103  side, a new target product can be added to the integrated management system of the present embodiment. 
   As heretofore described, in the present embodiment, it becomes possible to easily add a new target product to the integrated management system. 
   The configuration method of the edit program  2043  shown in  FIG. 6  may be altered as shown in  FIG. 8 . 
   That is, a plurality of kinds of setting information templates  2031  having setting suitable default values, such as a plurality of settings corresponding to security policies of the user, are prepared. In addition, a CGI program  603  for making it possible for the user to effect a selection on these setting information templates is added. 
   As a result, it becomes possible to make only necessary items selectable and make items that have become unnecessary in setting unenterable. In addition, it becomes possible to implement various kinds of setting without omission and avoid unnecessary setting. It becomes possible to lighten the user&#39;s work of editing the configuration items of the target product. 
   In addition, instead of preparing a setting information template  2031  for each target product  2082 , category-classified setting information templates  801  associated with kinds of target products, such as firewall products and intruder detection systems, and converters  802  for compensating different parts for respective products and creating information templates of respective products may be provided. 
   In the development of the integrated management system, the present embodiment brings about an effect that development items required when adding a target product are defined definitely and they can be implemented as independent modules, and an effect that the user&#39;s work of editing the configuration items of the target product. 
   As heretofore described, when expanding the management system in order to newly add a device that is not a management target or a new version as a management target, 
   (1) definition of a template of a setting information file, which becomes a basis for setting a target product, 
   (2) development of an edit program for editing the setting information file, and 
   (3) development of an install program for installing the setting information file are conducted and then work of incorporating them into the management system is conducted. 
   Since this work can be conducted independently every individual target and the same technique can be applied to respective targets, it becomes easy to expand the management system. 
   Furthermore, since in the management system according to the present invention alteration procedures of setting contents for various targets are made common, it becomes possible to lighten the user&#39;s work. 
   It should be further understood by those skilled in the art that although the foregoing description has been made on embodiments of the invention, the invention is not limited thereto and various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

Technology Classification (CPC): 7