Patent ID: 7831689

Claim:
A method of managing a virtual private network over an internet, the method comprising: providing by a computer a graphical user interface configured to display a list of VPN switches, for each of the VPN switches, a menu of links, each link for accessing, via the internet, a web-page generated by a web-server associated with the VPN switch, wherein each of VPN switches offering virtual private network functions, wherein the list of VPN switches is displayed according to a hierarchical tree, each respective VPN switch comprising a node displayed on the hierarchical tree; displaying by the computer a first selectable functionality in conjunction with the hierarchical tree, the first selectable functionality for instantiating a new physical VPN switch by adding a new node to the hierarchical tree; displaying by the computer a second selectable functionality in conjunction with the hierarchical tree, the second selectable functionality for defining a network tunnel within the virtual private network, wherein defining the network tunnel includes receiving a selection of a first VPN switch as a tunnel start point and a second VPN switch as a tunnel end point, the second selectable functionality allowing for at least one network subscriber access to the tunnel; and displaying a third selectable functionality in conjunction with the hierarchical tree, the third selectable functionality allowing for providing a view of at least one tunneling technology offered by the VPN switch; transmitting an HTTP (Hyper Text Transfer Protocol) request when a link is selected by a user; and accessing a web-page associated with the selected link in response to the HTTP request, the web-page comprising configuration information related to the switch; modifying the configuration information of the switch via the accessed web-page.