Patent ID: 7424736

Claim:
A method for communicating between a first private computer network and a second private computer network via a public network, the method comprising: in the first private network having a plurality of devices, a secure access appliance associated with the plurality of devices, and a firewall between the devices and the public network, the secure access appliance receiving status information from the plurality of devices; the secure access appliance sending a periodic outgoing message including at least one message with information relating to the status of at least one of the devices, wherein the periodic outgoing message is directed to the second private network through the firewall and via the public network; receiving through the firewall a request message from the second private network responsive to one of the periodic outgoing messages, the request message requesting that the secure access appliance open a tunnel through the firewall, wherein the firewall allows the request message in response to one of the periodic outgoing messages but otherwise restricts the second private network from accessing the first private network without a tunnel; the secure access appliance opening a tunnel through the firewall in response to the request message to allow access; and one or more of the plurality of devices in the first private network receiving instruction messages from the second private network, the instructions being received through the tunnel; wherein the instruction messages are received for a limited period of time and are received to actively manage the one or more devices.