Patent ID: 7552213

Claim:
A remote management system connected to a plurality of network nodes to be managed using the management system, the system comprising: a management station that executes software to remotely monitor and control a remote network node on a common viewer based on connection option settings made at the management station including a setting for network response time; a smart switch module appliance, located between the management station and the remote network node, that provides the common viewer at the management station access to the remote network node using a remote access protocol (1) automatically selected by the smart switch module from one of an in-band protocol and an out-of-band protocol based on a set of predetermined criteria including the connection option settings, and continuing to communicate the management information to the common viewer whether the smart switch module selects the in-band protocol or the out-of-band protocol; (2) continuously testing whether the selected remote access protocol optimally meets the connection option settings and, in the smart switch module, automatically changing to the other of the in-band protocol and out-of-band protocol anytime said other of the in-band protocol and out-of band protocol is currently determined to more optimally meet the connection option settings, and thereafter continuing to seamlessly communicate the management information to the same common viewer whether the smart switch module changed to the in-band protocol or the out-of-band protocol; (3) continuously repeating (2) each time another of the in-band protocol and out-of-band protocol is currently determined to more optimally meet the connection option settings; and the management station remotely monitors and controls the remote network node through the smart switch module seamlessly through the single viewer using the remote access protocol without setting the remote access protocol at the management station.