Systems and methods for automatically configuring and managing network devices and virtual private networks

No: 7373661
Application no: 11057860
Filed date: 2005-02-14
Issue date: 2008-05-13
Kind: B2
Claims: 37
Drawing sheets: 19
Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for automatically configuring, managing, and maintaining a network device or VPN using a public network such as the Internet. Initial configuration of a network device or VPN occurs upon a user entering minimal information via a simple HTML page. After receipt of this minimal information, the present invention automatically configures the network device or VPN without user intervention. Thereafter, a user may modify the network device or VPN configuration via an easy-to-use and easy-to-understand graphical user interface. Parameters are presented such that a user simply checks and unchecks boxes, or clicks on radio buttons, to configure network device parameters. Upon completion of the selection, the user clicks on save, and the configuration is automatically modified. In addition, upon a significant change to any network device, the changed network device automatically initiates reconfiguration of the network device or VPN with zero input from a user.
US Classes:
	No:709 - Electrical computers and digital processing systems: multicomputer data transferring or plural processor synchronization  / No:229 - Network resources access controlling
	No:713 - Electrical computers and digital processing systems: support  / No:1 - DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING SYSTEM INITIALIZATION OR CONFIGURATION (E.G., INITIALIZING, SETUP, CONFIGURATION, OR RESETTING)
Inventors:
	Smith Robert Douglas  (1)
	Wobst Olaf Alexander  (1)
Primary examiner: Zand Kambiz
Assistant examiner: Lipman Jacob
Agents:
	Chipperson Rita C.  (4)
	Flaster/Greenberg, P.C.} (ORG)  (4)
Assignees:
	ETHome, Inc.} (ORG)  (1)
Field of search:
	No:229 - Network resources access controlling
	No:230 - Computer-to-computer protocol implementing
	No: 23
	No:2.3
	No:228.2
	No:22 J
	No:22.B
	No:228 S
	No:228 R
	No:229.95
	No:229.54
	No:22.9
	No:229.1
	No:22B
	No:23
	No:228 - Session/connection parameter setting
	No:223 - Computer network managing
	No:224 - Computer network monitoring
	No:225 - Computer network access regulating
	No:221 - Reconfiguring
	No:222.6
	No:224.1
	No:221.07
	No:221.01
	No:22.1
	No:22.27
	No:22.23
	No:22.15
	No:223.5
	No:223.225
	No:222 - Initializing
	No:220 - Network computer configuring
	No:2 - Loading initialization program (e.g., booting, rebooting, warm booting, remote booting, BIOS, initial program load (IPL), bootstrapping)
	No:1 - DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING SYSTEM INITIALIZATION OR CONFIGURATION (E.G., INITIALIZING, SETUP, CONFIGURATION, OR RESETTING)
References:
	5751967
	6079020
	6092200
	6212559
	6226751
	6366563
	6701358
	6765591