Policy distribution point for setting up network-based services
View Patent ↗A “policy distribution point” (PDP) allows service drivers to be installed remotely and automatically without rebooting the PDP or otherwise interrupting existing network-based services. The exposure of sensitive configuration data to non-secure networks is minimized by placing PDPs close to the devices to be configured. Service drivers on the PDP can be reused to configure multiple devices of the same type. The PDP receives an “activation” and uses a service driver on the PDP to translate the activation into “device-specific instructions.” The device-specific instructions are sent to a device and configure the device to set up the network-based service. One or more PDPs can be used to configure both computing device and networking devices to provide a single service.
1. A method comprising:
(a) adding a service driver to a running policy distribution point; and
(b) while the policy distribution point is still running, receiving a first activation and using the added service driver to translate the first activation into first device-specific instructions, wherein the first activation includes both a first configuration parameter related to a network-based service and a second configuration parameter related to a first user.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first configuration parameter related to a network-based service is taken from the group consisting of: a quality of service, an access mechanism, a device IP address, a device location, a physical port, a connection speed and a bandwidth required.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second configuration parameter related to a first user is taken from the group consisting of: a username, a password and an IP address of a computer used by the first user.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the running policy distribution point contains an existing service driver, the method further comprising:
(c) sending the first device-specific instructions to a first device, the first device-specific instructions configuring the first device to set up the network-based service;
(d) using the existing service driver to translate a second activation into second device-specific instructions; and
(e) sending the second device-specific instructions to a second device, the second device-specific instructions configuring the second device to set up the network-based service, wherein both the first device and the second device are used to provide the network-based service to the first user.
5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
(c) sending the first device-specific instructions to a device, the first device-specific instructions configuring the device to set up the network-based service.
6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the first device-specific instructions are sent from the policy distribution point to the device without passing over the internet.
7. The method of claim 5 , wherein the device is a computing device.
8. The method of claim 5 , wherein the device is a networking device.
9. The method of claim 8 , the method further comprising:
(d) adding a second service driver to a running policy distribution point;
(e) while the policy distribution point is still running, receiving a second activation and using the second service driver to translate the second activation into second device-specific instructions; and
(f) sending the second device-specific instructions to a computing device, wherein both the networking device and the computing device are configured to set up the network-based service.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the policy distribution point has a predefined interface for service drivers, the predefined interface facilitating installation of the added service driver into the policy distribution point at run time while the policy distribution point is running.
11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the policy distribution point is not a monolithic policy distribution point, but rather is a modular policy distribution point comprising a service driver infrastructure portion and one or more service drivers.
12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the first activation is translated by the added service driver from XML into the first device-specific instructions.
13. A method comprising:
(a) adding a service driver to a running policy distribution point;
(b) while the policy distribution point is still running, receiving a first activation and using the added service driver to translate the first activation into first device-specific instructions, wherein the first activation includes both a first configuration parameter related to a network-based service and a second configuration parameter related to a first user;
(c) sending the first device-specific instructions to a device, the first device-specific instructions configuring the device to set up the network-based service for the first user;
(d) while the policy distribution point is still running, receiving a second activation and using the added service driver to translate the second activation into second device-specific instructions, wherein the second activation includes both the first configuration parameter related to the network-based service and a third configuration parameter related to a second user; and
(e) sending the second device-specific instructions to the device, the second device-specific instructions configuring the device to set up the network-based service for the second user.
14. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing steps comprising:
(a) adding a service driver to a running policy distribution point; and
(b) while the policy distribution point is still running, receiving an activation and using the added service driver to translate the activation into device-specific instructions, wherein the activation includes both a first configuration parameter related to a network-based service and a second configuration parameter related to a first user.
15. The computer-readable medium of claim 14 having further computer-executable instructions for performing the step of:
(c) sending the device-specific instructions to a device, the device-specific instructions configuring the device to set up the network-based service.
16. A method for setting up a service, the method comprising:
(a) receiving a first configuration parameter related to providing a network-based service on a device;
(b) receiving a second configuration parameter related to a first user;
(c) generating a first activation, the first activation including information from the first configuration parameter as well as information from the second configuration parameter;
(d) sending the first activation to a policy distribution point such that a service driver installed on the policy distribution point translates the first activation into first device-specific instructions; and
(e) sending the first device-specific instructions from the policy distribution point to the device such that the first device-specific instructions configure the device to set up the service for the first user.
17. The method of claim 16 , further comprising:
(f) receiving a third configuration parameter related to a second user;
(g) generating a second activation, the second activation including information from the first configuration parameter as well as information from the third configuration parameter relating to the second user;
(h) sending the second activation to the policy distribution point, the service driver translating the second activation into second device-specific instructions; and
(i) sending the second device-specific instructions from the policy distribution point to the device such that the second device-specific instructions configure the device to set up the service for the second user.
18. A system for setting up a network-based service, the network-based service involving a device, the system comprising:
a policy distribution point comprising a service driver infrastructure and a service driver, the service driver being adapted for communication with the device; and
a core server that generates an activation associated with the service, the activation being sent to the policy distribution point and passing through the service driver infrastructure to the service driver, the activation being translated by the service driver into instructions that are sent from the policy distribution point to the device, the instructions configuring the device to set up the network-based service.
19. The system of claim 18 , wherein the core server sends the service driver to the policy distribution point, the service driver being installed on the policy distribution point at run time without rebooting the policy distribution point.
20. The system of claim 19 , wherein the network-based service also involves a second device, the core server generating a second activation associated with the service, the system comprising a second policy distribution point, the second activation being sent from the core server to the second policy distribution point, a service driver in the second policy distribution point translating the second activation into second device-specific instructions, the second device-specific instruction being sent from the second policy distribution point to the second device such that the second device is configured to set up the network-based service.