Embedding management data within HTTP messages

1. A system for embedding management data within HTTP messages, comprising:

a network gateway computer storing a gateway communicator configured to communicate with at least one client computer, for receiving (i) a server-originated HTTP message intended for the at least one client computer from an HTTP server computer that communicates with the network gateway computer, and (ii) server-originated non-HTTP management data intended for the at least one client computer from a management server computer that communicates with the network gateway computer;

the network gateway computer storing a gateway data embedder configured to insert the server-originated non-HTTP management data within the server-originated HTTP message;

the at least one client computer storing a client data extractor configured to extract the server-originated non-HTTP management data from within the server-originated HTTP message;

the at least one client computer storing a client data embedder configured to insert client-originated non-HTTP management data within a client-originated HTTP message; and

the network gateway computer storing a gateway data extractor configured to extract the client-originated non-HTTP management data from the client-originated HTTP message; and

wherein the gateway communicator transmits the extracted client-originated non-HTTP management data to the management server computer.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the server-originated and the client-originated non-HTTP management data is corporate intranet management data.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the server-originated and the client-originated non-HTTP management data is corporate security management data.

4. A method for embedding management data within HTTP messages, comprising:

receiving server-originated non-HTTP management data from a management server computer intended for at least one client computer;

inserting the server-originated non-HTTP management data within a server-originated HTTP message prior to the server-originated HTTP message being transmitted to the at least one client computer;

extracting the server-originated non-HTTP management data from within the server-originated HTTP message subsequent to the server-originated HTTP message being received by the at least one client computer;

receiving a client-originated HTTP message, the client-originated HTTP message having client-originated non-HTTP management data embedded therewithin;

extracting the client-originated non-HTTP management data from the client-originated HTTP message; and

transmitting the client-originated non-HTTP management data to the management server computer.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the server-originated and the client-originated non-HTTP management data is corporate intranet management data.

6. The method of claim 4 wherein the server-originated and the client-originated non-HTTP management data is corporate security management data.

7. A computer-readable storage medium storing program code for causing a computer system to perform the steps of:

receiving non-HTTP management data intended for at least one client computer;

inserting the non-HTTP management data within an HTTP message prior to the HTTP message being transmitted to the at least one client computer;

extracting the non-HTTP management data from within the HTTP message subsequent to the HTTP message being received by the at least one client computer;

receiving a client-originated HTTP message, the client-originated HTTP message having client-originated non-HTTP management data embedded therewithin;

extracting the client-originated non-HTTP management data from the client-originated HTTP message; and

transmitting the client-originated non-HTTP management data to the management server computer.