Systems and methods for remote management of appliances
View Patent ↗The present disclosure describes systems and methods for remote management of appliances. The appliance may be configured to periodically check in a predetermined online location for the presence of a trigger file identifying one or more appliances directed to contact a management server for maintenance. If the file is present at the predetermined location and the file includes the identifier of the appliance, the appliance may initiate a connection to the management server. If the file is not found, then the appliance may reset a call timer and attempt to retrieve the file at a later time. To avoid having to configure addresses on the appliance, link local IPv6 addresses may be configured for use over a virtual private network, allowing administration, regardless of the network configuration or local IP address of the appliance.
1. A method for management of a device by a remote management server, comprising:
periodically requesting, by a device from a server accessible via a network, a remote management trigger file, wherein the remote management trigger file includes a start and expiration time, and wherein the periodically requesting the remote management trigger file comprises:
transmitting at least one request, by the device to the server, for the remote management trigger file;
receiving the remote management trigger file, by the device from the server, based on the remote management trigger file being previously provided to the server by the remote management server;
determining, by the device, whether the remote management trigger file includes an identifier of the device;
resetting a request timer, by the device, responsive to each determination that the remote management trigger file does not include the identifier of the device; and
transmitting an additional request, of the at least one request for the remote management trigger file, at each expiration of the request timer;
determining, by the device, that a remote management session is requested responsive to a determination that the remote management trigger file includes the identifier of the device, wherein the identifier of the device is encoded or obfuscated;
initiating, by the device responsive to the determination that the remote management trigger file includes the identifier of the device, a connection via a virtual private network to the remote management server using information within the remote management trigger file, wherein initiating the connection comprises configuring a local address for the connection; and
removing, by the remote management server, the remote management trigger file from the remote management server responsive to a determination that the expiration time has expired,
wherein the removal of the remote management trigger file terminates the remote management session.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein periodically requesting the remote management trigger file further comprises:
transmitting a first request, by the device to the server, for the remote management trigger file; and
receiving, by the device from the server, an identification that the remote management trigger file has not been previously provided to the server.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein initiating the connection via the virtual private network to the remote management server further comprises requesting a cryptographic key from the server; and using the cryptographic key to encrypt communications with the remote management server.
4. A remotely managed device, comprising:
a network interface; and
a processor in communication with the network interface executing a management agent, wherein the management agent is configured to:
periodically request, from a server via the network interface, a remote management trigger file, wherein the remote management trigger file includes a start and expiration time, and wherein the management agent periodically requesting the remote management trigger file comprises:
transmitting, to the server, at least one request for the remote management trigger file;
receiving, from the server, the remote management trigger file based on the remote management trigger file being previously provided to the server by the remote management server;
determining whether the remote management trigger file includes an identifier of the device;
resetting a request timer, by the device, responsive to each determination that the remote management trigger file does not include the identifier of the device; and
transmitting an additional request, of the at least one request for the remote management trigger file, at each expiration of the request timer;
determine that a remote management session is requested responsive to a determination that the remote management trigger file includes the identifier of the device, wherein the identifier of the device is encoded or obfuscated;
and initiate a connection via a virtual private network to the management server using information within the remote management trigger file, via the network interface, responsive to the determination that the remote management trigger file includes the identifier of the device, wherein the connection is initiated by configuring a local address for the connection,
wherein the remote management trigger file is removed from the remote management server by the remote management server responsive to a determination that the expiration time has expired,
and wherein the removal of the remote management trigger file terminates the remote management session.
5. The device of claim 4 , wherein the management agent is further configured to request a cryptographic key from the server, and use the cryptographic key to encrypt communications with the management server.
6. A method for management of a device by a management server, comprising:
periodically requesting, by a device from a first server accessible via a network, a remote management trigger file, wherein the remote management trigger file includes a start and expiration time, wherein the periodically requesting the remote management trigger file comprises:
transmitting at least one request, by the device to the first server, for the remote management trigger file;
receiving, by the device from the first server responsive to the at least one request, one of:
a not found response based on the remote management trigger file not being available from the first server;
and the remote management trigger file based on the remote management trigger file being previously provided to the first server by the management server relating to a request from the management server for a device-specific remote management session of the device;
determining, by the device, whether the remote management trigger file includes an identifier of the device;
resetting a request timer, by the device, responsive to each determination that the remote management trigger file does not include the identifier of the device;
and transmitting an additional request, of the at least one request for the remote management trigger file, at each expiration of the request timer;
determining, by the device, that the device-specific remote management session between the device and the management server is requested responsive to a determination that the remote management trigger file includes the identifier of the device, wherein the identifier of the device is encoded or obfuscated;
initiating, by the device responsive to the determination, a connection to the management server for performing the device-specific remote management session using an address of the management server within the remote management trigger file, wherein initiating the connection comprises configuring a local address for the connection;
and removing, by the remote management server, the remote management trigger file from the remote management server responsive to a determination that the expiration time has expired,
wherein the removal of the remote management trigger file terminates the device-specific remote management session.