Systems and methods for managing a network

Abstract

A method of managing a network. The method includes receiving an activation key transmitted from a device connected to the network, automatically transmitting a configuration to the device, automatically maintaining the configuration of the device, and receiving log information from the device.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for providing a managed network, comprising:
 in a management center, setting at least one configuration to be transmitted to a first network management device, the at least one configuration to cause the first network management device to provide a corresponding at least one managed network service for a first network after the at least one configuration is transmitted to and received by the first network management device, wherein setting the at least one configuration comprises setting:
 a quality of service (QOS) configuration to cause the first network management device to enable selective transmission of information by the first network management device based on a relative metric of the information; and 
   transmitting the at least one configuration to the first network management device via a second network in response to receiving an activation key at the management center, the activation key transmitted from the first network management device to the management center via the second network after the first network management device is connected to the second network at a first location.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein setting at least one configuration of a first network management device comprises generating the activation key. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein setting at least one configuration of a first network management device comprises setting at least one of:
 an anti-virus configuration to cause the first network management device to provide an anti-virus service;   a content filtering configuration to cause the first network management device to provide a content filtering service;   an anti-spam configuration to cause the first network management device to provide an anti-spam service;   a virtual private network (VPN) configuration to cause the first network management device to provide a VPN service, the VPN service to enable the first network management device to communicate with at least one of: a second network management device located at a second location, a remote access client, and the management center;   an internet protocol (IP) routing and network interface configuration to cause the first network management device to provide an IP routing and network interface service; and   a device monitoring configuration to cause the first network management device to provide a device monitoring service, the device monitoring service to monitor one or more network elements, the one or more network elements connected to the first network and external to the first network management device.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising updating the at least one configuration within the first network management device. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein updating the at least one configuration within the first network management device comprises:
 periodically polling the first network management device;   determining whether the at least one configuration of the first network management device is current;   setting a new configuration for each of the at least one configuration that is not current; and   transmitting the new configurations to the first network management device.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising receiving log information from the first network management device, the log information associated with at least one managed network service. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , comprising:
 correlating the received log information; and   determining one or more of a real time performance and a historical performance of the first network based on the correlated log information.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising:
 receiving performance information from the first network management device;   correlating the received performance information; and   determining one or more of a real time performance and a historical performance of the first network based on the correlated performance information.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein receiving performance information from the first network management device comprises receiving at least one of the following:
 a CPU utilization value;   a memory utilization; and   a network interface bandwidth utilization value.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein receiving performance information from the first network management device comprises receiving performance information gathered from one or more network elements connected to the first network and external to the first network management device. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein receiving performance information gathered from the one or more network elements comprises receiving at least one of the following:
 a reachability value;   a latency value; and   a CPU utilization value.   
     
     
         12 . A system for managing a network, the system comprising:
 a first network management device comprising a processor and a memory, the first network management device to provide at least one managed network service for a first network after a corresponding at least one configuration is transmitted to and received by the first network management device; and   a management center to communicate with the first network management device via a second network, the management center to:
 set the least one configuration to be transmitted to a first network management device, wherein the at least one configuration comprises:
 a quality of service (QOS) configuration to cause the first network management device to enable selective transmission of information by the first network management device based on a relative metric of the information; and 
 
 transmit the at least one configuration to the first network management device via the second network in response to receiving an activation key at the management center, the activation key transmitted from the first network management device to the management center via the second network after the first network management device is connected to the second network at a first location. 
   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the at least one configuration comprises at least one of:
 an anti-virus configuration to cause the first network management device to provide an anti-virus service;   a content filtering configuration to cause the first network management device to provide a content filtering service;   an anti-spam configuration to cause the first network management device to provide an anti-spam service;   a virtual private network (VPN) configuration to cause the first network management device to provide a VPN service, the VPN service to enable the first network management device to communicate with at least one of: a second network management device located at a second location, a remote access client, and the management center,   an internet protocol (IP) routing and network interface configuration to cause the first network management device to provide an IP routing and network interface service; and   a device monitoring configuration to cause the first network management device to provide a device monitoring service, the device monitoring service to monitor one or more network elements, the one or more network elements connected to the first network and external to the first network management device.   
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the management center is to update the at least one configuration within the first network management device. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the management center is to:
 periodically poll the first network management device;   determine whether the at least one configuration of the first network management device is current;   set a new configuration for each of the at least one configuration that is not current; and   transmit the new configurations to the first network management device.   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the management center is to receive log information from the first network management device, the log information associated with the at least one managed network service. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the management center is to:
 correlate the received log information; and   determine one or more of a real time performance and a historical performance of the first network based on the correlated log information.   
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the management center is to:
 receive performance information from the first network management device;   correlate the received performance information; and   determine one or more of a real time performance and a historical performance of the first network based on the correlated information.   
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein performance information comprises at least one of the following:
 a CPU utilization value;   a memory utilization value; and   a network interface bandwidth utilization value.   
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the performance information comprises at least one of the following:
 a reachability value;   a latency value; and   a CPU utilization value.   
     
     
         21 . A method of managing a network, comprising:
 receiving network traffic information from a network management device connected to the network;   correlating the received information; and   determining a performance of the network based on the correlated information.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein determining a performance of the network comprises determining packet loss. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein determining a performance of the network comprises determining latency. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein determining a performance of the network comprises determining jitter.