Minimized installation of point of presence software agents by use of pre-installed browser

Abstract

A multi-device data processing machine system includes a plurality of network-connected cliental servers and an SaaS server that is configured to download by way of the network to the cliental servers of web pages having browser-executable code, the browser-executable code being configured to automatically repeatedly monitor performance attributes of respective ones of the cliental servers and to automatically repeatedly report on results of the monitoring to an SaaS provider associated with the SaaS server. When their corresponding web pages are downloaded into the respective cliental servers, their browser-executable codes function as Point of Presence (POP) agents. Installation of POP agents is reduced to downloading of webpages by way of pre-installed browsers.

1 .- 10 . (canceled) 
     
     
         11 . A data processing machine system having remote monitoring capability, the machine system comprising:
 a SaaS provider site having at least one web page downloading server; and   a plurality of cliental servers each coupled to a network and each having installed therein a respective operating system, a respective browser configured for cooperative interaction with the respective operating system and a respective web page downloading script configured to cause running of the respective browser and downloading from the SaaS provider site and into the running respective browser of a web page having browser-executable code embedded therein, the browser-executable code having access to hardware of the respective cliental server;   wherein the at least one web page downloading server of the SaaS provider site stores at least one web page specified by one of the respective web page downloading scripts of the cliental servers.   
     
     
         12 . The machine system of  claim 11  wherein:
 the respective operating system of a first of the plurality of cliental servers is different from a respective operating system of a second of the plurality of cliental servers. 
 
     
     
         13 . The machine system of  claim 12  wherein:
 the at least one web page downloading server of the SaaS provider site stores at least two different web pages that are respectively specified by the corresponding and respective web page downloading scripts of the first and second cliental servers. 
 
     
     
         14 . The machine system of  claim 11  wherein:
 the browser-executable code embedded in at least one of the downloadable web pages is configured to access hardware resources within a domain of at least one of the respective operating systems of the cliental servers, the hardware accessing browser-executable code being configured to automatically repeatedly monitor one or more operational attributes of the respective cliental server and to automatically repeatedly report to an SaaS provider associated with the SaaS provider site, the results of the monitoring of the one or more operational attributes of the respective cliental server. 
 
     
     
         15 . The machine system of  claim 14  wherein:
 the browser-executable code embedded in at least one of the downloadable web pages is configured to automatically repeatedly monitor performance attributes of one or more data storage units within its respective cliental server. 
 
     
     
         16 . The machine system of  claim 14  wherein:
 the browser-executable code embedded in at least one of the downloadable web pages is configured to automatically repeatedly monitor performance attributes of one or more data processing units within its respective cliental server. 
 
     
     
         17 . The machine system of  claim 14  wherein:
 the browser-executable code embedded in at least one of the downloadable web pages is configured to automatically repeatedly monitor performance attributes of one or more data communication units within its respective cliental server. 
 
     
     
         18 . The machine system of  claim 11  and further comprising:
 a plurality of end-user devices that are capable of operatively coupling to the network and are each configured to embed performance tracking meta-data into communications of the respective end-user device that are sent by way of the network; and 
 wherein the browser-executable code embedded in at least one of the downloadable web pages is configured to automatically repeatedly monitor for detection within its respective cliental server of meta-data received from one or more of the end-user devices. 
 
     
     
         19 .- 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A method of remotely monitoring portions of a data processing machine system, the method comprising:
 providing a SaaS providing site having at least one web page downloading server; and   providing as part of the data processing machine system, a plurality of cliental servers each coupled to a network and each having installed therein a respective operating system, a respective browser configured for cooperative interaction with the respective operating system and a respective web page downloading script configured to cause running of the respective browser and downloading from the SaaS providing site and into the running respective browser of a web page having browser-executable code embedded therein, the browser-executable code having access to hardware of the respective cliental server;   wherein the at least one web page downloading server of the provided SaaS providing site stores at least one web page specified by one of the respective web page downloading scripts of the cliental servers.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21  wherein:
 the respective operating system of a first of the plurality of cliental servers is different from a respective operating system of a second of the plurality of cliental servers. 
 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22  wherein:
 the at least one web page downloading server of the SaaS providing site stores at least two different web pages that are respectively specified by the corresponding and respective web page downloading scripts of the first and second cliental servers. 
 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 21  wherein:
 the browser-executable code embedded in at least one of the downloadable web pages is configured to access hardware resources within a domain of at least one of the respective operating systems of the cliental servers, the hardware accessing browser-executable code being configured to automatically repeatedly monitor one or more operational attributes of the respective cliental server and to automatically repeatedly report to an SaaS provider associated with the SaaS providing site, the results of the monitoring of the one or more operational attributes of the respective cliental server. 
 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24  wherein:
 the browser-executable code embedded in at least one of the downloadable web pages is configured to automatically repeatedly monitor performance attributes of one or more data storage units within its respective cliental server. 
 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 24  wherein:
 the browser-executable code embedded in at least one of the downloadable web pages is configured to automatically repeatedly monitor performance attributes of one or more data processing units within its respective cliental server. 
 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 24  wherein:
 the browser-executable code embedded in at least one of the downloadable web pages is configured to automatically repeatedly monitor performance attributes of one or more data communication units within its respective cliental server. 
 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 21  wherein the data processing machine system further comprises:
 a plurality of end-user devices that are capable of operatively coupling to the network and are each configured to embed performance tracking meta-data into communications of the respective end-user device that are sent by way of the network; and 
 wherein the browser-executable code embedded in at least one of the downloadable web pages is configured to automatically repeatedly monitor for detection within its respective cliental server of meta-data received from one or more of the end-user devices. 
 
     
     
         29 . A data processing system having parts that are accessible on a remote access basis, the system comprising:
 a plurality of cliental servers each coupled to a network and each having installed therein a respective operating system, a respective browser configured for cooperative interaction with the respective operating system and a respective web page downloading script configured to cause running of the respective browser and to cause downloading from a respective predetermined control provider and into the running respective browser of a web page having browser-executable code embedded therein, the browser-executable code having access to hardware of the respective cliental server;   wherein for each respective cliental server, the respective predetermined control provider thereof stores at least one web page specified by one of the respective web page downloading script of the respective cliental server.   
     
     
         30 . The data processing system of  claim 29  wherein:
 the respective operating system of a first of the plurality of cliental servers is different from a respective operating system of a second of the plurality of cliental servers. 
 
     
     
         31 . The data processing system of  claim 30  wherein:
 the at least one respective predetermined control provider stores at least two different web pages that are respectively specified by the corresponding and respective web page downloading scripts of the first and second cliental servers. 
 
     
     
         32 . The data processing system of  claim 29  wherein:
 the browser-executable code embedded in at least one of the downloadable web pages is configured to access hardware resources within a domain of at least one of the respective operating systems of the respective cliental servers, the hardware accessing browser-executable code being configured to automatically repeatedly monitor one or more operational attributes of the respective cliental server and to automatically repeatedly report to a respective predetermined monitoring service associated with the respective predetermined control provider, the results of the monitoring of the one or more operational attributes of the respective cliental server.