Virtual Gateway Control and Management

Abstract

In accordance with one or more embodiments, aspects of the disclosure may provide efficient, effective, and convenient ways of managing network devices. In particular, a client router may connect to an upstream virtual gateway. The virtual gateway may manage a large number of client devices. Each client router may be represented virtually within the gateway as a virtual router. The virtual gateways may be distributed regionally, in order to manage large numbers of client routers and/or to reduce transmission delays. The virtual gateways may be managed by a gateway controller. The gateway controller may be centralized, and perform various configuration functions, such as configurations for hardware, logical networking, or content access policies. In some instances, messages sent between the gateway controller using a first protocol and the client router using a second protocol may be translated by a protocol agent.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method comprising:
 extracting user agent information from a dynamic host configuration protocol (DHCP) request message indicating a connection between a client device and a router, wherein the user agent information comprises identification data associated with the client device;   determining, based on the extracted user agent information, a first probability of an identity of the client device;   determining, based on a historical configuration model associated with the client device, a second probability of the identity of the client device;   determining, based on the first probability and the second probability, the identity of the client device; and   sending the identity of the client device.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising determining, based on the identity of the client device, that the client device is a device associated with a user. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the sending the identity comprises sending a notification indicating that the client device has been added to a local network comprising the router. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein sending the identity of the client device comprises:
 sending, to an additional device, a notification comprising the determined identity of the client device and a request to validate the identity of the client device; and   receiving, from the additional device, user feedback verifying the identity of the client device.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the identification data comprises at least one of an IP address, a device type, a manufacturer, or operating system information. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising updating, based on a unique identifier associated with the client device indicating a manufacturer, the identity of the client device to indicate the manufacturer. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the determining the first probability further comprises:
 extracting, from the DHCP request message, an Internet Protocol address, a device type, a manufacturer, and an operating system version,   wherein the user agent information comprises the Internet Protocol address, the device type, the manufacturer, and the operating system version.   
     
     
         8 . An apparatus comprising:
 one or more processors;   memory storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the apparatus to:
 extract user agent information from a dynamic host configuration protocol (DHCP) request message indicating a connection between a client device and a router, wherein the user agent information comprises identification data associated with the client device; 
 determine, based on the extracted user agent information, a first probability of an identity of the client device; 
 determine, based on a historical configuration model associated with the client device, a second probability of the identity of the client device; 
 determine, based on the first probability and the second probability, the identity of the client device; and 
 send the identity of the client device. 
   
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the apparatus to determine, based on the identity of the client device, that the client device is a device associated with a user. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the apparatus to send the identity by sending a notification indicating that the client device has been added to a local network comprising the router. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the apparatus to send the identity of the client device by:
 sending, to an additional device, a notification comprising the determined identity of the client device and a request to validate the identity of the client device; and   receiving, from the additional device, user feedback verifying the identity of the client device.   
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the identification data comprises at least one of an IP address, a device type, a manufacturer, or operating system information. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the apparatus to update, based on a unique identifier associated with the client device indicating a manufacturer, the identity of the client device to indicate the manufacturer. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the apparatus to determine the first probability by:
 extracting, from the DHCP request message, an Internet Protocol address, a device type, a manufacturer, and an operating system version,   wherein the user agent information comprises the Internet Protocol address, the device type, the manufacturer, and the operating system version.   
     
     
         15 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed, cause:
 extracting user agent information from a dynamic host configuration protocol (DHCP) request message indicating a connection between a client device and a router, wherein the user agent information comprises identification data associated with the client device;   determining, based on the extracted user agent information, a first probability of an identity of the client device;   determining, based on a historical configuration model associated with the client device, a second probability of the identity of the client device;   determining, based on the first probability and the second probability, the identity of the client device; and   sending the identity of the client device.   
     
     
         16 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein the instructions, when executed, cause determining, based on the identity of the client device, that the client device is a device associated with a user. 
     
     
         17 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the sending the identity by causing sending a notification indicating that the client device has been added to a local network comprising the router. 
     
     
         18 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the sending the identity of the client device by causing:
 sending, to an additional device, a notification comprising the determined identity of the client device and a request to validate the identity of the client device; and   receiving, from the additional device, user feedback verifying the identity of the client device.   
     
     
         19 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein the identification data comprises at least one of an IP address, a device type, a manufacturer, or operating system information. 
     
     
         20 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein the instructions, when executed, cause updating, based on a unique identifier associated with the client device indicating a manufacturer, the identity of the client device to indicate the manufacturer. 
     
     
         21 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the determining the first probability by causing:
 extracting, from the DHCP request message, an Internet Protocol address, a device type, a manufacturer, and an operating system version,   wherein the user agent information comprises the Internet Protocol address, the device type, the manufacturer, and the operating system version.