WO2001045327A1

WO2001045327A1 - Information network management system

Info

Publication number: WO2001045327A1
Application number: PCT/ZA1999/000140
Authority: WO
Inventors: Nevo Hadas
Original assignee: Dydx (Pty) Ltd.
Priority date: 1999-12-15
Filing date: 1999-12-15
Publication date: 2001-06-21
Also published as: AU3774800A

Abstract

This invention is a method of and system for the managing and monitoring of services on an information network. More specifically it relates to the use of an administrative server with managing means to control and monitor one or more of; main servers, application servers and databases connected or connectable to the network. Systems software provides an interface for users to manage and monitor services.

Description

INFORMATION NETWORK MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates to a method of and system for the managing and monitoring of services on an information network. More specifically it relates to the use of an administrative server with managing means to control and monitor one or more of; main servers, application servers and databases connected or connectable to the network

BACKGROUND ART

With the introduction of the Internet and associated applications from e-mail to e-commerce and Internet access there is an increasing need to enable service providers to automate some of the tedious tasks associated with administering users and billing systems.

OBJECTIVES OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a system and method for the managing and monitoring of services on information networks. More specifically it relates to the use of administrative servers to manage and control services and billing networks of service providers. DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

According to the first aspect of the invention there is included a method of managing and

monitoring services on an information network, the method including the steps of:

- providing at least one interactive communication network to which is connected or

connectable at least one or more main servers including one or more of: a Unix web

server, a NT web server and a DNS server;

- providing at least one application server for providing an information product or

service;

- providing at least one database connected to the network; and

- providing at least one administrative server with managing means to control and

monitor one or more of: the main servers, application servers and databases

connected to the network

According to second aspect of the invention the interactive communication network my

be connected to the public information network via a routing device or system.

According to the third aspect of the invention the routing device or system may include

one or more of: users and domain registrars. According to the fourth aspect of the invention the application server may include one or

more of; a mail server, a proxy server, a franking server and a network management

server.

According to the fifth aspect of the invention there is included a system for managing and

monitoring services on an information network, the system comprising:

- at least one interactive communication network to which is connected or

server, a NT web server and a DNS server;

at least one application server for providing an information product or service;

- at least one database connected to the network;

- one administrative server with managing means to control and monitor one or more

of: the main servers, application servers and databases connected to the network;

and

- systems software facilitating in providing a user interface for managing and

monitoring services on the information network.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

Preferred embodiments of the invention will now be described by means of non-limiting examples only, with reference to the accompanying diagrams wherein:

Figure 1 is a basic block diagram of the network and system according to the invention;

Figure 2 specifically illustrates the components and functionality of the administrator server;

Figure 3 includes the functionality's and operational functions of a web server;

Figure 4 shows the functions of the Primary name server;

Figure 5 relates to the functions of ISP staff given;

Figure 6 includes authentication procedures according to the invention; Figure 7 relates to server management;

Figure 8 illustrated ISP total control over the packages that are sold through the system;

Figure 9 includes the function and operation of the system which provides ISP's reports; Figure 10 includes client management functions and procedures;

Figure 1 1 more specifically relates to the registration process;

Figure 12 relates to customers having access to certain reports; and

Figure 13 illustrates how administration of domains is done through a web

BEST MODES FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Turning to Figure 1 which is a basic block diagram of the network and system according

to the invention comprising a communications network ( 1 ) with a central communications

backbone (2) i.e. an Ethernet communications network to which is attached one or more

of the following: Unix webservers (3), NT web servers (4), mail servers (5) and DNS

servers (6). Furthermore the network may be managed and controlled via one or more

administration servers (7) utilizing the systems software (i.e. Nserv) for managing and

controlling services and users on the network. Also connected to the network is one or

more accounting databases (8) with user and/or billing information stored thereon. The

communications backbone connect or be connectable to an information network via a

router or similar device (9) which facilitates communication to one or more networks

including an Intranet, Extranet and the Internet ( 10) having multiple user at home or office

(11) and domain registrars thereon (12). Furthermore the software facilitates the

administration and control of users, products and services on the network.

Figure 2 specifically illustrates the components and functionality of the administrator

server (13) including a main computer or workstation (14) ( i.e. Intel PC or Sun workstation ) including input (21 ) means for managing and controlling the operation of

the computer as well as output means including any one or more of a screen or monitor

(22) an printer (23).

The administration server may have communications means with the Internet (24) and/or

a Intranet (24), Extranet (25) and a local network or WAN (27). Furthermore the server

may have storage means i.e mirrored hard disks (16 and 17) operated by the server

operating system or server software (15) . Also included within the scope of the operation

of the server is backup facilities for backing up system software or data (19) and/or

system logging (20) on backup devices i.e. CD-ROM,, magnetic tapes and DAT streamers

( not shown) operated by a backup device or peripheral (18).

Figure 3 includes the functionality and operation functions of a web server (28) including

one or more of:

• creating a FTP user (29) (no shell access and rooted to home directory)

S configuring a home directory for the user (30)

• allocating a quota if supported by the OS; (31) and

• configuring the virtual host entry in the webservers configuration file(32).

Furthermore the Mail server (33) may perform: Creating a POP user account (34) (no shell

access) and configuring a mail server (35) t accept mail for new domain and sets up aliases

Figure 4 shows the functions of the Primary name server (36) including on or more of:

Creating a db file for the new domain (37),

adding this to named.boot (38)_

restarts named and updates any secondaries (39) and

lθ also using for example CORBA, initiates and monitors the domain registration or

update process (40).

Registrars (41) may include:

• Sending a request through to the domain registrars (42) and monitors progress (43)

whether it is a new domain registration (44), an update(45) or a deletion (46)

Furthermore the registering functions may be used to generate repors (47) for the network

administrator.

Routers (48) may perform and comprise the step of:

interrogating the routers for bandwidth utilization (49) and/or utilizing SNMP on an IP basis per virtual host.

Figure (5) relates to the functions of ISP staff given corresponding to the job functions

they need to perform including

5 Client user administration (51) can manage basic client requirements such as add,

delete and modify user information.

Domain administrator: can add, delete, suspend and modify clients, domains and plug-

ins(52)

ISP Financial officer(53) may have access to view billing reports and

§ Network administrator (54): can add, modify and delete servers from the network tree

Figure 6 includes authentication procedures (57) which require all users to enter their

5 username (58) and password (59) before access is granted to the administration area

(60). Sessions are created (61) with each log-on and the IP from which they originated

is tracked (62). If inactive (65), time-out periods apply to all users, after which they

must log-on again. If active (64) they may proceed or continue witht an existing

process (66)

0 Figure 7 relates to server management (67) wherbyt as the system software (v:serv)

supports distributed networks, server-monitoring services are available through the

software to direct specific requirements towards different servers. Functions available

are:

5 Add and remove servers from available servers list (68)

^• Add and remove IP's (69)

Monitoring running services on servers with problem flagging if they have stopped

operating(70)

(Figure 8 illustrates ISP total control over the packages that are sold through the system,

the administration interface (80) allows the ISP to set prices for:

set-up costs (81)

annual costs(82)

^• monthly costs(83)

5 months free (84)

^• per unit cost (bandwidth) (85) and

^• plug-ins (86)(

Setting up packages is done through creating individuals products that are then grouped

together for an overall package price. Packages can thus support variable pricing within a monthly billing price structure as illustrated.

Figure 9 includes the function and operation (87) of

the system which provides ISP's reports on:

LICENSES# Of Sites

# Of Domains

# Of Plug-ins

FINANCIAL information (89) may include expected income from clients and discounts

given NETWORK (90) may include:

Bandwidth Utilisation

Services running on each server; and

Server logs

SALES (91) may include:

Clients over and near quota

CLIENTS (92) may include:

Domains

Bandwidth Utilisation

Average number of email's per domain

Average Hosting space per domain Furthermore the reports may include a scenario where the system provides the ISP with

reports (93) and clients with reports (94)

Figure 10 includes client management (95) functions and procedures including ISP

administrators (96) through the administration back-end (97) including actions (98) as

illustrated (99)

Figure 11 more specifically relates to the registration process ( 100) including the steps of

entering a domain name (101) after which it is checked against domain registration (102)

including updating a domain (103) or creating a new one (104). After this the package is

selected (105) and the packages displayed (106) are checked a product database to which

are active. Now personal details are entered (107) after which certain error checks are

performed (108); now the secure area is entered including entering banking details and

confirming a purchase and password (109). The process is executed (1 10) as illustrated

after which the system log's into the main area (111)

Figure 12 relates to customers (113) having access to certain reports (1 14) including

billing reports (1 15) and Usage reports (1 16) Figure 13 illustrates how administration of domains (117) is done through a web interface

(1 18) including main navigation and specific functions ( 119) as graphically depicted ( 120)

Clients receive the following reports:

Packages purchased

Quantity utilised (of package)

Plug-ins purchased

Bandwidth utilised

Claims

1. A method of managing and monitoring services on an information network, the

method including the steps of:

- providing at least one interactive communication network to which is

connected or connectable at least one or more main servers including one

or more of: a Unix web server, a NT web server and a DNS server;

- providing at least one application server for providing an information

product or service;

- providing at least one database connected to the network; and

- providing at least one administrative server with managing means to control

and monitor one or more of: the main servers, application servers and

databases connected to the network

2. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the the interactive communication

network is connected to the public information network via a routing device or

system.

3. A method as claimed in claim any of the above claims wherein the method of the

invention includes a routing device or for one or more of: users and domain

registrars.

4. A method as claimed in claim any of the above claims wherein the application

server may include one or more of; a mail server, a proxy server, a franking server

and a network management server.

5. A system of managing and monitoring services on an information network, the

system comprising:

- at least one interactive communication network to which is connected or

server, a NT web server and a DNS server;

- at least one database connected to the network;

and

- systems software facilitating in providing a user interface for managing and

monitoring services on the information network.